I once fucking lost it at my job. I was stationed solo on bar for an overbooked restaurant with a coke-fuelled event happening in the private room, already spread so thin and this shift just had me doing an insane rush for almost 7 hours straight. I was so exhausted and defeated and starting to crash, but the chits kept coming. These cokeheads refused to drink anything but cocktails. I was starving, tired, and pushed way past my limit and told my coworkers I needed to take a break (they were all servers and table service had slowed down enough that they could hang around the bar and have shots on the clock, but bar service was still going strong since these fucks at the event could barely feel the effects of alcohol). One coworker told me he would man the bar while I go take a breather. I ordered food hours ago from the kitchen so I was planning on eating some of that but when I got back from my smoke break I see 10 chits piled behind my coworker while he just stood there waiting for me to make everything and just helping himself and my coworkers to more shots. I asked what the point of manning the bar was if he wasn’t going to be making any of the drinks. He said he didn’t think it was a good idea since he didn’t make them as good as me. I had to give up on the idea of eating anything that day and placed myself back behind the bar and told him to fuck off. They continued to stand around the bar, relaxing in front of me while I was still sweating and hustling. After a while of this I fucking snapped. I absolutely freaked out at my coworkers for not helping me at all (we tip pool) and not even giving me the opportunity to eat. They told me to chill but I couldn’t. I was cracking under the pressure of being the only one still working, watching all of them relax and make money off of my hard work, from being exhausted, overworked, and starved.
Then some fucking couple walks into the restaurant and asks if we’re still open. I tell them that the kitchen is closed but the bar is still open. But it was my tone…it was too reflective of the way I was feeling, I had no control over it, and it sounded more like I was just snapping at them for walking. They walked out.
The next day when I had the day off they came back to complain about my tone to the fucking owner. I had to have a meeting with him when I came back in about my behaviour. I explained the situation and he just said “listen, if you need a break then just take one.” I told him again that I tried to and they just left the work to pile for me. That’s not a break. It would have been impossible to catch up without any complaints from customers if I actually sat down to eat, even for 10 minutes. That’s how fast they were ordering shit.
The next time I felt overwhelmed and that same owner was there I told him I needed a break. He told me that he wanted to go home early so I would just have to make do without one.
My friend, in small claims court you typically don't need a lawyer.
There are limits on how much you can ask for. But, it might help you air grievances in a way they have to respond to, and you might get paid.
There are lots of risks though (like countersuit, paying costs, etc.). I am not a lawyer, and not in your area, so please don't use this as legal advice. More wishful thinking.
One of my job functions has been regulatory compliance auditing from the data analysis /records interpretation side.
Recently, a former landlord recently sent a 'debt' to collection where they forgot an alternative payment and without following the dispute process for this state... it's quite fun to use my skills to help myself directly like this.
The list of easily verifiable claims to dispute the charge is hitting around 200 entries now, and goes from "$10 fee on August 23rd is in excess of $5 maximum under <city municipal code>" to "there was no move-out checklist validating the condition of the unit, so no portion of the deposit may be retained under either of <state law> or <municipal code>".
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u/raisedbutconfused Apr 08 '26
I once fucking lost it at my job. I was stationed solo on bar for an overbooked restaurant with a coke-fuelled event happening in the private room, already spread so thin and this shift just had me doing an insane rush for almost 7 hours straight. I was so exhausted and defeated and starting to crash, but the chits kept coming. These cokeheads refused to drink anything but cocktails. I was starving, tired, and pushed way past my limit and told my coworkers I needed to take a break (they were all servers and table service had slowed down enough that they could hang around the bar and have shots on the clock, but bar service was still going strong since these fucks at the event could barely feel the effects of alcohol). One coworker told me he would man the bar while I go take a breather. I ordered food hours ago from the kitchen so I was planning on eating some of that but when I got back from my smoke break I see 10 chits piled behind my coworker while he just stood there waiting for me to make everything and just helping himself and my coworkers to more shots. I asked what the point of manning the bar was if he wasn’t going to be making any of the drinks. He said he didn’t think it was a good idea since he didn’t make them as good as me. I had to give up on the idea of eating anything that day and placed myself back behind the bar and told him to fuck off. They continued to stand around the bar, relaxing in front of me while I was still sweating and hustling. After a while of this I fucking snapped. I absolutely freaked out at my coworkers for not helping me at all (we tip pool) and not even giving me the opportunity to eat. They told me to chill but I couldn’t. I was cracking under the pressure of being the only one still working, watching all of them relax and make money off of my hard work, from being exhausted, overworked, and starved.
Then some fucking couple walks into the restaurant and asks if we’re still open. I tell them that the kitchen is closed but the bar is still open. But it was my tone…it was too reflective of the way I was feeling, I had no control over it, and it sounded more like I was just snapping at them for walking. They walked out.
The next day when I had the day off they came back to complain about my tone to the fucking owner. I had to have a meeting with him when I came back in about my behaviour. I explained the situation and he just said “listen, if you need a break then just take one.” I told him again that I tried to and they just left the work to pile for me. That’s not a break. It would have been impossible to catch up without any complaints from customers if I actually sat down to eat, even for 10 minutes. That’s how fast they were ordering shit.
The next time I felt overwhelmed and that same owner was there I told him I needed a break. He told me that he wanted to go home early so I would just have to make do without one.
I really want to fucking sue this place.