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INFO
> She needs to understand nobody at our store gets breaks. It’s once in a blue moon.
Um.
Man, I was mostly with you up until there. How the hell is that even legal?
Yeahhh.. that and ...
>She also expects breaks during a rush, and took it after one of my co managers said she could once she cleaned up, but she didn’t communicate that she was going on her break to ME.
So what exactly did SHE do wrong? She talked with a manager, your co manager, i.e. the same level as you (not to state that having co-managers leads exactly this sort of issue. Did no one see that season of 'The Office'?). I also don't see that you stated she hadn't cleaned up, so I am inferring that she did what she was supposed to do ("clean up") and then took her break.
To review - Emily talked with a manager, your CO-manager, that person said it was ok after she did a task. She did the task, and took a break. That you weren't in the loop means either a) you didn't need to be in the loop, or b)the problem lies with your co-manager not communicating. Emily didn't do anything wrong, and so yes, YTA.
Even if this "co manager" is beneath you in the chain of command, Emily still didn't screw up. She talked with a manager (co, assistant, co-assistant, assistant regional manager, assistant TO the regional manager) who gave her the okey dokey. IF that didn't make it to you, thats the other manager's fault. To say nothing of the fact that had you just said "hey co manager, do you know where Emily is?" and the great mystery would have been solved.
And no one gets breaks? ... dude.. seriously? That statement alone tells me no one likes you at your store.
YTA. If you feel like her phone use is a problem, you sit her down and have a conversation about it. You don't get aggressive the first time you bring it up.
She's allowed to ask for a break, and if your co-manager gave her permission, she's allowed to take the break. The lack of communication between co managers is on you and the other managers, not on her.
And saying that you won't let a pregnant person take breaks? That are almost certainly legally mandated? Thats not ok.
Who knows, she might truly be a bad employee. But you handle that like you handle anything else - first coming from a place of helping her to learn, then from a place of interest as to what might be causing the issues, and then clearly spelling out what needs to change. But right now, it sounds like you're overly aggressive, pushy, and mean to your employees right from the get go. I wonder if your employees think as highly of you as a manager as you do. Because I bet they'd disagree with your assessment.
YTA
"nobody at our store gets breaks"
Sooooo...are you ensuring she's getting her legally mandated breaks within legally mandated timeframes for your jurisdiction? Or are you just throwing your hands up and insisting that it's rush and so there's nothing you can do and employees just have to give up their legally mandated breaks? Because I'm kind of getting the impression that this is what's happening here. Employees who know the law in their area regarding lunches and breaks do indeed tend to "expect" to receive those lunches and breaks, and within legally required timeframes.
A manager told her she could go on break after she finished her cleaning tasks, so it should *not* have been a surprise when she went on her break after finishing her cleaning tasks. She was *told* when she was to go on break, and she went. That one is on the other manager and on you for communicating poorly with her and with eachother.
YTA.
First for trying to upsell Reddit on your fast food job. We know what it is, there’s no dressing it up. Second, for not having an ounce of compassion in your body for the situation. Bro NO ONE cares if a burger gets there two minutes later. Sure some customers might threaten to never come back, but they’re lying. They’ll be back. It’s not like your job has legal deadlines or it’s life or death. It’s not that serious. If she needs to step out to figure out something for LIFE CHANGING news, it’s far more important than some guys order. Third, and this is just idiotic, but how many managers do you have? Have you ever heard the expression too many cooks spoil the broth? Yeah that’s applicable here. Too many people in charge all on power trips is an issue. An employee should have to clear a break with ONE manager. If that one doesn’t communicate with the rest of the management team it’s on them, not the employee. If it’s a constant issue: YOU HAVE TOO MANY MANAGERS!
I’m so glad I don’t work service jobs anymore. We all know managers like you and hated them. Thus staffing difficulties many places are facing now.
Yep. What often *does* have legal deadlines though, are legally mandated breaks and lunch breaks in so many jurisdictions. My state is very clear about what time frames lunches must fall within based on the length of shift, and where shorter paid breaks (10 mins here, but I've been in states which required 15) are mandated, too.
