I don't know what to do.

[cinema guy]

I love that your replacement wouldn't put up with their crap.

Has your anxiety and stress gotten less since you stopped working there?

[poofy_puff]

My mom is telling me to go back to them because I need the money.
I have been writing like crazy since I haven't been working.

Is she really telling you to go back because SHE needs the money?

I can't imagine a parent wanting their child to be treated the way you were being treated.... for minimum wage, yet!

If you do make the mistake of going back, you should demand a raise. And not 50 cents or a dollar. You should be making at least 10-12 dollars an hour for the BS factor ALONE.

[AriGriffin]

Is she really telling you to go back because SHE needs the money?
If you do make the mistake of going back, you should demand a raise. And not 50 cents or a dollar. You should be making at least 10-12 dollars an hour for the BS factor ALONE.

Probably. She pays for the house, house insurance, her medicine, her doctor visits, car insurance, and gas for the car. I pay for the electric, water, sewer, trash, phone, and internet bills; food; Netflix; and help her with gas for the car.

They wouldn't give me a raise if I went back. The manager-on-duty makes the same amount I do and they have more responsibilities.

I haven't had nearly as many attacks as what I was having while working there. The ones I have had were about 'what am I going to do next.'

[poofy_puff]

If you go back, don't take any shit from them. When they go outside to smoke, you say, "If you guys have the time to smoke, then you can cover my register while I go pee." Then you walk to the bathroom without waiting for them so say "ok", which they won't do, they'll say "no", but YOU DO IT ANYWAY. When they make the schedule, take a picture of it - "This is the schedule I'm working off, the one that's on the cell phone camera".

And guess what? The WORST thing that would happen is that they'll fire you again and you'll be right back where you are now. That's not such a horrible thing.

I wouldn't call them though. Let them keep calling you and if you decide to answer, make sure they know that THEY came to YOU.

And I would still ask for a raise even if the managers make the same amount of money. The worst they can do is say "no".

Keep looking for another job too.

[AriGriffin]

I called work back on the 6th, the day after they called me asking me to come back. I wasn't able to call earlier due to the lines being down. Anyway, the manager told me they had found someone else and that I was fired.
So, I start filing an unemployment claim. The Employment Security Commission said not to call, that they'd call me. I got that on the 8th. On the 11th, I got a letter from them saying I didn't have enough employment during the specific dates even though I worked where I did for one day shy of a full year.
The next day I recieved two letters. One saying they adjusted the dates for being employed and I would recieve about $60 a week. The other was a form I had to fill out about the percentage of tax I wanted them to take out along with what my checking or savings account number was so they could put the money in it. I filled it out and sent it on the 13th. So far I haven't heard from them.
I also filled out the form to recieve food stamps. I had to get my work to fill out a form about my last month working there. My manager refused to fill it out. So, I sent it to corporate. I recieved the filled out form a few days later (I peeked to make sure they actually filled it out & according to them I am still employed), and took it plus all the other paperwork and proof of everything to my caseworker. That was on the 18th. I haven't heard nor recieved anything in the mail.
The only problem is since I don't have money coming in, I haven't been able to pay the phone bill and I am pretty sure they are going to cut my service off soon. [I have put Netflix on hold, quit buying food, and have tried with no success to sell some stuff on craigslist.] I don't have a cell and the ESC & DSS offices are over 20 miles away- they are closed by the time I have access to a car and can get there. I've been looking for another job and filling out applications, but nothing has panned out.
I finished writing a novel, three children's stories, and a short fantasy story for teens/adults.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I called work back on the 6th, the day after they called me asking me to come back. I wasn't able to call earlier due to the lines being down. Anyway, the manager told me they had found someone else and that I was fired.

Glory glory hallelujah. Consider that a blessing.

I too wouldn't shop someplace that treated their employees like that in front of customers.

[HYHYBT]

I don't see how not being able to buy food is a blessing.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I don't see how not being able to buy food is a blessing.

Frankly, I think I'd dumpster dive before putting up with the crap the OP was subjected to for minimum wage.

IIRC, OP is getting unemployment and food stamps, so she'll be able to get food somehow.

[rageaholic]

Wow, I am steamed reading this. It looks like you're not getting any support other than here at CS. No bathroom breaks? WTF?

WHat everyone else said. It's a part time minimum wage job. It's replacable, your health is not. At least you will get unemployment.

[AriGriffin]

Well, I recieved a letter from Food and Nutrition Services concerning my application for food stamps. They did not approve my application because my household's gross income is more than the amount allowed to recieve their services.
I am calling the center for free legal advice that was on the rejection letter and requesting an appeal tomorrow morning.

I still haven't heard from the Employment Security Commission. I called and got bitched out for calling them. I tried looking up my case online and all it said was my case was active.

[Hanzoku]

That's not good. =\ Sorry to hear that the government agencies are dragging their feet on providing assistance.

[Kristev]

That does it. We simply have to change the labor laws in the United States so that they'll actually protect labor. I live and work in Idaho, and believe me, it's all but impossible to make ends meet. Your story is heartbreaking, but you're just one of millions treated like that all over the country.

[Mikkel]

I wrote a long rant about how much better the Danish system of unions and free doctors is. I'm afraid it belongs at fratching, but damn!
I hope your mother will be able to manage the expenses until you find another job. Won't the $60 a week be dated back to the day of the firing? A few hundred in a week or two would help a lot.

[poofy_puff]

Well, I recieved a letter from Food and Nutrition Services concerning my application for food stamps. They did not approve my application because my household's gross income is more than the amount allowed to recieve their services.
I am calling the center for free legal advice that was on the rejection letter and requesting an appeal tomorrow morning.

I still haven't heard from the Employment Security Commission. I called and got bitched out for calling them. I tried looking up my case online and all it said was my case was active.

What you need to do is get pregnant. Then you'll be eligible for all sorts of public assistance. Unfortunately, doing something like that is not fair to the hypothetical kid, but that's the way the system is set up in our "free country".

[Teysa]

I'm sorry things still aren't going so well for you Ari. Good luck and hopefully it will get better soon.

Very interesting article, Mikkel. *packs her bags and moves to Denmark*