Back in 2024, I was offered a shift lead promotion at Chipotle, since I've been working in between other jobs since I graduated college in 2021 (I went through periods of working full & part time at Chipotle in between various jobs) and my GM (at the time) wanted to make sure I had stable employment, so I accepted the promotion.
Even though everything was going well at the time, my younger brother and I moved into our first apartment a couple months later, which was a big adjustment at the time, but we eventually managed and figured out how to live on our own (since we both made enough to cover our rent and bills)
Because of the move, I transferred to another Chipotle closer to where I lived, and even though I got along with my new team, the main issue I dealt with was not being scheduled full time hours (40 hours a week) because they didn't allow overtime, unless if there were other stores in need of voluntary help (which meant that all full time employees and shift lead managers were only scheduled between 32-35 hours per week) and since I was living on my own with my brother, I needed to work at least 40 hours a week, since it was difficult to save anything after my rent and bills were paid (at the time) which led to me picking up some occasional overtime shifts.
I also dealt with not being viewed as a shift leader, since I always worked with another shift leader and wasn't taught or trusted to run shifts (since we had several shift leaders and a majority of them were in college at the time) which meant that I never was shown any computer work or given the chance to be the one in charge (despite my new store GM telling me that since we had extra shift leaders, one of us focuses on cooking and the kitchen, while the other one focuses on the admin work) and since the male shift leaders were mostly in charge of cooking food throughout the day, the women shift leaders still helped us out (when needed) but they focused more on admin work, prepping + serving food, and cashing out customers.
So after spending the rest of the year dealing with this, I was about to leave Chipotle for good, but since my new store GM decided to transfer me to a different store, my original GM, who promoted me, decided to bring me back, and gladly accepted my return.
When I came back, everything was going well, until it didn't:
Since 2 shift leaders left the company around the summer, that left us with only 3 shift leaders, including my GM, and since 2 of my shift lead coworkers couldn't close because they had kids, I got stuck closing 5 days a week and was only off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which meant that I worked every weekend, unless if I requested off or switched with my GM (on occasion) since she closed during my off days. I had an issue with this since I always relied on having a weekend day available to visit my family and friends, since they were usually more available during the weekends, but my GM couldn't do much about it since it was only 4 of us running the store (at the time)
As time went along, I began feeling frustrated and burnt out, since I was the main closing shift leader, while also dealing with being short staffed on occasion, despite being promised (from my GM) that this wouldn't last forever, yet I decided to stay, since I was making the most money I've ever made at job in my life (so far) even though I'm not sure if other shift leaders would've been as patient as me.
Because of this, my performance at work was inconsistent at times (small mistakes here and there) and since I wasn't the most assertive shift leader (despite my team still listening to me and completing their daily tasks + responsibilities) my GM didn't see me as a future assistant store manager, unless if I changed the way I managed my team, but I continued to show up to work and did what had to be done, day in and out.
Then, my GM finally hired + promoted some new shift leaders, which meant that I wouldn't have to close all the time anymore. I was going to start a new schedule and have Fridays off, which is what I wanted from the beginning.
However, since they hired + promoted some new shift leaders, my GM asked me (a couple weeks ago) if I wanted to be demoted as a kitchen manager, since my GM's boss thought that couldn't handle being a shift leader, after what I've been through.
Since this would've led to a pay decrease and less responsibility, I didn't feel like a demotion would've benefited me (at the time) so I declined the offer and told my GM that I wanted to try out my new schedule and see how it goes with our new shift leaders.
So when I arrived at work a couple weeks ago on Friday, my GM told me that her boss decided to let me go because I declined his demotion idea, despite not giving me any time to think about it (less than a week)
After talking with my former coworkers and friends, they all believe I was screwed over (in a way) considering that my entire experience with Chipotle (as a shift leader) has been a mixture of bad luck and growing pains, yet I'm not sure if anyone else has ever dealt with a similar situation like mine?
On an extra note, I tried reaching out to my GM's boss and corporate about my termination situation, but since they never got back to me, I've decided to move on, but at least I start a new job this week with similar pay to what I made as a shift leader at Chipotle.
