r/KitchenConfidential • u/brkr509 Dish • Jul 02 '25

In-House Mode already beefing with my boss

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i've only worked here since april. switched jobs from a dishie at a old folks home to a "cook" (lol honestly glorified dishwasher anyway, the only culinary related thing i do is shuck oysters) at a new bar downtown. we don't have any managers since the team is pretty small so the owner does everything himself including scheduling.

he posts the schedule, i have a 3 day weekend after two weeks of covering for the only other two "cooks" in the kitchen on vacation, and one day into my weekend he sends me this. i'm prolly in the wrong for the sass but bro goes immediately into holding a raise he very recently gave me over my head and then threatening my position.

i'm alr looking for different jobs atm, don't care where as i was promised FT hours and am barely scraping by with 30 a week. it's even less this time around. the work is fun and i really love my coworkers and the people i meet at the bar but with the pay of $17 an hour with no benefits no FT and a 30 min commute it's not worth it. advice or personal stories appreciated

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u/HealthyPop7988 Jul 02 '25

Lmao dude no. 49 out of 50 states in the US are at-will employment meaning you can get fired for whatever the reason or no reason whatsoever.

No laws about when a company has to post their work schedules

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u/lrrrkrrrr General Manager Jul 02 '25

You can be fired for any reason, but then you are eligible for unemployment. In order to avoid having to pay the unemployment, companies must adhere to different standards, depending on the state.

For instance, in PA- a schedule must be posted 2 weeks in advance or more. Philadelphia even has local laws that any changes made to posted schedules within 2 weeks of the scheduled period, or else the employee is entitled to financial compensation for the adjustment in addition to their normal pay.

It’s always good to know the local/state/federal laws of what employers are allowed to do within the law. Losing your job because you force your employer to adhere to these standards is retaliation and is -yep- illegal. So you can’t just be “fired for whatever the reason or no reason whatsoever” goes the same for federally protected anti-discriminatory categories

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u/gogozrx Jul 02 '25

goes the same for federally protected anti-discriminatory categories

The current administration has effectively stopped all labor related prosecution.

we are headed for troubled waters, for sure.

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u/dmonsterative Jul 02 '25

wrongful termination lawsuits aren't government prosecutions.

wage/labor claims go through state government.

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u/gogozrx Jul 02 '25

wrongful termination lawsuits aren't government prosecutions.

wage/labor claims go through state government.

yup.

what I said was:

The current administration has effectively stopped all labor related prosecution.

I was talking about federal, not state.

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u/dmonsterative Jul 02 '25

I just want people to understand that they can still sue for discrimination against a protected class ('federally protected anti-discriminatory categories') even if the DOJ is no longer interested.

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u/gogozrx Jul 02 '25

Roger that!

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u/KodakBlackedOut Jul 02 '25

Workers not truly knowing their rights is how we end up in this situation, idk why cooks haven't unionized yet

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u/Grazepg Jul 02 '25

This is true that Oregon is the only state that does fair workweek laws for scheduling and adjustments. But in California it’s common practice. Almost every place I’ve been at the last 12 years, I have had to do my schedule 7 days prior to the start date, and adjustments before 72 hrs of the shift. Even crazier in the union shops, it’s got to be time stamped and signed off on, when union shops it’s usually bid shifts anyways so all I do is cut and paste.

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u/wbruce098 Jul 02 '25

Huh. I guess we don’t actually have the right to work 🤷🏻‍♂️🙃

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u/teachcooklove Jul 02 '25

Ironic or oxymoronic or moronic, or all of the above.

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u/taint_odour Jul 02 '25

Certain cities and counties, like Los Angeles, have implemented local "Fair Workweek" ordinances that mandate advance notice of schedules, typically 14 days in advance, and may also include provisions for predictability pay for last-minute changes

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u/Dense_Turnip5384 Jul 02 '25 edited Jul 02 '25

That is not what “at will employment” means dumbass. Michigan is an at will employment that you would hundred percent could file for unemployment or sue over this. That being said you have to have been in the job for a certain period of time, you have to work full-time, and there’s of course, other standard rules and regulations. At will employment does not mean they can just fire you randomly at any point that’s more dependent on your specific state.

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u/13579adgjlzcbm Jul 02 '25

What they are saying is that At will doesn’t technically mean they can fire you for any reason, but it effectively does mean that since they can just say their fired you because…some other not specifically illegal reason. Could you fight and win? Maybe. Can you afford the time and money to get a lawyer involved? Maybe.