Boss Criticizes Bartender For Drinking During His Day Off, Changes His Tone Immediately When They Quit
We’d all like to believe that we have some say at work. That we and our employers are essentially in a partnership, working together for mutual benefit. Equally, we’d also like to think that life is fair and virtue is rewarded. But that’s often not the case.
Recently, one business owner who thinks they can walk over their employees texted their bartender at 3 AM, saying the guy had to come in on their day off. In the morning. After a couple of hours. Luckily, the bartender stood up for themselves and put the toxic boss in their place.
Somehow, screenshots of their exchange have made it to the internet, and we managed to get a hold of them.
Of course, it’s easier to assume such a strong position when you have a safety net but let this conversation serve as a reminder to all abusive managers that you are only as good as your team is. And if you treat them like trash, it’s only a matter of time before your actions backfire against you.
Image credits: piqsels (not the actual photo)
Insurance lawyer and legal writer Jeffrey Johnson highlighted that employment in the United States is “employment at will” and the most dramatic consequence of that (with very few exceptions) is that an employer may fire an employee at any time, for any reason.
“Regardless of your usual schedule, when you work is 100% up to the employer,” Johnson wrote. “The employer can require you to come in early, to stay late, or to work on what is supposed to be your day off. If you don’t work when your employer says you must, you may be terminated. Worse, you could be terminated ‘for cause.'”
A for-cause termination means that the employee has done something other than just generally mediocre or even poor performance, which is considered a good cause for termination.
“More dramatic examples include theft or assault at work or stealing, but less dramatic examples include insubordination and violating your manager’s instructions,” Johnson explained. “Refusing to work when your employer tells you (including working on your day off) would be both insubordination and violating employer instructions, and so would potentially constitute good cause for termination. The fallout from your refusal is that if your employer chose to treat this as a for-cause termination, you would not be eligible for unemployment benefits. For-cause termination deprives you of unemployment.”
However, if you have an actual written employment contract stating your days off, that’s different: a contract is binding on both employer and employee and is enforceable against both. In this case, your employer cannot make you work on a day contractually guaranteed to be your day off.
We don’t know for certain whether or not there was such a contract in this situation but judging from the end of the chat, something tells me there was. Either way, that’s not how you manage your staff.
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"You need to stay ready for work"? WTF, S/He's a bartender, not a transplant surgeon.
"What if someone dies of thirst?! Didn't you see the movie where an explorer crawls through the desert in a desperate search for an oasis full of vodka?"
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Why is the boss calling someone up at 3am?? Did someone book am 11-hour party at 2:55 am? At least my former boss waited until 8am on a Sunday morning to tell me to get back to work (I had quit two weeks earlier and moved to another city).
Yeah, I didn't like this one ... I'm more of an "Eat a D.." kind of guy!
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Something similar happened to me with my first serving job. I was clear about not having any experience, because I knew I would need some help & patience. On my 3rd shift there the manager failed to schedule enough workers during a huge 5k marathon, where the race would run directly in front of the restaurant. Needless to say, we were swarmed with a ton of people who wanted to eat/sit & watch their friends & family run. We were no match. There was 1 bartender & 1 other server, aside from myself. Not even an hour after we opened the manager (who to be fair was feeling overwhelmed) was calling all of us stupid. He was in the kitchen shouting at the chefs/cooks and slamming items down. It was like watching a toddler have a tantrum. But my last straw was when I asked if he would show me how to reload the paper for receipts (again, it was only my 3rd shift and we typically had a hostess who handled this) so I ask him for help and he WENT OFF! Telling me how dumb I was. I quit on the spot.
I wouldn't even be awake at 3 am, let alone answer any messages from my boss.
I’m not going to answer a message from my boss at 3am. I’ll ignore it and sleep in and see how “perky” I’m feeling the next day and if I want to work. Advance notice is everything. Also, providing an option. “I’m in a pinch, can you please work?” - instead of making it a demand. Treat people with respect and they’ll treat you with respect.
A better thing to do would’ve been not only to call people earlier so they can plan better, but also to send a group text calling for volunteers to fill in those 11 hours. Maybe even offer to split the shift up; like A will work 11am til 1 pm, and B will work 1 pm to 4 pm, C will work 4 pm to 7 pm, and D will work 7 pm to 10 pm—-or whatever combination the employees work out amongst themselves and report back to the manager, so it can be put on the schedule. Including employees in decision-making that directly affects them, as this example does, makes them feel included and heard by management, instead of just pushed around and expendable.
And maybe offer a higher wage for that "event." You know the restaurant/bar would make a lot more money than normal so if you have poor planning, cough up a little more.
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It’s the bosses tone that is unacceptable to me. He could have asked nicely (he didn’t ask at all, he demanded it) and he could have apologized for the circumstances. Then maybe this wouldn’t even have been that big of an issue. I will never ever understand why some employers think it is ok to threat their employees like robots.
