out of options need advice

[NicholasV]

What is the name of your state? NY
I work at a Target in NY. This one particular store has a habit of using a few employees as possible to increase their bonus's which lead to employees doing more than humanly possible.
I used to work in a freezer for almost 2 yrs until I was injured 4x due to team lead and etl not getting on the outside contractors back to fix things but I was then removed from the freezer and put into a spot where I was made responsible for 3 aisles. I am responsible for what happens nights and weekends and when not there. I have to clean these aisle, get rid of outdated items, move all items forward so it looks packed, I have to pack out eggs, deli meats, cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese, which are located on 9 racks in 2 separate rooms which now im also responsible to sort thru every day to keep them all organized and specific items on specific racks and also price change.

I work only 5 hours a day.
I have spoken to my Team lead about it who has ignored me, cut my hours, increased my workload
I spoke to my boss above her who has done nothing
I have spoken to HR who ignored it and did nothing
I have had my hours cut and workloads increased by all parties and store manager believes whatever HR rep in store tells him.

When raise time came I received a glowing eval but only got a .29 cent raise and a few months later raising minimum wage my my raise almost null and void.
I am the only one who works the 3 aisle except on weekend when there is 1 other person working who puts stuff in wrong spots I have to fix which causes store to loose money..
2-5 people work in produce in 1 aisle with additional 6 tables.
1 person works 4 aisles for freezer
1 person works 1 aisle in dairy

when it would be busy I would ask for help and told I didn't deserve it. I was also denied breaks so former employees could take 2 hour breaks.

I have photos of my workload and some documentation but no witness as they bosses literally like all but me.

whatif anything can I do going to corporate HR will just make me loose my job. which they are trying to push me out of im also only one in department over 50 with high workload.

Frustrated Worker

 

[adjusterjack]

If the working conditions are dangerous call OSHA.

If they are just inconvenient (everybody is overworked and underpaid) find another job and quit.

The bosses aren't going to change anything for you. If anything, they just make things worse for complainers.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

You are working part time for a retailer and are not part of the “in” crowd.

It’s time to find another job.

 

[commentator]

There is a saying in unemployment that even though your employer can ask you to, you cannot "spin straw into gold." Even if they are standing over you with a whip, they're not going to be able to make you do more than you can humanly do. It is pretty obvious that you are on the outward path, they're doing everything they can do to force you to quit the job. And from the sound of it, you're scaring them. You sound like an on the job injury about to happen, and that will play hell with their bonusus.

If you quit the job, as they are pushing you to do, there's very little possibility you are going to be able to receive any unemployment insurance while looking for another job. If they fire you, the burden of proof about unemployment is on the employer. It's not such a bad thing as you might think to be fired. However, since you work only 5 hours a day, you are probably not going to be able to qualify for a huge amount of unemployment insurance even if you were fired for a poor reason, and were approved for it. I suggest you would need instead to simply find another job. now, while still working if possible.

But you are looking at this whole work thing wrong. You do the best you can in the time allowed for your work. You do not throw yourself wildly on an impossible job to the extent of injuring yourself, work and attempt to lift heavy things without help because someone tells you you don't "deserve any help." You just do the best you can, and let the chips fall. If they want to fire you, let it happen.

If the probably young and inexperienced and not the brightest of low level managers wants to verbally abuse you, smile and tell them you're doing your best. If they want to fire you, walk away grinning. If you terminate someone, to avoid having the employer pay them unemployment insurance, the employer must prove they had a valid, work related misconduct reason for termination. Asking the person to do an unreasonable amount of work and then firing them because they were not able to get it done is not a valid misconduct reason for firing the person. Though this particular big box uses a consulting firm to do their unemployment, they do hate to pay it because it costs the company money. Let them fire you, when you're showing up everyday and doing your best, and they might accidentally lose this hearing and you be approved. But as I said, that's still not a good option. You may not even have enough wages to set up a claim for unemployment. It takes a long time from being fired from a job to even get a claim established, much less get it approved. You will still need another job, and very quickly.

Frankly, you're right in that you're at the bottom of your options here on this job. I strongly suggest that what you do is find another job, as soon as possible, and move off away from this one. At the current economic times, you should be able to get five or more hours somewhere else fairly easily. You have almost noa rights in this workplace, no right to fairness or non abusive treatment, not anything but OSHA and EEOC protections. If your mistreatment is not due to either of these causes, then you would best be served by taking the great big hint they're throwing at you and go elsewhere. It sounds like you've expended a great deal of mental agony, taken up an awful lot of your time recounting your grievances and keeping up with slights on this very unimportant and replaceable job.

 

[NicholasV]

Thank you All for the advice I have been looking for other work. something happened today that made me realized they are getting ready to can me. I work deli meat and cheese and apparently yesterday deli meat only made $200 in sales and later that day when my leads checked the fridge they saw the product we were out was in there. So this is now my fault and every day i must get a Teamleader and show them exactly what was done. i also have been told for almost 3 yrs now there is nobody who stocks after i leave from noon to 10pm so it stays empty until next morning.. Today im told how there is someone that does it so when i asked arent they responsible i was told no.
now im wondering if going to hr in store or store manager or esculating it to corporate hr bringing all this up to them will get them off my back. But i am looking to leave but dont need the stress anymore, ive developed hiatal hernia and ED from this place and when i go back to dr i plan on asking if this job caused it and if so ill be back asking what to do in that instance if im still working there or not.

 

[commentator]

Quote: "now im wondering if going to hr in store or store manager or esculating it to corporate hr bringing all this up to them will get them off my back

You've already done what you could in this area (complaint to higher ups) to fix the situation, and it didn't help. Another complaint about another example of their bad treatment of you isn't going to change anything. Corporate doesn't give the slightest faintest whoop about how one employee way down in one store in one place is dissatisfied with the way he is being treated.

I think you've been told very clearly, going anywhere else within or escalating the complaint about how they treat you is not going to do any good or get them off your back. Because what they are doing is NOT illegal. They may even have been told by someone higher up to get rid of you. It's perfectly legal for them to do it. You can quit, or you can wait for them to "can" you. But it's going to happen one way or another.

Most people really believe they have more rights and protections on the worksite than they do. This is a case of this. And no, even if your doctor thinks it's job stress related, there's not likely going to be any worker's comp for your hiatal hernia or your ED, certainly no lawsuits or making the company pay for your unhappiness. How much stress or anxiety you have about your job is sort of a self-chosen condition. They're not treating you badly in an illegal manner and you are free to move on.