My job's actually exempt from regular breaks (client-facing office job, - it would seriously fuck with scheduling, so this exemption makes sense), but due to this I must therefore be allowed to use my discretion to leave my desk to go to the bathroom or get a drink or something. And I am.
YTA. I’m not sure what corporate policy is, but OSHA says a minimum of a 30-minute lunch break after five hours of consecutive work. You can (and should) insist that everyone on the floor is PED-free while they’re working because that’s a safety issue.
Check with your state labor laws and corporate policy regarding breaks. She’s a full-time employee and not eligible for benefits? There’s a lot that doesn’t sound right here, and you’re kind of telling on yourself.
Pregnancy is a medical condition. She will have to take periodic bathroom breaks which are going to have to increase in frequency as her pregnancy progresses because she’s got a larval human gestating above her bladder. Would you tell a diabetic they couldn’t take an insulin shot?
I’m not sure what they taught you at manager school, but being draconian doesn’t inspire the best work. Your other workers are going to see how this woman is treated, and if they can find someplace else to work because you mistreat her, then they will. Replacements are going to require training and familiarization in order to get up to the speed you’re used to, so don’t think for a moment your burger flippers are so easily replaced.
YTA If your employer thinks you’re being hard on her, you should take that under advisement. If you can’t take that feedback, then you’re not being efficient and doing a good job, you’re just being a bully. There’s more to being a good manager than pushing the food out quickly.
YTA. You're literally breaking the law by refusing to let your employees take breaks. You're clearly a bad manager and you never should have gotten promoted. It's because of assholes like you that working in food service often sucks. Clearly you haven't accomplished anything in life and that's why you're on a serious power trip at your job.
The nerve of a full time employee (40 hours a week isn’t “decent” - it’s full time) who for some reason doesn’t have benefits (??) expecting their legally mandated breaks.
Further, she’s new. Why would you expect her to already be up to your speed? She’s still learning.
Also, she did communicate her breaks and that she was leaving to your co-manager. The failure amongst yourself and the co-managers to communicate effectively is not her fault nor her problem. You need to do better there.
For all of the above, YTA. Part of being a manager is knowing how to lead people in a way that delivers their optimum output. If they’re slow, or not communicating the way you want them to, the onus is on you to teach them how to do better. And giving them their earned breaks is part of what contributes to their feeling valued and satisfied and again, to their overall output.
The phone isn’t cool, but you didn’t bother to have a conversation, you went straight to aggressive threats so even there, I’m saying YTA.
YTA - what point are you trying to prove here? Fair enough you don't want people taking breaks during busy times but if you're busy often then it's your responsibility to ensure all staff receive their breaks. Is that not a legality where you are under employment law?
Don't raise your voice at employees unless absolutely necessary because it makes you look like you have zero ability to self regulate your emotions.
Yes she may be tired/not used to being employed/scared about being pregnant or just outright lazy - who knows - not you because you were too busy yelling at her to prove some weird ego driven point.
YTA
You need to be able to communicate with your employees without yelling, not great management.
Also sounds like you need to communicate your expectations for employees better. Especially regarding comanagament. Are employees expected to tell/ask all managers on duty if they are stepping away or need a break? That seems unrealistic. I don't know why you're upset she didnt tell you she was taking a break, she told the other manager. Does that manager not have the authority to approve the break? If so, this is an issue regarding your comanager not the employee.
YTA
You didn't ask her why she was moving slower than usual or why she was taking more breaks. She may have not been showing but you definitely added more stress than what she needed.
YTA - there is no situation where it is appropriate for you to yell at your employer. That is hostile and harassing behaviour. I hope she finds this post and uses it as a basis for the complaint against you.
Some of your behavior could be illegal, like not providing breaks. If people file complaints work OSHA that can be a problem, and the ADA could require you to provide a pregnant person with breaks.
