Walked out of my job tonight

mrwhimwham

I work in the fast food industry and tonight I just couldn't hack the workload and decided to walk out. It was a rash decision but with various different people shouting at me for various different things I just couldn't stick it anymore.

I've never done anything like this before and I've never so much as gotten anything near a warning in work.

Does anyone know if what I did tonight could warrant the employer terminating my contract without notice?

king size mars bar

Yea I,d say your finished there. But if you were that unhappy in it then you had to do what you had to do. Did it myself years ago on a job.

Guy:Incognito

mrwhimwham wrote: »

I just couldn't hack the workload and decided to walk out.

Probably don't mention that in future interviews.:)

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

I'd say there's probably no going back. Don't worry, no job is worth the sh1te and stress you must have felt before you walked out the door.

gugleguy

Go to your local citizens advice bureau asap. Ask your citizens advice bureau how you should approach social welfare.

Dowl88

Boss might be sympathetic. Tell him you were going through issues with GF, relative ill or something along those lines.

How can you find fast food restaurant stressfull?

mrwhimwham

Dowl88 wrote: »

Boss might be sympathetic. Tell him you were going through issues with GF, relative ill or something along those lines.

How can you find fast food restaurant stressfull?

Clearly you have never worked in that industry...

hfallada

gugleguy wrote: »

Go to your local citizens advice bureau asap. Ask your citizens advice bureau how you should approach social welfare.

AFAIK you cant claim welfare if you quit your job. Which OP basically just done. Even with a heavy work load and people shouting at you, walking out was not the logically thing to do. I worked in a shop at Christmas that had 45 mins wait for the till(I was the only cashier) and got constant abuse from the customers. But I sucked it up and got on with my job.

Retail and other customer service jobs are stressful, but its what is expected in the industry

helimachoptor

mrwhimwham wrote: »

Clearly you have never worked in that industry...

Sorry to be ****ty but how stressful can it be really? Stick something in the deep fat fryier take it it out put salt/lettuce/cheese etc on it .

If that's what your struggling with op you need to get a thicker skin .

Dowl88

mrwhimwham wrote: »

Clearly you have never worked in that industry...

Its fast food, take an order and hand it out. Not exactly stressful

jill_valentine

Dowl88 wrote: »

Its fast food, take an order and hand it out. Not exactly stressful

Have a think about the clientele in a fast food place at night though.

Any industry where you're dealing with the public is stressful, dealing with food doubly so, and dealing with drunk public who want food beats all. Heat of the kitchen and all that.

Bepolite

helimachoptor wrote: »

Sorry to be ****ty but how stressful can it be really? Stick something in the deep fat fryier take it it out put salt/lettuce/cheese etc on it .

If that's what your struggling with op you need to get a thicker skin .

LOL sure all a lawyer has to do is stand up speak and look things up, and brain surgeons just cut things.

Working in the service industry is stressful because of people like you frankly. As for fast food this time of night...

shruikan2553

People seem to be mixing up difficult as in skill level and difficult as in stress etc. It doesnt take a lot to do but you have to time everything and work with strict procedures. Plus you have the whole thing with people thinking they are better than them and treating them as such.

I never worked in the area and it may be a job that anyone can do straight out of school but it doesnt make it easy.


Edit: Remembered that it would be quite warm back there. Leaves people short tempered.

Dowl88

jill_valentine wrote: »

Have a think about the clientele in a fast food place at night though.

Any industry where you're dealing with the public is stressful, dealing with food doubly so, and dealing with drunk public who want food beats all. Heat of the kitchen and all that.

Are you serious? I wouldnt call that stress. Your serving food behind a counter. You need to toughen up OP.

Every job has a level of stress. Theres no cushy number unless you win the lotto. You work for your money.

Bepolite

Dowl88 wrote: »

Are you serious? I wouldnt call that stress. Your serving food behind a counter. You need to toughen up OP.

Ironically enough I don't think there should be any more feeding for you

TheQuietFella

Dowl88 wrote: »

Its fast food, take an order and hand it out. Not exactly stressful

And have you had experience in this industry?

Mr Simpson

helimachoptor wrote: »

Sorry to be ****ty but how stressful can it be really? Stick something in the deep fat fryier take it it out put salt/lettuce/cheese etc on it .

If that's what your struggling with op you need to get a thicker skin .

In fairness, I've worked in that industry in the past. Between the crap hours, crap money, abuse from customers and generally clueless and ignorant owners/managers, it can be surprisingly stressfull.

hfallada

hfallada wrote: »

AFAIK you cant claim welfare if you quit your job. Which OP basically just done. Even with a heavy work load and people shouting at you, walking out was not the logically thing to do. I worked in a shop at Christmas that had 45 mins wait for the till(I was the only cashier) and got constant abuse from the customers. But I sucked it up and got on with my job.

