Today I filled in for a coworker with Covid, I needed the hours and she needed coverage so everyone wins… well almost. The second I clocked in my boss (let’s call her “K”) pulled me aside for a serious talk.

She handed me a write up for discussing salary with other employees, I am paid a good bit more than others being cross trained and having relevant experience and education to back it up. The issue is I’m paid more than the assistant manager and she’s pissed that I make two more dollars than her and has eight years with the company and I’ve been here only two months.

My boss says it’s a final notice, next time is termination as per company rules. I pointed out this is in violation of not one but two federal laws and she retorted “This is a right to work state, I’ll fire you for chewing gum; don’t press it!” so I bit my tongue and worked my shift without complaint…

I get home, do a little research and find the exact place to help me: The National Labor Relations Bored. I talk to an agent who helps me through the process of filing a claim and helps me upload both the peices of incriminating evidence both with corporate approval and my managers signed confession of retaliation and corporate policy in clear violation of federal law. They can’t really defend themselves when drafted the incriminating paperwork to intimidate me.

The real kicker is the penalty, on top of restitution to employees affected (me) they also lose government contracts… this hurts my job extra hard as a pharmacy. As a pharmacy tech I know for a fact that 50+% of our money is from Medicare and Medicaid programs that we will lose permanently. I’ve already got a job lined up and I was planning on jumping ship the day I my new one started but I couldn’t be happier to burn the ship down on the way out. I haven’t even informed my current job that I’ll be leaving the second my background check clears and I pick up my badge with a real health care provider that actually will actually put my skills to use.

Poor K better hope she doesn’t chew any gum because her boss is gonna crucify her when they get served with papers. K can blame me all she wants but at the end of the day, she wrote her own termination paperwork by vilifying me for exercising my rights. Pretty petty on my part but when you get a rare chance to end a beast why not take the golden opportunity?