The Official Forum Cartel Unemployment Thread

Then that definitely rules out the Government and Corporate sectors.

Same here, Bradley. Approximately 3 years since I've worked but just one year since my SSDI was approved. During the time I was awaiting the decision, I began paring down expenses as much as possible and honestly, I'm enjoying a simpler, less-complicated and DEFINITELY less stressful life. (Prior to becoming disabled I worked as a counselor with Hospice for several years. That can wear on the emotions after awhile - although I LOVED the job - so I went with an insurance company (Worker's Comp) - to spend some time in a "less stressful" field.

MAJOR WRONG CHOICE and HUGE factor in exacerbating my illness.

I plan on doing some volunteer work soon and hope to then transition to some part-time work. As much as I love SL, I need to get out of the house more.

Lol.

I still wasn't saying everyone else has to do as I do.

Is that why you are selling the Orca now then?

Pep (Congratulations - you'll be spending less time on sl and in the forums now then?)

I was once turned down for a job with the UK National Health Service, the official reason (honestly!) given being that I seemed to have a sense of humour. Inappropriate apparently.

Pep (and I got turned down for another role as a Project Manager with the NHS because I was "too controlling"

Ass

Don't be so hard on yourself!

Pep (Is that a new sort of masochism?)

Because chances are He (and its extremely rare to see a female one) is the one who's also making sure you have clean plates & silverware and dont find "stuff" smeared around in the bathrooms. To make it worse, we have a lot of Senior Care home that would bring these old people in with leaky diapers.

When your kid pukes after eating a greasy Grand Slam breakfast, its not the waitress who's going to get the mop.

All that for little more than minimum wage.

The job will also make you realize humans are dirty, disgusting critters.

*Note: We're also the eyes & ears of the place. We heard all, seen all.

The last week I was there, I had my "Yearly Review". Had I been the "perfect model" of an employee (insert lame reasons here) I would have gotten that extra 5 cents.

OMG! I was SOOOOOOO gonna buy me a porche if I got the full 25 cents increase!!!!

I think I pulled in $175 every 2 weeks. WOO-HOO!!!!



Funny thing is, after I left, everyone else started leaving. When I see these people on the street, out & about, they all say the same thing "Its not the same since you left". Gotta feel good about that at least.

Also of Note: When Allegheny County went "No Smoking" in any restaurant, we were the only one close by that still had a smoking section, so business increased dramatically till Pennsylvania went "No Smoking" in any restaurant. Then business dropped just as fast.

Can someone explain the underlying principles of the "tip" mentality to me? In my business I do an excellent job and none of our customers send me additional money for doing it, nor do I expect it. So why should I make extra payments over the cost stated on the menu in a bar or a restaurant for the normal standard of service I would expect? If the service is below par I complain, then put the place on my black-list and tell my friends to avoid the place. I am not responsible for the level of wages paid by the management. In some countries the staff are insulted by the offer of tips, even!

Pep (If I get a service charge added to my bill automatically I get it removed, even if the service has been beyond what I would expect)

http://ideas.repec.org/p/wpa/wuwpeh/0309001.html



and from the following URL: http://money.cnn.com/2001/10/07/pf/tipping/

Thank you! Why did my eye focus in on the following, do you reckon?

"It turned out that countries with the most extroverted and neurotic citizens (the United States leads in both categories) tipped the largest amounts and to the greatest number of professions."

Pep (wonders if the guy that said "I do feel bad that a waiter had to serve it to me." feels better if it is his wife that serves?)

My former job managing disability claims was probably mirrors your experience at the work comp company. During the last 2 years of my employment I lost weight due to stress, stress, stress. I really enjoyed working wtih my claims but as you stated the emotional wear and tear coupled with the company's very aggressive style of not wanting to approve claims that the claimant was obviously disabled.

I recall one time I presented a file for approval. But nooooo.... you have to get this, ask her doctor that blah blah. I got some updated information and presented it again for approval. In my recommendation I advised the claimant has now passed away, does she now qualify for for benefits? The look on their faces were priceless.

Mentally, physicallly and spiritually I am in a much better place. I got out before I became really ill.

True. And in other countries, that's the accepted fee structure for your meal and its service. It is as simple as that, really. Here, waitstaff wages are structured on the premise that they will earn tips for doing a good job. It's not much different than a salesperson who is on commission, or someone who is paid using some other performance-based bonus structure. Except, of course, that the way that tips are paid to waitstaff depends heavily upon people following the local custom. Where I live is an international tourism area, and this system can break down, since visitors come from places where tipping isn't customary and don't always understand that waitstaff are working for less than minimum wage.

Now that I've waded into this thread, I wanted to add that my heart goes out to all of you. My job has been teetering on the edge of layoff for well over a year now, and my management team is actively trying to outsource my position overseas. I have sat at my desk and listened to coworkers being plucked from the cubicles around mine in layoff after layoff. If this thread turns out to be an undying one, I'll likely join you in the same boat later this year. Meanwhile, I'm saddened to hear that so many others are further down the road of uncertainty than I am.

I was thinking that you would pick up on that point as i posted it to the thread

Well, I come from a place where the "minimum wage" is a legally enforceable concept. Is it not in the USA?

Pep (or is it enforced in the same way as employing illegal aliens isn't?)

We do have a legally enforceable minimum wage, but we actually have a separately defined minimum wage for waitress/waiter positions -- and it may apply to a few others also. It all goes back to being based on the tradition of getting tips. If the tradition states that the wait staff is tipped, then tradition also dictates that their mandated minimum wage be lower because of that.