I had a new boss in the outdoor industry, fishing, hunting, whitewater raft type outfitter. His Mommy bought him a business at age 28. He thought he could walk in and say anything he wanted too 40 year old well seasoned guides. He kept pronouncing my last name wrong to get under my skin. I told him if he does it one more time he will be picking his teeth up in the parking lot. He laughed it off in person then called me 2 hours later to threaten my job. Telephone tough guy
That's the lesson he took?? I had a boss (head of sales) who was quite sweet to me. Someone told me he used to be very rude, but the sales reps told him off. The company depended on their sales success and the owner liked retaining good staff, so it was not in his interest to piss them off.
Load More Replies...
I got called in on my day off when I was a delivery driver because the other driver,who was like forty two, wasn't allowed to drive his dad's truck that day. It was snowing, cold, and icy and he just didn't want to work. However, when I was sick and needed him to take my place, he told me point blank that he "doesn't work on his day off."
Good for him. It's time that the employees in America fight back.
If they knew there was an event going on, why did they schedule only 1 bartender for the entire event? That's just bad management
He should have asked, "I know it's your day off tmrw, but, are you available to come in and work a wedding? It's 11 hours, from 11an-10pm." And if you said no, and everyone says no, hire a temp. That was simple. He's making plenty off of that wedding. He just likes to push his weight around. Not a good boss, and doesn't know how to treat people, kindly and fairly. You can still be a boss and be just!!!
He could have also compromised by offering to follow the drink recipes (it's a drink, not a chocolate soufflé!) and have the employee come in later.
Load More Replies...
The person commenting at the end of the article forgot one thing about "work at will" (making me think he himself has been a boss longer than an employee) IT WORKS BOTH WAYS...for this reason bosses need to treat their employees with respect. Employees can without advanced notice walk out the door and ply their trade elsewhere, costing employers time and money to train somebody else up to the standards the now former employee once had if that is even possible, it is the same reason a lot of companies put deals in for new customers only, they know KEEPING the ones they have is a lot cheaper than finding new ones.
Events are planned few weeks in advance, worst case scenario - days. If the boss dude had said this in the morning standup for a team "we'll be super busy on saturday, big event! Let's bring our A game!". It would've ended fine.
There is no labor shortage. We are tired of being treated like we are "owned" cause we work there! Why would we return to jobs who dropped us at the first sign of pandemic AND treat us like crap instead of the investment we are supposed to be???? These stories trying to make the restaurant worker look lazy needs to stop! We work harder and lo get then most often for less pay and dealing with every type of personality! Not everyone can do what we do!
This needs to change. Dictating your days off appears like possession, even a few steps shy of slavery, methinks. To put it another way… "Lack of management on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part."
An employer can not force you to work your day off. If you are scheduled that day off they can ask you to work that day but if you say no they can not force you to work it. They can not use it to threaten your job. There are things called labor laws that people in the work force really should know if they are going to actually be working.
Shouldn't. Not can't. It depends on the state, the industry, and any agreements at time of hire. Not from this example, surely, but this argument could swing the other way. Small business owners everywhere would be closing their doors everywhere if all the power and consideration went to the employee. There's a fair line somewhere, and it's usually in the details of the prehire agreement.
Load More Replies...
Why did the article bother mentioning at will employment? At will employment goes both ways lol. If your boss is being a four letter word, then you can quit for sure! Not even going to bother listing all the horrible bosses I've had over the years... So yes, I'd love to see these stories everywhere!
I'm sure you're aware that leaving might depend on personal circumstances and the labour market. I've heard of people quitting right away since it was easy to go elsewhere. In most cases I've encountered, people preferred to look before leaping.
Load More Replies...
Never worked in the service industry, have you Lauren?
Load More Replies... "You need to stay ready for work"? WTF, S/He's a bartender, not a transplant surgeon.
"What if someone dies of thirst?! Didn't you see the movie where an explorer crawls through the desert in a desperate search for an oasis full of vodka?"
Load More Replies... Why is the boss calling someone up at 3am?? Did someone book am 11-hour party at 2:55 am? At least my former boss waited until 8am on a Sunday morning to tell me to get back to work (I had quit two weeks earlier and moved to another city).
Yeah, I didn't like this one ... I'm more of an "Eat a D.." kind of guy!
Load More Replies... Something similar happened to me with my first serving job. I was clear about not having any experience, because I knew I would need some help & patience. On my 3rd shift there the manager failed to schedule enough workers during a huge 5k marathon, where the race would run directly in front of the restaurant. Needless to say, we were swarmed with a ton of people who wanted to eat/sit & watch their friends & family run. We were no match. There was 1 bartender & 1 other server, aside from myself. Not even an hour after we opened the manager (who to be fair was feeling overwhelmed) was calling all of us stupid. He was in the kitchen shouting at the chefs/cooks and slamming items down. It was like watching a toddler have a tantrum. But my last straw was when I asked if he would show me how to reload the paper for receipts (again, it was only my 3rd shift and we typically had a hostess who handled this) so I ask him for help and he WENT OFF! Telling me how dumb I was. I quit on the spot.