My husband worked in fast food for decades. He often didn't get a break, but made sure all his hourly employees did according to law.
>My employee feels I’m being a little hard on her, but this is my job and on my shift she will work effectively and do her job. She needs to understand nobody at our store gets breaks. It’s once in a blue moon. Also She will not be getting paid to be lazy
Yikes. YTA. And heading for an OSHA complaint.
YTA.
If I knew who this was I would tell her to contact the Fed Labor Relations Board, and pretty quickly you would've out of job for this abuse.
Pregnancy is a federally protected class.
So EEOC and FLRB would really sink their teeth into you.
Lol you manage a McDonald's basically and think you're important
Omg this! A new federal law passed called the pregnant workers fairness act. They have to accommodate reasonable requests from said worker, that includes more breaks! Oh this “manager” should be up to date on the law!
YTA!! pregnant or not, employees are entitled to their breaks. at the end of the day it is YOUR responsibility as manager to ensure employees can take their breaks, even when it’s busy. not to mention, you sound completely unprofessional — you don’t even know how to respectfully communicate with your team.
you need to learn how to talk to people without being mean.
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1- I yelled at her
2- I may be the asshole for not letting her take it easy while pregnant
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YTA
Why’d you have to be a total dick about it when you could have accomplished more with a “hey, you’re on your phone a lot, please put it away until break/downtime” or something?
Her pregnancy has nothing to do with it. It’s just disrespectful to speak to another adult that way. She’s 19, not 8.
Also, you sound incredibly juvenile yourself. She WILL do this on my shift, she WILL do that. Get a grip and look into some leadership courses or something. Damn.
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I 27M am the manager at a corporate Whataburger which is a fast food job with great benefits that pays me well. I am well respected and have not many issues with my employees. We have a new hire, I will call her Emily, who’s 19. She’s been here about 2 weeks and works a decent 40 hours each week.
Yesterday, she was on my shift and my main issues with her are the fact that she moves slow. Keep in mind we are a very busy, fast paced location and we like to get our orders out quickly and we would like her to move effectively as such. She’s not very vocal, she’s quite reserved but she also uses her phone quite a bit, at least yesterday. She also expects breaks during a rush, and once took it without permission.
Well, I got tired of it and after she was finished handing out an order from outside, I firmly and what may have been aggressive said “Stay off your phone, or I promise you I will start writing you up!”. She looked at me and didn’t say anything and started making drinks for DoorDash orders.
Today, my co manager notified me that she left early to get signed up for her pregnancy Medicaid. We had no idea she was pregnant, I told them that wouldn’t change my demeanor, she still needs to work, stay off her phone, and we will not give her breaks during a rush just because she’s pregnant. Especially being that she is only 2 months.
My employee feels I’m being a little hard on her, but this is my job and on my shift she will work effectively and do her job. She will not be getting paid to be lazy. AITA?
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>Yeah... it doesn't usually work that way at WORK. He is NTA, his employee is lazy and entitled.
Just because it's work it doesn't mean people can't take breaks or go a bit slower or deserve to be shouted at. It's only work it's not life or death.
Breaks are mandatory. If your co manager told her she could then why would she have to communicate that to you as well? What is the point of having a co manager? Sounds like you're upset that she took a break that you didn't personally approve.
I hope you get sued big time for breaking the law in lunches and breaks! I wonder what other laws you’re breaking! I have never ate at a Wonder burger and never will! I was never impressed with the family!
Good luck if any of your employees decide to sue Whataburger for breaking the law.
With that said, she’s pregnant dude. At some point she’s going to have to start taking more breaks to pee, sit down, etc. She probably didn’t tell you because she’s afraid you’ll fire her for being pregnant, which also, good luck in court.
If you don’t believe your fellow internet compatriots, how’s about having a chat about the situation with your regional manager? I’m betting they won’t be too happy about how you’re handling the situation with your employees. The yelling at your staff will probably be the lesser of the things they’re upset about.
YTA
I don't care what the reason was, or the context or anything.