*I never disclosed or told anyone about my diagnosis*
*I also slowly weaned off medications when I moved out of my parents house*
Even though everything was going well at the time, my younger brother and I moved into our first apartment a couple months later, which was a big adjustment at the time, but we eventually managed and figured out how to live on our own (since we both made enough to cover our rent and bills)
Because of the move, I transferred to another Chipotle closer to where I lived, and even though I got along with my new team, the main issue I dealt with was not being scheduled full time hours (40 hours a week) because they didn't allow overtime, unless if there were other stores in need of voluntary help (which meant that all full time employees and shift lead managers were only scheduled between 32-35 hours per week) and since I was living on my own with my brother, I needed to work at least 40 hours a week, since it was difficult to save anything after my rent and bills were paid (at the time) which led to me picking up some occasional overtime shifts.
I also dealt with not being viewed as a shift leader, since I always worked with another shift leader and wasn't taught or trusted to run shifts (since we had several shift leaders and a majority of them were in college at the time) which meant that I never was shown any computer work or given the chance to be the one in charge (despite my new store GM telling me that since we had extra shift leaders, one of us focuses on cooking and the kitchen, while the other one focuses on the admin work) and since the male shift leaders were mostly in charge of cooking food throughout the day, the women shift leaders still helped us out (when needed) but they focused more on admin work, prepping + serving food, and cashing out customers.
So after spending the rest of the year dealing with this, I was about to leave Chipotle for good, but since my new store GM decided to transfer me to a different store, my original GM, who promoted me, decided to bring me back, and gladly accepted my return.
When I came back, everything was going well, until it didn't:
Since 2 shift leaders left the company around the summer, that left us with only 3 shift leaders, including my GM, and since 2 of my shift lead coworkers couldn't close because they had kids, I got stuck closing 5 days a week and was only off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which meant that I worked every weekend, unless if I requested off or switched with my GM (on occasion) since she closed during my off days. I had an issue with this since I always relied on having a weekend day available to visit my family and friends, since they were usually more available during the weekends, but my GM couldn't do much about it since it was only 4 of us running the store (at the time)
As time went along, I began feeling frustrated and burnt out, since I was the main closing shift leader, while also dealing with being short staffed on occasion, despite being promised (from my GM) that this wouldn't last forever, yet I decided to stay, since I was making the most money I've ever made at job in my life (so far) even though I'm not sure if other shift leaders would've been as patient as me.
Because of this, my performance at work was inconsistent at times (small mistakes here and there) and since I wasn't the most assertive shift leader (despite my team still listening to me and completing their daily tasks + responsibilities) my GM didn't see me as a future assistant store manager, unless if I changed the way I managed my team, but I continued to show up to work and did what had to be done, day in and out.
Then, my GM finally hired + promoted some new shift leaders, which meant that I wouldn't have to close all the time anymore. I was going to start a new schedule and have Fridays off, which is what I wanted from the beginning.
However, since they hired + promoted some new shift leaders, my GM asked me (a couple weeks ago) if I wanted to be demoted as a kitchen manager, since my GM's boss thought that couldn't handle being a shift leader, after what I've been through.
Since this would've led to a pay decrease and less responsibility, I didn't feel like a demotion would've benefited me (at the time) so I declined the offer and told my GM that I wanted to try out my new schedule and see how it goes with our new shift leaders.
So when I arrived at work a couple weeks ago on Friday, my GM told me that her boss decided to let me go because I declined his demotion idea, despite not giving me any time to think about it (less than a week)
After talking with my former coworkers and friends, they all believe I was screwed over (in a way) considering that my entire experience with Chipotle (as a shift leader) has been a mixture of bad luck and growing pains, yet I'm not sure if anyone else has ever dealt with a similar situation like mine?
On an extra note, I tried reaching out to my GM's boss and corporate about my termination situation, but since they never got back to me, I've decided to move on, but at least I start a new job this week with similar pay to what I made as a shift leader at Chipotle.
*I never disclosed or told anyone about my diagnosis*
*I also slowly weaned off medications when I moved out of my parents house*
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