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Sandwich Nazi

DarkStar's picture

Hello fellow steppers! I haven't posted in a LONG time, not that it means that there's no drama/excitement.....
SS17 - high-functioning autistic - got his FIRST job this summer at a local sandwich shop. He was so proud and we were proud of him! He only worked a few hours a week, since they have band practice/camp over the summer and he usually visits his BM on weekends. He got this job through the Special Education program at his school.
When school started he worked even less, but it didn't bother him. At this point, he had never been late or missed a shift.
Then one week, after not having worked for 2 weeks, he was scheduled for one evening. He wrote the wrong day on our calendar, and went in on a Thursday instead of Wednesday.
He was fired via a chat app that the company uses.
The language and tone that the manager AKA Sandwich Nazi had in her chat was HARSH. You would have thought that SS17 was the laziest goof off and that he abandoned his co-workers at some sort of ultra-important job. SS17 "violated company policy". SS17s response was picture perfect, I was so proud. He took full accountability for his mistake, said what he would do in the future to avoid making the same mistake, and asked for another chance.
RUDELY DENIED.
DH was FURIOUS. He called the shop and spoke to Sandwich Nazi who refused to give the name of the owner.
So I go to the sandwich shop and start taking pictures of their licensing so I can figure out who the owner is. Sandwich Nazi approaches, I tell her why I'm here and ask her if she feels like a "big tough manager" by firing an autistic boy. I asked if she consulted at ALL with the Special Ed department that ARRANGED for SS17 to have the job and she just repeated that he "violated company policy" and scampered out the front door.
I finished my pics and slowly walked to the front door, LOUDLY describing what all had happened. Then I saw the little box on the counter that took donations for Autism. I told them they had NO right to take donations for Autism when they just FIRED a kid for his first offense. And it was pretty obvious that SS17 made a mistake and wasn't just blowing off his shift.
I am usually the first person to be all over SS17s butt about taking responsibility and stuff, but this was over the top excessive. Most retail shops have a "3 strikes" or other type of policy for no call/no shows. Especially in this job market.....EVERYONE is hiring now.
So DH gets a call from the owner. I apparently freaked out Sandwich Nazi. Turns out the owner is married to the daughter of one of our city's richest and most prominent families. Oh boy. The call went well, the owner said that the person who coordinated all of the jobs with the Special Ed department didn't work there anymore, but Sandwich Nazi definitely did not handle this correctly. DH was satisfied.
SS17 learned a valuable lesson and is applying for another job at a local pizza place. Go SS17!!

Comments

justmakingthebest's picture

Your go Mama Bear!!!

My SS worked at Ihop and I had to go in there after they sent him home crying one day! They offered his job back and apologized to him when I was done! 

I would not go to bat for our other kids the way I did for SS but give me a break! These kids need a little extra grace! I am glad the owner of the shop at least said that what happened was wrong. 

Aniki-Moderator's picture

Some people have absolutely NO business working as a "manager" as they have very little understanding of how to actually... manage. Good luck to SS17!

Cover1W's picture

My dad did something similar for me when I was in high school, my first 'fast food' job.  I got hired and that manager HATED me from the get go. She gave me something like 2 days (school days btw) to "memorize the entire menu" and then put me out on the floor to take orders with zero training - (it was a mix of fast food/pizza joint with table service). I was abysmal, of course because NO TRAINING. So then she put me behind the counter and helping pizza prep - no problem. Liked the people in the back. Then all of a sudden I'm not on the schedule. My name is crossed off. Then the next two weeks I go in to look, again, not on schedule. I ask her, why am I not on schedule? She snaps something back at me and I just never ever go back. She never fired me, I never outright quit. My dad was furious and read her the roit act apparently - the owner apologized to him. NEVER to me by the way.

Anyway, I got a fun job and the new place that opened next door and put that place out of business.  I ran into the former manager at the grocery once, she was so "nice" and said hi to me and I just looked at her and walked away.

advice.only2's picture

I never had a parent who helped me out when I screwed up, they would always first and foremost ask me what I did wrong then jump all over my case that I was the problem...never the piss poor management.  So now today in my career I tend to take a lot of sh@t that most people would not tolerate, because I always talk myself into believing I must be an issue or the problem.  Reality is I'm a damn hard worker who is very organized and managers see that and want to hold onto it and not pay for what I'm worth.  So I'm glad your SS has an amazing support system who will help him not get kicked while he's down.

DarkStar's picture

So true. I was one of those that jumped to "what did you do". But, just like there are crappy workers, there are crappy bosses/teacher/cops...I really take the time now to listen and take in both sides.

DPW's picture

I'm not sure what purpose you had going to the sandwich shop? You made this situation into Jerry Springer, in my opinion. You should have contacted the program manager.

Your SS is 17, he needs to be empowered not coddled, regardless of disability status. 

advice.only2's picture

She went to take pictures of the license so she could try to figue out who the owner was, since the manager would not tell her.

DarkStar's picture

I am the harda$$ when it comes to SS17. I have pushed him harder than anyone else (too much at times) because I KNOW he has the ability to do these things. When we talked about it, we talked about how he DID make a mistake and it might not be fair, but this is how real life works sometimes. That he should learn from this, but ALSO move on and do better next time.
DH is a little lax at times but he PARENTS. This kid is NOT coddled, he is held to expectations that are appropriate for his age and disability.
I tell him, "Some things will be harder for you. That doesn't mean you can't do it, it will just be harder." Never do we allow his autism to excuse his behavior, nor does SS ever use it as an excuse.