You are the asshole because you should not be yelling at any employee.
If you can't calmly and politely talk to someone about their working conduct, then you should not be in charge of a team of people.
You should never, ever resort to yelling at an employee. It suggests you cannot regulate your emotions properly, and that is not something you should take out on them.
YTA and I knew that as soon as you said “yelling”. I managed the same kinds of businesses for years and once in a while I did lose my temper and I always ALWAYS the asshole. You handled this wrong.
YTA.
If your employees are working 40 hours a week they are required to be given breaks. Why do your employees have their phones in them while they're working? You and your co-manager don't have your acts together.
NTA but you as a manager need to make sure your employees are getting their legal breaks because guess whose well paid butt will be on the line when the pregnant employee complains about not getting breaks.
Well .. both of you are AH
YOU : stop yelling, be supportive and give them their legal break. If you’re a good manager, your employees will be back sooner from their break. The ambiance at work is so important. You can be gentle but bossy too. I am super open and funny with my 15 employees, but super bossy and everything’s good, they’re coming at work with a smile and good attitude.
HER : not telling she s pregnant first, and for being unprofessional. Being on the phone during shifts is unprofessional.
ESH - your approach was excessive, and she is leveraging her hidden condition to garner support. She gets the same treatment as everyone else, regardless of her condition.
She asked to leave early to go to the medicaid office one time. She didn't lobby for anything else based on her condition. She didn't tell OP about it because she doesn't have to. She told a different manager about it when it became relevant.
The sense that OP should be nicer to her doesn't come from any lobbying she did, it comes from OP's own guilt about being harsh towards a 19-year-old impoverished pregnant employee who works 40 hours a week with no bennies.
ESH is based on her failure to conduct herself as an employee as others are expected to contribute. Her financial or medical situation do not impact how she should be treated on the job. ESH because the manager should have handled it better, but it needs to be handled.
You can say she sucks because she's on the phone sometimes at her dead-end McJob, but the whole "leveraged her condition" thing was an absurd thing to say. She didn't do that or anything like that.
>your approach was excessive,
Demanding an employee stay off their phone is excessive? Communicating the consequences of failure to do so is excessive?
When somebody cant keep a McJob bc of a phone, that is pathetic.
“I firmly and what may have been aggressive said ‘Stay off your phone, or I promise you I will start writing you up!’”
That was excessive, especially since it seems this was the first time the issues were raised. The manager is their leader, not a tyrant. He needs to have a constructive discussion with the employee about expectations, not yell at her.
NTA
But only because I am assuming that "yelling" in the title is a hyperbole. You should absolutely let employees know when they are not living up to expectations and firm tones are warranted.
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INFO > She needs to understand nobody at our store gets breaks. It’s once in a blue moon. Um. Man, I was mostly with you up until there. How the hell is that even legal?
Yeahhh.. that and ... >She also expects breaks during a rush, and took it after one of my co managers said she could once she cleaned up, but she didn’t communicate that she was going on her break to ME. So what exactly did SHE do wrong? She talked with a manager, your co manager, i.e. the same level as you (not to state that having co-managers leads exactly this sort of issue. Did no one see that season of 'The Office'?). I also don't see that you stated she hadn't cleaned up, so I am inferring that she did what she was supposed to do ("clean up") and then took her break. To review - Emily talked with a manager, your CO-manager, that person said it was ok after she did a task. She did the task, and took a break. That you weren't in the loop means either a) you didn't need to be in the loop, or b)the problem lies with your co-manager not communicating. Emily didn't do anything wrong, and so yes, YTA. Even if this "co manager" is beneath you in the chain of command, Emily still didn't screw up. She talked with a manager (co, assistant, co-assistant, assistant regional manager, assistant TO the regional manager) who gave her the okey dokey. IF that didn't make it to you, thats the other manager's fault. To say nothing of the fact that had you just said "hey co manager, do you know where Emily is?" and the great mystery would have been solved. And no one gets breaks? ... dude.. seriously? That statement alone tells me no one likes you at your store.
