My stubborn boss

[Jaunty]

@Alex39 should not do ANY job that feeds into her desire to feel victimized, aggrieved,  resentful and superior.   

She also should not go on any vacations, accept shower invitations or be a bridesmaid - or even go to weddings where she feels victimized, aggrieved, resentful and superior.  

Get rid of friends who inspire these feelings.

Certainly not date guys who do.

 

 

[Wiseman2]

5 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

At one point she posted an ad online asking for people willing to volunteer to clean her studio for free with potential for pay in the future. 

 Sorry, that's ridiculous. 

[boltnrun]

1 minute ago, Wiseman2 said:

 Sorry, that's ridiculous. 

Some fast food place (Chick-fil-A?) tried to do something similar. Wasn't going to pay people but just gave them a meal. The labor board shut that down really quickly. 

[Jaunty]

 

33 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I purposely try to work 40 hours a month for her to make that money. She'd be happy if I worked less. Originally she told me 20 hours a week, and that dwindled down quickly to 10 hours because of her.

Hm.  Maybe that was an early clue that she was not that keen on you doing all that extra work of re-inventing her company.   

[Batya33]

41 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I plan on leaving and have been applying to other side jobs elsewhere. I get a good $600 a month from her. So I need to stick it out until I can easily re-cooperate that money elsewhere. It's helping me pay off my student debt faster. As soon as I get another gig, I am going to leave. But $600 a month is a lot. I purposely try to work 40 hours a month for her to make that money. She'd be happy if I worked less. Originally she told me 20 hours a week, and that dwindled down quickly to 10 hours because of her. So I am going to make my money and then leave, but need to be sure I have a backup job waiting when I do. 

I was just curious if you felt it was worthwhile for me to go in for a 1/2 hour and then take a free class for an hour? She's teaching the class.  She wants me to mesh with her existing clientele, so they get to know me at the studio, and know they can contact me for help with stuff. 

Yes if she pays you an hourly rate during the class since you are there for work purposes. 

[Seraphim]

28 minutes ago, boltnrun said:

But not only a half hour.  It's usually something like 4 1/2 hours or 6 1/2 hours.  Not just "come in on Saturday for a half hour".

I don't mind sweeping floors.  But I'm not going to drive 40 minutes round trip to just be paid $7.50. 

I had a job where I was basically an office manager and part of my job was to clean the bathroom.  Since I was being paid a good wage it didn't bother me at all. 

If you are being paid a good salary that is different. 

[Alex39]

20 minutes ago, boltnrun said:

But didn't she ask you to just come in for a half hour to clean? 

She asked me to come in for a half hour to open the studio , turn on the lights, set up the space, and prepare the room- which to me insinuates cleaning, but she never said that exactly. Then I could take the class for the hour for free. And she wanted to introduce me to her regular clients that come every week. 

[Alex39]

12 minutes ago, Batya33 said:

Yes if she pays you an hourly rate during the class since you are there for work purposes. 

No, she specifically said that she'll pay for only the 1/2 hour before the class and that she would not pay me for the class at all if I were to take it as a student, because it would be free. And I am not to work while she teaches any classes. 

[Alex39]

23 minutes ago, boltnrun said:

Some fast food place (Chick-fil-A?) tried to do something similar. Wasn't going to pay people but just gave them a meal. The labor board shut that down really quickly. 

You should have seen the guys face. I was so embarrassed as I was there while she was asking him to clean for free. And she was even being stingy with that saying he will get two free classes for evert time he cleans the studio. It was obvious this guy had no interest. She said with potential for pay in the distant future. It was extremely misleading and wrong. 

[boltnrun]

3 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

She asked me to come in for a half hour to open the studio , turn on the lights, set up the space, and prepare the room- which to me insinuates cleaning, but she never said that exactly. Then I could take the class for the hour for free. And she wanted to introduce me to her regular clients that come every week. 

I get that, you said that a few times. You also asked if we would be willing to do this for $7.50. So far no one has said they would.

But it seems you want to, so no need to keep explaining. But please don't complain afterward! That would make no sense. 

[Alex39]

1 minute ago, boltnrun said:

I get that, you said that a few times. You also asked if we would be willing to do this for $7.50. So far no one has said they would.

But it seems you want to, so no need to keep explaining. But please don't complain afterward! That would make no sense. 

I do not want to. I was looking for opinions and I got them. I appreciate it. I also was answering people's questions and giving details when you all seemed to need clarification. 

[Wiseman2]

11 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

. I was looking for opinions and I got them.

Was this her solution to your complaint that you're underpaid? Come in earlier, set up, pay your for that half hour and get a free class?

[Alex39]

2 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Was this her solution to your complaint that you're underpaid? Come in earlier, set up and get a free class?

She offers me to take any and all of her classes for free,  but they are never around the times I work, which is my choice of schedule, so I'd have to drive 20 minutes to get there and 20 home to take them. And I just joined a gym 3 minutes from my house to make it easy for myself. 

She is like Oh no pressure to come tomorrow,  but I left a spot open for you if you want and you can come a 1/2 hour early to set up- paid, and then take the class free, not paid, and I'd love for you to meet some of my most loyal regulars and for them to meet you. 

[Starlight925]

28 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

She offers me to take any and all of her classes for free,  but they are never around the times I work, which is my choice of schedule, so I'd have to drive 20 minutes to get there and 20 home to take them. And I just joined a gym 3 minutes from my house to make it easy for myself. 

