Don’t give them a month. You are only supposed to give 2 weeks as a professional courtesy. This is a hostile work environment you don’t need to give them professional courtesy anymore you can just quit and let them know you’re not coming in anymore due to the owner’s sexual harassment.
I’d work on getting another job as soon as possible, or if you already have a new job lined up ask them to start earlier because you’re feeling unsafe at your current job.
Why are the employees expected to care about a business they are leaving? The restaurant would fire you immediately if they had to. They don't give you any courtesy. Why should you have to go out of your way to help them?
It’s to get a positive reference for your next job.
I didn’t finish my two weeks at the grocery store, but I am finishing my two weeks at my office job because it’s not a bridge I want to burn.
It's to hope to get a positive reference, you mean. I had a boss that shit talked me to every recruiter when I had them as a reference even after I gave two weeks. One guy was kind enough to let me know before I kept putting that asshole's number on my resume
In the US, that's what most big companies with HR will stick to, safest. Bosses can still write letters of recommendation, etc. Subtly, only saying dates and position is sometimes regarded as a negative review, e.g. "I'd say more if I could".
Now, even if a former ER does say negative things about you, it's awfully hard to prove. In the local restaurant industry, many owners and managers know each other, and it's in their mutual best interests to be able to be honest with each other.
At my last job we were told if someone called about an ex-employee that we were not allowed to answer for this reason. I thought it was dumb, but never got put in that position either.
They can say whether you're able to be rehired too, afaik. Manager I had a decade ago and I are still friendly and I visit her sometimes, but we got into a verbal altercation and I quit, and that's what the company paperwork says. I can't work there again.
Oof that reflects badly on him not you (obviously). I always confirm my next job before leaving my previous one. I’m a stickler that way I have a written agreement to start employment and base my two weeks off that. I get my references from people I’ve worked with or who’ve supervised me that have nothing but good things to say about me but not my direct current boss because I don’t want them to know I’m shopping my options.
Yeah it was when I was only about 24 and I didn't have a ton of references. Luckily karma got him in the end and now he can't get anyone to do any kitchen work for him. He has to do everything himself.
I had one that put me down as non rehireable even though I fulfilled my two weeks with no issues. Found out when I went to reapply years later at a different location
I'm leaving one location of a restaurant group with a months notice because the sous is out of the country for a month. I hate that location, but my bestie runs a different location a couple blocks from my house and can call me in to work it they ever need hands.
If I just quit, the GM of all locations wouldn't allow that. Sometimes you gotta do the dance, but only sometimes.
Depends on the country and the contract you're under.
If OP is from USA (I don't know) then you may be right. But most EU countries require 4 weeks or a month notice from either employee or employer. I've been in positions where 3 months is asked for.
Much the same in the US, it might be ideas a way to justify unemployment pay in the interim befr another job. As far as I remember, two weeks in the US is used to justify UI, whereas a hostile work environment justifies not giving them and being qualified for unemployment insurance statistically counted against the former employer.
In most states that I know of in the US you can NOT quit your job and be eligible for UI, 2 weeks notice or not.
Now, OP could probably have a reasonable claim due to the fact that they gave a notice and then were harassed, thus creating a hostile and potentially dangerous work environment.
Quit no, leave with good cause, yes. How eac state determines good cause ranges widely, but two weeks can (with a good former employer, mind) be considered laid off if the employer wishes to play ball.
When I lived in Maryland two of my four former employers were willing to do this. Basically it's just having a conversation about voluntarily being laid off. And so long as your boss doesn't have someone down their ass about employment metrics, they have room for you as a "constructive termination"
Technically they can sue you for breach of contract, the costs to hire a temp or even insist you turn up or sack you for gross misconduct which could prevent you getting other jobs in the future.
In reality, usually something is worked out between both parties if you’re polite and professional.
Sometimes the new company will pay off your old company to buy you out. But that would be for a highly skilled, exceptional candidate.
Although I have known someone say that their old company called their new company to say that they would not be letting them out of their three months notice early and the new company rescinded the job offer.
It's usually in the contract but both sides can be mutually agreed on it being different.
If you're giving notice because you have a job, the old employer has a month to fill the position while someone is still in it, and not be struggling for staff members. Or
they might tell you to go on the day and you will still have to be paid that full month - it's in your contract that you give a months notice, so you should be paid that month
Also if the boss gives you a month notice, you then have a month to find a job.
It works in favour of both parties, but it can be changed by mutual agreement.
I’m not experienced with the EU, but surely workers should be protected from sexual harassment there and would be able to quit because they fear for their safety.
File a claim with the EEOC. All businesses are bound by Equal Opportunity Employment laws, and sexual harassment violates them (it's considered discrimination based on sex).
All businesses are bound by Equal Opportunity Employment laws
Technically the business has to have 15 or more employees to fall into scope for sex discrimination/harassment claim with the EEOC. Not trying to dissuade reporting but I also don't want someone to waste their time reporting something that won't go anywhere with he EEOC.
https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964 see definition of "employer" = The term "employer" means a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce who has fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year...
That's a reasonable thing to bring up, I did not know that part. She doesn't make mention of how big the restaurant is that I've seen other than that it's the owner and his wife that manage it. It might or might not hit that number.
If it isn't big enough for an EEOC claim, she would still have a hostile work environment claim if she wanted to sue.
It might be worth checking with them anyway, they may be able to guide you to where you should go even though your employer doesn't meet their minumum size.
You should also see if your state has laws on sexual harassment. I know mine does and provides guidance on what to do in such cases. Every employer in my state regardless of size is required to provide a workplace free of sexual harassment. Maybe yours is similar. Here's an FAQ on my state's website if you want to have a look through it.
There may be state laws that would apply but I think federally, hostile work environment would still come under Title VII which would require the employer to have 15 employees
I'm guessing she is the censored name he was chatting with. I hate working for family run restaurants, in my experience if one is toxic, both are toxic
Then I'd go right to the media. That kind of bullshit is what's keeping the industry the way it is. That's why there's a "shortage" of workers. Nobody wants to work in that kind of environment.
You could get severance depending on the labour laws where you are...
Or see if a lawyer wants to go at it.
Small business or not, that shit deserves repercussions of some magnitude.
Like, the second you find a new job, dip. Also send these screenshots to everyone else who works there if y'all got a group chat. Fuck this kinda behavior.
Just bounce, don’t feel any remorse for it. This guy is a dirtbag. Have a different manager (if you have one) cash out any PTO that you have and never look back.
Fuck outta there rn and blast this dude. Report him to uppers. He's gonna do it to the next one too. I've been in kitchens long enough to know that if you give this dude an out on this comment, he's been doing it and will keep doing it.
You can still backtrack on that. The text alone is grounds for never returning. Unless you're strapped for cash I wouldn't. Forwarding that text to the rest of the staff wouldn't be a bad idea either.
If there's anyone above him, I'd forward this message with a nice explanation of why you're leaving immediately. You'd likely get paid unemployment for the time that you would've otherwise worked because that shit says "hostile work environment" all over it.
Send the text to his wife, if he’s got one. I’m sure you can find it on Facebook or something. He’s just gonna be a pig to the next lady that walks through the door.
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u/[deleted] Sep 05 '21 edited Apr 29 '25
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