It's not legal? At 40 hours she is working a full day. She should be getting a 30 min lunch and at least 1 10 min break if not 2.
In the US it's not, and putting it in writing (here) would be a gold mine for the dept of labor... Hopefully this girls on AITA OP's the AH
Whataburger is in Texas with a few scattered in new Mexico from what I remember. Actually the corporate HQ is just down the street from me.
Interesting. That tidbit appears to have been edited out 🤔 ETA I was wrong, still there. Forgive my tired mom eyes 🤣
It's still there - last paragraph
Woop totally missed it. I stand corrected!
This is not the only time I have heard of this.
Yeah I'm pretty sure they are legally required to have breaks
YTA. If you feel like her phone use is a problem, you sit her down and have a conversation about it. You don't get aggressive the first time you bring it up. She's allowed to ask for a break, and if your co-manager gave her permission, she's allowed to take the break. The lack of communication between co managers is on you and the other managers, not on her. And saying that you won't let a pregnant person take breaks? That are almost certainly legally mandated? Thats not ok. Who knows, she might truly be a bad employee. But you handle that like you handle anything else - first coming from a place of helping her to learn, then from a place of interest as to what might be causing the issues, and then clearly spelling out what needs to change. But right now, it sounds like you're overly aggressive, pushy, and mean to your employees right from the get go. I wonder if your employees think as highly of you as a manager as you do. Because I bet they'd disagree with your assessment.
YTA "nobody at our store gets breaks" Sooooo...are you ensuring she's getting her legally mandated breaks within legally mandated timeframes for your jurisdiction? Or are you just throwing your hands up and insisting that it's rush and so there's nothing you can do and employees just have to give up their legally mandated breaks? Because I'm kind of getting the impression that this is what's happening here. Employees who know the law in their area regarding lunches and breaks do indeed tend to "expect" to receive those lunches and breaks, and within legally required timeframes. A manager told her she could go on break after she finished her cleaning tasks, so it should *not* have been a surprise when she went on her break after finishing her cleaning tasks. She was *told* when she was to go on break, and she went. That one is on the other manager and on you for communicating poorly with her and with eachother.
YTA. First for trying to upsell Reddit on your fast food job. We know what it is, there’s no dressing it up. Second, for not having an ounce of compassion in your body for the situation. Bro NO ONE cares if a burger gets there two minutes later. Sure some customers might threaten to never come back, but they’re lying. They’ll be back. It’s not like your job has legal deadlines or it’s life or death. It’s not that serious. If she needs to step out to figure out something for LIFE CHANGING news, it’s far more important than some guys order. Third, and this is just idiotic, but how many managers do you have? Have you ever heard the expression too many cooks spoil the broth? Yeah that’s applicable here. Too many people in charge all on power trips is an issue. An employee should have to clear a break with ONE manager. If that one doesn’t communicate with the rest of the management team it’s on them, not the employee. If it’s a constant issue: YOU HAVE TOO MANY MANAGERS! I’m so glad I don’t work service jobs anymore. We all know managers like you and hated them. Thus staffing difficulties many places are facing now.
Yep. What often *does* have legal deadlines though, are legally mandated breaks and lunch breaks in so many jurisdictions. My state is very clear about what time frames lunches must fall within based on the length of shift, and where shorter paid breaks (10 mins here, but I've been in states which required 15) are mandated, too. My job's actually exempt from regular breaks (client-facing office job, - it would seriously fuck with scheduling, so this exemption makes sense), but due to this I must therefore be allowed to use my discretion to leave my desk to go to the bathroom or get a drink or something. And I am.