She is like Oh no pressure to come tomorrow,  but I left a spot open for you if you want and you can come a 1/2 hour early to set up- paid, and then take the class free, not paid, and I'd love for you to meet some of my most loyal regulars and for them to meet you. 

Then why don't you try to get a job at the gym that's only 3 minutes away?

And your 2nd paragraph illustrates the frustration we all feel with you, Alex:

She isn't requesting, or requiring, you to drive 20 minutes for $7.50, like you made it sound at first.

She's asking if you'll help build her community by joining it, FOR FREE, and she'll pay you $7.50 if you show up 30 minutes early to help set up.  Just so you can enjoy the class and get to know her regulars.

Something's not adding up here.  She is not the ogre you have painted her out to be.

[Alex39]

Just now, Starlight925 said:

Then why don't you try to get a job at the gym that's only 3 minutes away?

And your 2nd paragraph illustrates the frustration we all feel with you, Alex:

She isn't requesting, or requiring, you to drive 20 minutes for $7.50, like you made it sound at first.

She's asking if you'll help build her community by joining it, FOR FREE, and she'll pay you $7.50 if you show up 30 minutes early to help set up.  Just so you can enjoy the class and get to know her regulars.

Something's not adding up here.  She is not the ogre you have painted her out to be.

I don't think she is a mean person. She asked, didn't demand. I apologize if it came across that way. I just wasn't sure if I should be a good sport and do it. But the 7.50 pay is horrific. 

[Wiseman2]

30 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

She is like Oh no pressure to come tomorrow,  but I left a spot open for you if you want and you can come a 1/2 hour early to set up- paid, and then take the class free, 

So she's offering you an extra half hour of work if you want it and free classes if you want them in response to your complaint about being underpaid? 

[Starlight925]

3 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I don't think she is a mean person. She asked, didn't demand. I apologize if it came across that way. I just wasn't sure if I should be a good sport and do it. But the 7.50 pay is horrific. 

AGAIN, AND YES I'M SCREAMING:

She's not paying you $7.50 to drive 20 minutes and drive back.

She's paying you $7.50 to show up 30 minutes early, do some light pre-work for the class, ATTEND the class for FREE, and get to know some members.

She's hoping you'll enjoy the class.  Enjoy making new friends.  And yeah, light a candle or two.

It's actually the OPPOSITE of horrific.

What's HORRIFIC is your attitude.

[Starlight925]

I can't take this anymore.  Sigh.

[Alex39]

4 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

So she's offering you an extra half hour of work if you want it and free classes if you want them in response to your complaint about being underpaid? 

No, since I started working there she said I can take free classes. But I often choose to work. If I stop to take a class, I'm not paid for it. So if I work 4 hours and one hour is a class, then I only get paid for 3 hours and get a free class. Which is okay, but I'd rather make money. This isn't her response to me complaining about being underpaid. She has been talking about me coming in before each class for weeks for a 1/2 hour of pay. 

[Alex39]

16 minutes ago, Starlight925 said:

AGAIN, AND YES I'M SCREAMING:

She's not paying you $7.50 to drive 20 minutes and drive back.

She's paying you $7.50 to show up 30 minutes early, do some light pre-work for the class, ATTEND the class for FREE, and get to know some members.

She's hoping you'll enjoy the class.  Enjoy making new friends.  And yeah, light a candle or two.

It's actually the OPPOSITE of horrific.

What's HORRIFIC is your attitude.

But I am driving in total 40 minutes for $7.50 still. Yes, I get a free workout class. But I'm driving 40 minutes for a free workout class and $7.50. I do think she has good intentions. I never said it was a cruel offer. I just think the smart thing to do is to also decide if it's worth it time-wise and monetarily. 

[Alex39]

I used an app to calculate the exact gas usage it will cost me to get there and back, with my exact vehicle. It will cost $6 round-trip. I'd be making $1.50. So I'd purely be going for the free class. I have to decide what I want. 1.5 hours of my time for a free class worth about $20 and a $1.50 in earnings. 

[Starlight925]

2 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

But I am driving in total 40 minutes for $7.50 still. Yes, I get a free workout class. But I'm driving 40 minutes for a free workout class and $7.50. I do think she has good intentions. I never said it was a cruel offer. I just think the smart thing to do is to also decide if it's worth it time-wise and monetarily. 

Then. Don't. Do. It.

Enjoy your 3-minute away gym, and find a job closer.

How about a work-from-home position, where you can work at your own pace?

But please, for the love of all things, stop picking this woman apart, page after page after page.

[Wiseman2]

Just now, Alex39 said:

 I'm driving 40 minutes for a free workout class and $7.50. 

Do you work from home at this job? Or do you have to drive there anyway ? Your wording is incredibly unclear.  You seem to be folding in all this extranea about your commute and where your gym is. If you are in the studio working what's the difference if you go a half hour early? 

[Alex39]

26 minutes ago, Wiseman2 said:

Do you work from home at this job? Or do you have to drive there anyway ? Your wording is incredibly unclear.  You seem to be folding in all this extranea about your commute and where your gym is. If you are in the studio working what's the difference if you go a half hour early? 

I work for her 4 to 6 hours a week in-person every Thursday. So I only drive there on Thursdays for one big chunk of time. And another 3 to 4 hours a week remote from home. 

[boltnrun]

Why don't you cancel your gym membership (unnecessary expense if you're struggling financially) and workout at her studio for free? You could show up a half hour early, setup, then take the class.