My manager left me alone in the store.

College Confidential Community
1

Last night, my manager and the others left without telling me. I was fronting my aisle, as she instructed, and the others were doing the same thing in different aisle. She did say that she doesn’t want me taking an hour to do it. Well, I ended up taking an hour or so, anyway. Perhaps that’s because I was slow?

Anyway, I started at 10:35 and finished at around 11:40 or so. I thought it was strangely silent, so I walked around to see if anyone is around. To my surprise, no one else was anywhere to be seen, and I was the only one there. I thought they probably forgot to tell me that they were leaving. I quickly clocked out at 11:45. I was supposed to leave at 11, but the managers often make us stay longer to do stuff so I didn’t think much. I recall seeing a girl leaves at 11:30-ish, but I thought it was because she was done with her task.

So, I walked around and tried to call on the microphone if anyone was still there. When I was sure that they had left me by mistake, I called the police and tell them my situation. Even then, the operator said that they can’t do much to help me, unless I can get a manager’s phone number or a coworker. The door needs a key, which only the managers have, to open. In the worst case scenario, they might have to break a window to get me out. She then tried to contact the boss or look up whoever is in charge of the company and put me on hold. By 12:05, the morning crew, three including a tomboy manager, came in and opened the door. They seemed kinda shocked to see me at this hour, and asked me what happened. The manager continuously looks up her phone, as if searching for something. She also asked me if I just clocked out. I said I did, like 30 minutes ago. I was tired by then, so I ended the call and left.

Is it bad if an employee like me is alone in the store? What if they think I was trying to get more hours and stay behind? How is it that they left without even remembering me, anyway? I am not very social, and the other manager almost forgot about me a few weeks ago, too. Did I perhaps take too long to front an aisle, or maybe I missed something? I am sure I didn’t anyone calling for me to leave.

2

Management is the problem. Not you. You did nothing wrong and you followed their instructions.

I am sorry they left you alone and put you in that frightening situation. Do not feely guilty about your performance; you did your job. It was up to the manager to assure that all of the employees had exited the building.

Are you sure you want to continue to work in this situation? Is it worth it?

3

You won’t get in trouble for this. Your manager is the one who should get in trouble for this. It’s their responsibility to know what’s going on–including who’s working and to make sure that everyone is out, if they are responsible for locking up the place.

I agree with the above poster. Maybe you should consider looking for a different job. If nothing else, a workplace that routinely expects you to stay later than your shift isn’t somewhere you want to work.

4

Thanks.

The managers there are usually pretty chill and nice. I don’t think it’s that much of a serious issue that I should get another job. :slight_smile: It might have been a mistake on her part, since the store was kinda dark at that time.

I’m not very angry or anything, but I was just wondering if it could have been a huge problem because I was alone in there. :stuck_out_tongue:

5

What is fronting an aisle?

6

They also owe you pay for the time you had to stay until the next shift came in. You were unable to leave because you could not lock up. The manager is completely at fault- you did nothing wrong. You should request pay for the time you were stuck there. Even though you clocked out, they legally owe you for that extra time.

7

Fronting an aisle is moving all of the products to the front edge of the shelf so that customers can reach them after some have been sold. It also makes room at the back of the shelf so that the newer stuff arriving is sold after the older stuff.