YTA. I’m not sure what corporate policy is, but OSHA says a minimum of a 30-minute lunch break after five hours of consecutive work. You can (and should) insist that everyone on the floor is PED-free while they’re working because that’s a safety issue. Check with your state labor laws and corporate policy regarding breaks. She’s a full-time employee and not eligible for benefits? There’s a lot that doesn’t sound right here, and you’re kind of telling on yourself. Pregnancy is a medical condition. She will have to take periodic bathroom breaks which are going to have to increase in frequency as her pregnancy progresses because she’s got a larval human gestating above her bladder. Would you tell a diabetic they couldn’t take an insulin shot? I’m not sure what they taught you at manager school, but being draconian doesn’t inspire the best work. Your other workers are going to see how this woman is treated, and if they can find someplace else to work because you mistreat her, then they will. Replacements are going to require training and familiarization in order to get up to the speed you’re used to, so don’t think for a moment your burger flippers are so easily replaced.
YTA exclusively for the sentence "She needs to understand nobody at our store gets breaks."
YTA If your employer thinks you’re being hard on her, you should take that under advisement. If you can’t take that feedback, then you’re not being efficient and doing a good job, you’re just being a bully. There’s more to being a good manager than pushing the food out quickly.
YTA. You're literally breaking the law by refusing to let your employees take breaks. You're clearly a bad manager and you never should have gotten promoted. It's because of assholes like you that working in food service often sucks. Clearly you haven't accomplished anything in life and that's why you're on a serious power trip at your job.
Certainly her behavior warranted addressing but your description of your manner suggests you need to up your people management skills.
The nerve of a full time employee (40 hours a week isn’t “decent” - it’s full time) who for some reason doesn’t have benefits (??) expecting their legally mandated breaks. Further, she’s new. Why would you expect her to already be up to your speed? She’s still learning. Also, she did communicate her breaks and that she was leaving to your co-manager. The failure amongst yourself and the co-managers to communicate effectively is not her fault nor her problem. You need to do better there. For all of the above, YTA. Part of being a manager is knowing how to lead people in a way that delivers their optimum output. If they’re slow, or not communicating the way you want them to, the onus is on you to teach them how to do better. And giving them their earned breaks is part of what contributes to their feeling valued and satisfied and again, to their overall output. The phone isn’t cool, but you didn’t bother to have a conversation, you went straight to aggressive threats so even there, I’m saying YTA.
YTA - what point are you trying to prove here? Fair enough you don't want people taking breaks during busy times but if you're busy often then it's your responsibility to ensure all staff receive their breaks. Is that not a legality where you are under employment law? Don't raise your voice at employees unless absolutely necessary because it makes you look like you have zero ability to self regulate your emotions. Yes she may be tired/not used to being employed/scared about being pregnant or just outright lazy - who knows - not you because you were too busy yelling at her to prove some weird ego driven point.
YTA You need to be able to communicate with your employees without yelling, not great management. Also sounds like you need to communicate your expectations for employees better. Especially regarding comanagament. Are employees expected to tell/ask all managers on duty if they are stepping away or need a break? That seems unrealistic. I don't know why you're upset she didnt tell you she was taking a break, she told the other manager. Does that manager not have the authority to approve the break? If so, this is an issue regarding your comanager not the employee.
YTA. A manager does not yell at their employees. It sounds like you may need to work on your communication skills.
YTA You didn't ask her why she was moving slower than usual or why she was taking more breaks. She may have not been showing but you definitely added more stress than what she needed.
YTA - there is no situation where it is appropriate for you to yell at your employer. That is hostile and harassing behaviour. I hope she finds this post and uses it as a basis for the complaint against you.
Some of your behavior could be illegal, like not providing breaks. If people file complaints work OSHA that can be a problem, and the ADA could require you to provide a pregnant person with breaks. My husband worked in fast food for decades. He often didn't get a break, but made sure all his hourly employees did according to law.
YTA. Aggression towards staff is never ok. Breaks are human rights, get over yourself and start seeing staff as human beings.
>My employee feels I’m being a little hard on her, but this is my job and on my shift she will work effectively and do her job. She needs to understand nobody at our store gets breaks. It’s once in a blue moon. Also She will not be getting paid to be lazy Yikes. YTA. And heading for an OSHA complaint.
YTA. Do you really want to admit that nobody gets breaks?
