My Boss Screwed Me Out Of Maternity Leave And Is Trying To Find Any Reason To Fire Me.

So, company policy states that I need to work full time for 12 consecutive weeks before my maternity leave. Exactly 12 weeks before my due date, they cut more than half of my shifts that week due to the restaurant “being slow.” When I asked my boss if anyone else had most of their shifts cut or if it was just me, she said everyone has taken cuts.

I know that was a lie because when I asked the other employees, they said 1) no one else had their shifts cut, and 2) it was so busy and short staffed that they had to call the other restaurant in the chain to send over an employee on the days I was cut. Also, they were telling me that it was slow before the restaurant even opened.

So the only way I’ll be able to get maternity leave is if I give birth two weeks after my due date (and that’s not exactly something I can plan for).

I’m now 11 weeks away from my due date and I got sent home yesterday after one hour because my shoes were “not slip resistant.” Except for the fact that they were. I bought them specifically because they said they were slip resistant.

The other shoes I had previously wore were also slip resistant and they refused to believe it. I tried showing them the proof (it was printed on the bottom and I tried showing them the website I bought them from) but they refused to even look at it and said “I’m not arguing with you.” (I wasn’t arguing, I was just trying to show them that they were slip resistant).

I asked my boss for a list of slip resistant shoes that are NOT allowed so I don’t waste my money but she refused, saying “I don’t even know what you’re asking.” So I asked if it was an issue with the brand (doc martens) and she said that it’s not about the brand, they just have to be black and slip resistant (they fucking were).

So then I bought that other pair (another pair of doc martens but in a different style bc if I’m going to have to buy more slip resistant shoes when I already have some, I’m going to get a pair that I actually like) and was sent home. They (2 of my managers) pulled me into the office to talk to me and said that I was intentionally being difficult and combative. But I literally went out and bought another pair of slip resistant shoes because they told me to when there was nothing wrong with the ones I was wearing. I even asked what was wrong with either pair and they said they’re not slip resistant (EVEN THOUGH THEY FUCKING ARE AND I HAVE FUCKING PROOF)

I reminded her that I asked the day before what kinds of slip resistant shoes aren’t allowed so I don’t go out and waste money on ones I can’t wear and she wouldn’t tell me. I also reminded her that I asked if it was an issue with the brand and she said no.

My other manager told me that it was in the employee hand book so I asked him if I could have a copy of it but he refused, saying it was on the employee portal but I’ve checked multiple times and it’s not there.

I found one online but I’m not even sure it’s valid because it’s from 2005. But according to that, the first pair was 100% in compliance. The second pair wasn’t because they’re boots apparently, so I’ll give them that. But when I asked what was wrong with them, all they said was that they’re not slip resistant.

But according to the employee hand book, NONE of them are in compliance with the dress code. The first thing it says about shoes is that they have to be polished, black leather. And all of them wear fabric sketchers. So why am I being singled out for “not being in compliance” with the dress code when no one else is?

And upon further inspection of the dress code, there’s so many rules that literally no one follows (no facial jewelry, no extreme unnatural hair colors, name tags, only one ring is allowed, hats are required for all kitchen staff, no hair extensions, no acrylic nails or nail polish, no obscene tattoos should be visible, the shirts have to have the company logo, all shirts must be tucked in, etc.). Literally no body follows the dress code rules.

Like I said, I admit that I was wrong for wearing boots (I didn’t know), but why should I be punished for not knowing which rules we’re expected to follow and which rules we’re not only allowed but encouraged to disregard? Especially when I asked specifically what kind of shoes are not allowed and she refused to tell me.

They said they sent me home because my shoes were not slip resistant but they literally were. They told me not to come back until the general manager is back from vacation on Sunday, but knowing them, they will fire me for a “no call no show” for my shift today that I didn’t come in for (even though they told me not to come in). We’ll see.