Retail and other customer service jobs are stressful, but its what is expected in the industry

You can get jobseekers, however they make you wait 12 weeks for it. I walked out of a job 2 years ago.the boss was a bully/ tyrant who would only let us use the toilets at lunchtime, he would keep the key in his office until 1-2. A pregnant girl had to leave as well for this reason. We also were not allowed leave at lunch and we were shouted out and demeaned by this one bully at every opportunity. I had a breakdown one day when he called me a ****ing retard in front of my colleagues, I left crying, signed on and was told I had to wait 3months since I left voluntarily

Dowl88

TheQuietFella wrote: »

And have you had experience in this industry?

Its whats wrong with the country, people dont want to work. I have a friend who works in a big chain store fast food joint. Loads in on weekends, never complained, well just about the hours.

TireeTerror

Deleted User wrote: »

You can get jobseekers, however they make you wait 12 weeks for it. I walked out of a job 2 years ago.the boss was a bully/ tyrant who would only let us use the toilets at lunchtime, he would keep the key in his office until 1-2. A pregnant girl had to leave as well for this reason. We also were not allowed leave at lunch and we were shouted out and demeaned by this one bully at every opportunity. I had a breakdown one day when he called me a ****ing retard in front of my colleagues, I left crying, signed on and was told I had to wait 3months since I left voluntarily

I would have sued him, plain and simple.

Bepolite

Deleted User wrote: »

You can get jobseekers, however they make you wait 12 weeks for it. I walked out of a job 2 years ago.the boss was a bully/ tyrant who would only let us use the toilets at lunchtime, he would keep the key in his office until 1-2. A pregnant girl had to leave as well for this reason. We also were not allowed leave at lunch and we were shouted out and demeaned by this one bully at every opportunity. I had a breakdown one day when he called me a ****ing retard in front of my colleagues, I left crying, signed on and was told I had to wait 3months since I left voluntarily

Explain to the welfare they have a degree of latitude to be fair.

I completely understand that not everyone is a 6'2" tall 18stone bloke who spent the better part of his youth being shouted at by hairy reservists who had watched Full Metal Jacket one too many times but the best way to deal with a bully is call them out. Take the moral high ground initially, "John can we have a word"... as soon as they refuse and start shout the the odds I find a loudly spoken "Who the hell do you think you are speaking too" works wonders. Most people haven't a clue what's hit them.

OP I was in retail for 15 years part of that I did a side job as security, I did rough pubs, nice pubs and even a gay pub (a very rough one oddly enough) the very worst place I was ever on the door of was the Abrakebabra in Portmarnock - and that was a quiet one. One lad on a city centre store was killed when a punter walked up to him and stabbed him for no reason.

OP more tales to bore you to sleep but I had what can be described as a 'bad break-up' with a business I was working for. I was out for almost a year. I was very successful and earned a reasonable salary, more than my wife at the time who has a degree and masters from Trinity and a PhD. from UCD. I'm lucky enough to be now retraining as a lawyer. I can assure you that losing a job/being unemployed is a lot scarier than it actually is in reality.

In answer (after going round the houses quite a bit) no they can't terminate you for walking off. They would need to hold a disciplinary and it's unlikely to be gross misconduct. If you're in there less than a year though they may just let you go and there is little you can do.

Ask yourself though: Is it worth going back?

(it might be to get fired if you think the social are going to be being difficult.)

TireeTerror

TireeTerror wrote: »

I would have sued him, plain and simple.

I look back now and regret being so submissive, I'm ashamed of myself for putting up with it. But I did learn from it and don't take Crap from anyone anymore

jill_valentine

Dowl88 wrote: »

Are you serious? I wouldnt call that stress. Your serving food behind a counter. You need to toughen up OP.

Every job has a level of stress. Theres no cushy number unless you win the lotto. You work for your money.

I haven't found this to be true, tbh.

I got minimum wage when I worked with the public. It was hard work, incredibly long hours, ****ty conditions, and back in the morning after for 9. Atmosphere were horrible, customers aggressive and obnoxious, and the staff turnover was huge. Practically every member of staff had a cry at one stage or another.

Fast forward to my current industry. It's an office job - there are deadlines, and meetings and the occasional shouting-your-head-off conversation, and in theory, a LOT more money involved if something goes wrong. But still, stress wise, to me? There's no comparison, and the pay is far, far better.

It's crazy to me, but that's how it seems to be. People who get paid more for more prestigious jobs like to think they're special, but I can honestly say I'm doing half the work now than I was doing for 8 euro something an hour back in the day. And I get to do it in a comfy chair with a coffee in one hand, and a mild expression of disbelief.