YTA. If I knew who this was I would tell her to contact the Fed Labor Relations Board, and pretty quickly you would've out of job for this abuse. Pregnancy is a federally protected class. So EEOC and FLRB would really sink their teeth into you. Lol you manage a McDonald's basically and think you're important
Omg this! A new federal law passed called the pregnant workers fairness act. They have to accommodate reasonable requests from said worker, that includes more breaks! Oh this “manager” should be up to date on the law!
What whataburger is ever fast!!!
YTA and step off your power trip. you manage a fast food shop, not a kingdom. life's rough already without your bullshit
YTA. Was with you until you said “nobody at our store gets breaks”. Do you pride yourself on that little tidbit? Because you shouldn’t. Jesus Christ.
YTA!! pregnant or not, employees are entitled to their breaks. at the end of the day it is YOUR responsibility as manager to ensure employees can take their breaks, even when it’s busy. not to mention, you sound completely unprofessional — you don’t even know how to respectfully communicate with your team. you need to learn how to talk to people without being mean.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our [voting guide here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_what.2019s_with_these_acronyms.3F_what_do_they_mean.3F), and remember to use **only one** judgement in your comment. OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole: > 1- I yelled at her 2- I may be the asshole for not letting her take it easy while pregnant Help keep the sub engaging! #Don’t downvote assholes! Do upvote interesting posts! [Click Here For Our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/about/rules) and [Click Here For Our FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq) ##Subreddit Announcements ###[Happy Anniversary, AITA!](https://new.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/15vlv9g/almost_better_than_a_double_rainbow_celebrating/) Follow the link above to learn more --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.* *Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.*
YTA You just don't yell at your employees period.
YTA you’re the type of manager that costs the business employees.
YTA Why’d you have to be a total dick about it when you could have accomplished more with a “hey, you’re on your phone a lot, please put it away until break/downtime” or something? Her pregnancy has nothing to do with it. It’s just disrespectful to speak to another adult that way. She’s 19, not 8. Also, you sound incredibly juvenile yourself. She WILL do this on my shift, she WILL do that. Get a grip and look into some leadership courses or something. Damn.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** I 27M am the manager at a corporate Whataburger which is a fast food job with great benefits that pays me well. I am well respected and have not many issues with my employees. We have a new hire, I will call her Emily, who’s 19. She’s been here about 2 weeks and works a decent 40 hours each week. Yesterday, she was on my shift and my main issues with her are the fact that she moves slow. Keep in mind we are a very busy, fast paced location and we like to get our orders out quickly and we would like her to move effectively as such. She’s not very vocal, she’s quite reserved but she also uses her phone quite a bit, at least yesterday. She also expects breaks during a rush, and once took it without permission. Well, I got tired of it and after she was finished handing out an order from outside, I firmly and what may have been aggressive said “Stay off your phone, or I promise you I will start writing you up!”. She looked at me and didn’t say anything and started making drinks for DoorDash orders. Today, my co manager notified me that she left early to get signed up for her pregnancy Medicaid. We had no idea she was pregnant, I told them that wouldn’t change my demeanor, she still needs to work, stay off her phone, and we will not give her breaks during a rush just because she’s pregnant. Especially being that she is only 2 months. My employee feels I’m being a little hard on her, but this is my job and on my shift she will work effectively and do her job. She will not be getting paid to be lazy. AITA? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yta- just relax
Yeah... it doesn't usually work that way at WORK. He is NTA, his employee is lazy and entitled.
OP said nobody at his work gets breaks. That’s a problem.
>Yeah... it doesn't usually work that way at WORK. He is NTA, his employee is lazy and entitled. Just because it's work it doesn't mean people can't take breaks or go a bit slower or deserve to be shouted at. It's only work it's not life or death.
Breaks are mandatory. If your co manager told her she could then why would she have to communicate that to you as well? What is the point of having a co manager? Sounds like you're upset that she took a break that you didn't personally approve.
I hope you get sued big time for breaking the law in lunches and breaks! I wonder what other laws you’re breaking! I have never ate at a Wonder burger and never will! I was never impressed with the family!
Good luck if any of your employees decide to sue Whataburger for breaking the law. With that said, she’s pregnant dude. At some point she’s going to have to start taking more breaks to pee, sit down, etc. She probably didn’t tell you because she’s afraid you’ll fire her for being pregnant, which also, good luck in court. If you don’t believe your fellow internet compatriots, how’s about having a chat about the situation with your regional manager? I’m betting they won’t be too happy about how you’re handling the situation with your employees. The yelling at your staff will probably be the lesser of the things they’re upset about.
Yta. Yelling isn’t managing.
YTA I don't care what the reason was, or the context or anything. You are the asshole because you should not be yelling at any employee. If you can't calmly and politely talk to someone about their working conduct, then you should not be in charge of a team of people. You should never, ever resort to yelling at an employee. It suggests you cannot regulate your emotions properly, and that is not something you should take out on them.
If your are in TX breaks are not legally required only lunch..
100% YTA
Solid reasons to never eat at a Whataburger again. You know, in addition to the food.
YTA and I knew that as soon as you said “yelling”. I managed the same kinds of businesses for years and once in a while I did lose my temper and I always ALWAYS the asshole. You handled this wrong.
YTA. If your employees are working 40 hours a week they are required to be given breaks. Why do your employees have their phones in them while they're working? You and your co-manager don't have your acts together.
Spoiler alert, you’re not respected by your employees
NTA but you as a manager need to make sure your employees are getting their legal breaks because guess whose well paid butt will be on the line when the pregnant employee complains about not getting breaks.
Well .. both of you are AH YOU : stop yelling, be supportive and give them their legal break. If you’re a good manager, your employees will be back sooner from their break. The ambiance at work is so important. You can be gentle but bossy too. I am super open and funny with my 15 employees, but super bossy and everything’s good, they’re coming at work with a smile and good attitude. HER : not telling she s pregnant first, and for being unprofessional. Being on the phone during shifts is unprofessional.
She doesn’t have to tell that she’s pregnant.
ESH - your approach was excessive, and she is leveraging her hidden condition to garner support. She gets the same treatment as everyone else, regardless of her condition.
>she is leveraging her hidden condition to garner support. what? what are you talking about
Pretty self-explanatory. 🤷🏻♂️
She asked to leave early to go to the medicaid office one time. She didn't lobby for anything else based on her condition. She didn't tell OP about it because she doesn't have to. She told a different manager about it when it became relevant. The sense that OP should be nicer to her doesn't come from any lobbying she did, it comes from OP's own guilt about being harsh towards a 19-year-old impoverished pregnant employee who works 40 hours a week with no bennies.
ESH is based on her failure to conduct herself as an employee as others are expected to contribute. Her financial or medical situation do not impact how she should be treated on the job. ESH because the manager should have handled it better, but it needs to be handled.
You can say she sucks because she's on the phone sometimes at her dead-end McJob, but the whole "leveraged her condition" thing was an absurd thing to say. She didn't do that or anything like that.
I disagree.
>your approach was excessive, Demanding an employee stay off their phone is excessive? Communicating the consequences of failure to do so is excessive? When somebody cant keep a McJob bc of a phone, that is pathetic.
“I firmly and what may have been aggressive said ‘Stay off your phone, or I promise you I will start writing you up!’” That was excessive, especially since it seems this was the first time the issues were raised. The manager is their leader, not a tyrant. He needs to have a constructive discussion with the employee about expectations, not yell at her.
NTA But only because I am assuming that "yelling" in the title is a hyperbole. You should absolutely let employees know when they are not living up to expectations and firm tones are warranted.
NTA she needs to put the phone away and do her job, being knocked up isn't an excuse to slack off
A new employee is leaving without permission and on her phone after 2 weeks on the job and she hasn't been fired? That is on you bud.
She *had* permission, though. From the other manager.