I wouldn't even be awake at 3 am, let alone answer any messages from my boss.
I’m not going to answer a message from my boss at 3am. I’ll ignore it and sleep in and see how “perky” I’m feeling the next day and if I want to work. Advance notice is everything. Also, providing an option. “I’m in a pinch, can you please work?” - instead of making it a demand. Treat people with respect and they’ll treat you with respect.
A better thing to do would’ve been not only to call people earlier so they can plan better, but also to send a group text calling for volunteers to fill in those 11 hours. Maybe even offer to split the shift up; like A will work 11am til 1 pm, and B will work 1 pm to 4 pm, C will work 4 pm to 7 pm, and D will work 7 pm to 10 pm—-or whatever combination the employees work out amongst themselves and report back to the manager, so it can be put on the schedule. Including employees in decision-making that directly affects them, as this example does, makes them feel included and heard by management, instead of just pushed around and expendable.
And maybe offer a higher wage for that "event." You know the restaurant/bar would make a lot more money than normal so if you have poor planning, cough up a little more.
Load More Replies... It’s the bosses tone that is unacceptable to me. He could have asked nicely (he didn’t ask at all, he demanded it) and he could have apologized for the circumstances. Then maybe this wouldn’t even have been that big of an issue. I will never ever understand why some employers think it is ok to threat their employees like robots.
I had a new boss in the outdoor industry, fishing, hunting, whitewater raft type outfitter. His Mommy bought him a business at age 28. He thought he could walk in and say anything he wanted too 40 year old well seasoned guides. He kept pronouncing my last name wrong to get under my skin. I told him if he does it one more time he will be picking his teeth up in the parking lot. He laughed it off in person then called me 2 hours later to threaten my job. Telephone tough guy
That's the lesson he took?? I had a boss (head of sales) who was quite sweet to me. Someone told me he used to be very rude, but the sales reps told him off. The company depended on their sales success and the owner liked retaining good staff, so it was not in his interest to piss them off.
Load More Replies... I got called in on my day off when I was a delivery driver because the other driver,who was like forty two, wasn't allowed to drive his dad's truck that day. It was snowing, cold, and icy and he just didn't want to work. However, when I was sick and needed him to take my place, he told me point blank that he "doesn't work on his day off."
Good for him. It's time that the employees in America fight back.
If they knew there was an event going on, why did they schedule only 1 bartender for the entire event? That's just bad management
He should have asked, "I know it's your day off tmrw, but, are you available to come in and work a wedding? It's 11 hours, from 11an-10pm." And if you said no, and everyone says no, hire a temp. That was simple. He's making plenty off of that wedding. He just likes to push his weight around. Not a good boss, and doesn't know how to treat people, kindly and fairly. You can still be a boss and be just!!!
He could have also compromised by offering to follow the drink recipes (it's a drink, not a chocolate soufflé!) and have the employee come in later.
Load More Replies... The person commenting at the end of the article forgot one thing about "work at will" (making me think he himself has been a boss longer than an employee) IT WORKS BOTH WAYS...for this reason bosses need to treat their employees with respect. Employees can without advanced notice walk out the door and ply their trade elsewhere, costing employers time and money to train somebody else up to the standards the now former employee once had if that is even possible, it is the same reason a lot of companies put deals in for new customers only, they know KEEPING the ones they have is a lot cheaper than finding new ones.
Events are planned few weeks in advance, worst case scenario - days. If the boss dude had said this in the morning standup for a team "we'll be super busy on saturday, big event! Let's bring our A game!". It would've ended fine.
There is no labor shortage. We are tired of being treated like we are "owned" cause we work there! Why would we return to jobs who dropped us at the first sign of pandemic AND treat us like crap instead of the investment we are supposed to be???? These stories trying to make the restaurant worker look lazy needs to stop! We work harder and lo get then most often for less pay and dealing with every type of personality! Not everyone can do what we do!
This needs to change. Dictating your days off appears like possession, even a few steps shy of slavery, methinks. To put it another way… "Lack of management on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part."
An employer can not force you to work your day off. If you are scheduled that day off they can ask you to work that day but if you say no they can not force you to work it. They can not use it to threaten your job. There are things called labor laws that people in the work force really should know if they are going to actually be working.
Shouldn't. Not can't. It depends on the state, the industry, and any agreements at time of hire. Not from this example, surely, but this argument could swing the other way. Small business owners everywhere would be closing their doors everywhere if all the power and consideration went to the employee. There's a fair line somewhere, and it's usually in the details of the prehire agreement.
Load More Replies... Why did the article bother mentioning at will employment? At will employment goes both ways lol. If your boss is being a four letter word, then you can quit for sure! Not even going to bother listing all the horrible bosses I've had over the years... So yes, I'd love to see these stories everywhere!
I'm sure you're aware that leaving might depend on personal circumstances and the labour market. I've heard of people quitting right away since it was easy to go elsewhere. In most cases I've encountered, people preferred to look before leaping.
Load More Replies... Never worked in the service industry, have you Lauren?
Load More Replies...
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