Seeking Advice about my Store’s Questionable Practices
Sorry if this is a long post, I’m not sure who to contact about the situation at my store and could use some advice. (Whether it should be corporate, OSHA, State Department of Labor, Health department, etc) (I also know a certain manger at my store will probably see this and identify the location. If so, hello :) You are part of the problem)
So, I’ve worked at my current Culver’s about 6 months, and I worked at two other stores for 4 years before this, and this is by far the worst one. I’ll just list the recent events that are concerning me.
On Mother’s Day weekend our hot water heater stopped working. We found out around 4pm Saturday and remained opened Saturday, Sunday, and Monday despite having no hot water. (A manager happened to run into a Health Inspector in the wild and told him that day, but the water was repaired before he visited so he couldn’t cite the store for anything). The next week corporate came and did an evaluation of our store, and the Health Department went to every store the owner’s own and did an inspection there as well.
A minor employee informed me that within the last month the General Manager altered her time clock by a few minutes so she would not be over 24hrs for the week, which in my state is the legal amount someone under 18 can work.
The same minor also informed me in the past she has been told to clock out but continue closing to avoid going over 24/hrs for the week. She said it was about an hour she worked without pay.
The owners neglect our store. It’s literally falling apart. We have a missing ceiling tile, tiles falling off the floor trim, equipment that continuously breaks, we’re always understaffed, and those who do start either quit within a month or are just bad at their job and are not reciprocative to coaching. There’s a leak somewhere under our dining pop machine that is completely ruining the wall underneath, including black mold growth. Our walk-in freezer door hasn’t closed properly in months and no one will fix it.
The overall environment is extremely toxic. There is constant drama and people talking behind others’ back, and the General Manager and 1st Assistant only add to the problem. I feel like the GM has favorite managers and shows her favoritism. She will let her favorite do whatever, but if a different manager does the same thing she tells him off. She is also very passive-aggressive.
We’ve lost (or are about to lose) at least 7 people within the last month, with several others on the verge of quitting.
I will be quitting soon, but is there anything I can do to ensure some sort of consequence will come to the owners? Like I mentioned, someone told a Health Inspector (who was at another restaurant doing an inspection) about the hot water not working but it was repaired before he could make his way over. I filed an anonymous online complaint about the minor law violations to my state Department of Labor. Is there anything else I can do? I want to make sure some change actually happens at this location, instead of more empty promises. The employees work their rears off and deserve better. TYIA