So the minimum wage is not the minimum wage for those for which it is not the minimum wage, but there is another minimum wage which is the minimum wage for those for which the minimum wage is not the minimum wage?

Pep (Legislative double talk!)

Yes - many restaurants have gotten away with it for years because legislators are busy elsewhere.

I think businesses should pay their staff and not expect customers to. As it stands though, they don't, and those staff are taxed 'as if' they get a certain projected $ amount in tips regardless. So as it stands I figure if I can afford a meal at a place with table service, I can afford a tip. When I was really broke I'd order less so that I could leave a halfway decent tip to account for time spent in the 'station' (sitting at the table where some waiters would glare at 'the single diner' no doubt imagining some large party would come in with bigger tips. Ironically anyone knows the larger the party the more likely they will stiff or undertip the waiter as they obsess on 'who ate what/who owes what').

It would be a relief if we went to the European system where people are actually paid by their bosses and taxed on what they actually make, but that must make too much sense or something.

Having known what it's like to work such jobs myself, though, it isn't their fault and I tip a base minimal amount but have been known to double it (or more) if they actually give a damn. I find the buspersons actually work hardest of all in many instances (covering the entire restaurant, never stop moving as opposed to waiters standing/talking, and I've waited tables so I know all the excuses) so why not reward it. Their job is also the most disgusting imo (except maybe the dishwashers). I did a bit of busing too at times during school when I worked in an inexpensive place, and as Tod said people can be filthy critters...diapers left in the booths, you name it. It was a no-tipping place though as it was a glorified fast food place (it was a pizza joint). (Btw the mgr. sent out whoever wasn't otherwise busy at that moment to 'bus' - male or female. What diff does gender make there? My first day I was given a steel spatula and told to scrape the floor behind the ovens. It was a job, we did what bossman said. Btw this wasn't "in L.A." either but small town, Midwest.)

I waited tables in a (different) place that didn't allow tips actually - although people were often wanting to tip me. Heck I worked other (not food industry) jobs where people said I was so helpful they wanted to tip me too (and it wasn't a come-on; I just worked damned hard). I also worked briefly as a cocktail waitress, which I hated as I do not drink and didn't like being pushed to push drinks on others constantly. Waitpersons were required to 'tip down' to us and never did. (Some French guys did offer me a plane ticket to Paris. Lol) No one wanted to be labeled a troublemaker, I ended up quitting. Good riddance too.

IOW a realist deals with what's there not what they wish were there. So, I tip. In fact people who are stingy tippers kind of disgust me (not implying you are such, Pep; just to be clear). Burger King has a value menu.

When I've had visitors from Europe the huge portions at a restaurant and the idea of tipping usually flummoxes them; saucer eyes and silence sometimes followed by questions. Makes no sense to us either but punishing the workers isn't the way.

/me steps off wooden box. sighs

PS, Tod it isn't "extremely rare" everywhere to have people of either gender in any job including physical labor/'menial' jobs. Why do people keep taking potshots at the word 'busperson', are we all really THAT bored?

Minimun Wages for Tipped Workers:

http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/state/tipped.htm

It is around here!

We had 2- one got fired (for selling pot) and she was in her late 50s, the other was her daughter, who quit. They actually out-worked most of the HS Boys I had working with me.

I also tend to Over-Tip. Minimum of $5. Less if they're a horrible waitress.

Our waitress's would pull in an extra $50-$100 a day then complain they had small paychecks. I'd say "What about the tips?" They'd respond "Those dont count". Nor did they believe you had to claim Tips for Income Taxes.

I'll make another attempt to be a cheerleader for those looking for new jobs. Don't make me put on the outfit or you'll want to stab your own eyes out.

Type out a few lines about your experience and a few about what kind of job you are looking for and where (geographically) you want the job to be. Here's a few really great reasons to do it:

Somebody on here may know somebody that knows somebody that can help.

Anyone can sound impressive by picking out the best parts of their experience and using the right words to describe it. If nothing else, it's a great boost to your confidence to put down in words how much you deserve your next job.

Writing out your goal is the first step to achieving it. Setting it down in words focusses your mind toward the next steps necessary to make it happen.

If you won't ask for what you want, you probably won't get it.

Oooooo!!! Another thing I did to enjoy myself as a Busboy:

If there was a waitress who'd raised a fuss over having to "pre-bus" or do anything other than take food out, and if she was a total snob about it....

Her tip got pasted to the table after I wiped it off. I'd also SOAK that table down. LOL! I lost count how many used to have aprons SOAKED with bills all stuck together.

I'd also remind them that the bills they're holding were most likely in the G-String of some stripper.

Remember kids: Dont F*CK with the Busboy! Have a snotty-better-than-thou attitude and learn the hard way.

OTOH: If they tried to do their part to make my & their job easier, then I'd bend over backwards to help them out. THEY always got seated first, because I had their tables cleaned, dry, and ready to go.

What about France? Paris specifically... The last time I was there, they added the tip on to the check then expected another tip on top of that.... If they aren't pleased with what they get, chances are you could be thrown out of the window or your money thrown back at you. What a lovely visit that was.

Eating with the guys in the Navy, and sleeping in the all womens berthing aboard ship already showed me that.

Good thing you didn't say eating with all the womens and sleeping with all the guys!