Don't underestimate the human factor.

obplayer

jill_valentine wrote: »

I haven't found this to be true, tbh.

I got minimum wage when I worked with the public. It was hard work, incredibly long hours, ****ty conditions, and back in the morning after for 9. Atmosphere were horrible, customers aggressive and obnoxious, and the staff turnover was huge. Practically every member of staff had a cry at one stage or another.

Fast forward to my current industry. It's an office job - there are deadlines, and meetings and the occasional shouting-your-head-off conversation, and in theory, a LOT more money involved if something goes wrong. But still, stress wise, to me? There's no comparison, and the pay is far, far better.

It's crazy to me, but that's how it seems to be. People who get paid more for more prestigious jobs like to think they're special, but I can honestly say I'm doing half the work now than I was doing for 8 euro something an hour back in the day. And I get to do it in a comfy chair with a coffee in one hand, and a mild expression of disbelief.

Don't underestimate the human factor.

Dealing with the public can be incredibly stressful simply because you are subjected to so much aggression.

helimachoptor

Bepolite wrote: »

LOL sure all a lawyer has to do is stand up speak and look things up, and brain surgeons just cut things.

Working in the service industry is stressful because of people like you frankly. As for fast food this time of night...

7.5 years in a supermarket, 3 years in a call centre, I've done my time.
It's not rocket science, you give the punter what they want and they leave .

Also op posted at 11pm. Big difference in fast food joints between 11pm and 1am

jill_valentine

obplayer wrote: »

Dealing with the public can be incredibly stressful simply because you are subjected to so much aggression.

Yup. You wouldn't believe it if you'd not experienced it, how unreasonable human beings can be.

A big part of it too comes from the fact that jobs where you deal with the public tend to be the ones where you can get promoted just by hanging around long enough, rather than being particularly well suited to the task in hand.

The result is a LOT of managers who just aren't actually equipped to manage people or respond to new problems very well, so you get a lot of tiny tyrant types with an unerring capacity for making things worse.

obplayer

mrwhimwham wrote: »

I work in the fast food industry and tonight I just couldn't hack the workload and decided to walk out. It was a rash decision but with various different people shouting at me for various different things I just couldn't stick it anymore.

I've never done anything like this before and I've never so much as gotten anything near a warning in work.

Does anyone know if what I did tonight could warrant the employer terminating my contract without notice?

I would advise apologising to your manager and hoping he / she will take you back. Then look for a way you can get out without being classed by the welfare people as intentionally unemployed or whatever way they put it.

zetalambda

hfallada wrote: »

AFAIK you cant claim welfare if you quit your job. Which OP basically just done. Even with a heavy work load and people shouting at you, walking out was not the logically thing to do. I worked in a shop at Christmas that had 45 mins wait for the till(I was the only cashier) and got constant abuse from the customers. But I sucked it up and got on with my job.

Retail and other customer service jobs are stressful, but its what is expected in the industry

I've quit multiple jobs and signed straight on the dole. You'll have to give them an explanation and I've always said that it was because of a high stress job, heavy workload, long hours, asshole supervisors, etc. and that I was using all of my holidays to de-stress and ringing in sick increasingly due to stress (all of which was true). Office work was the type of job I was in and I knew that there was a pretty good chance that the person examining my claim (who is also an office worker) will have experienced similar and would therefore understand to some degree. They will however need a letter from your doctor to say that you have no serious illness and are capable of work.

mrwhimwham

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I just want to clear things up in saying that I don't hate the job I'm in nor do I hate the people I work with, but when you have to constantly deal with people looking down their noses at you each day, the Sahara like heat conditions, the sh1te hours and pay and the simple fact of having no social life come the summer as it's so busy( I only work night shifts mostly), things were bound to come to a head like this.

Going to go in and have a chat with the boss in the morning and see if I can sort things out and hope I didn't do any irreparable damage.

obplayer

mrwhimwham wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I just want to clear things up in saying that I don't hate the job I'm in nor do I hate the people I work with, but when you have to constantly deal with people looking down their noses at you each day, the Sahara like heat conditions, the sh1te hours and pay and the simple fact of having no social life come the summer as it's so busy( I only work night shifts mostly), things were bound to come to a head like this.

Going to go in and have a chat with the boss in the morning and see if I can sort things out and hope I didn't do any irreparable damage.

Genuinely the best of luck.

ardle1

Dowl88 wrote: »

Boss might be sympathetic. Tell him you were going through issues with GF, relative ill or something along those lines.

How can you find fast food restaurant stressfull?

Don't tell him that, tell him the truth.
And if anyone talks to you like that again, tell him your gonna fcuk them up big shytle :cool: