[NEW YORK] I need help. I might lose my job if I refuse to do this and I need to know if I’d qualify

[stingerming]

So I stated working for a small business/landlord about a month ago. Title was office assistant. My job outline was mostly filing, copying, answering phone calls, “completing other administrative tasks”.

Now I’m full on property management. Showing off houses, keeping track of insurance and lease info, editing and preparing leases to be signed. Harassing tenants for rent. Including some tax input too. They don’t pay me for my gas or mileage when I go out and do those things.

Now she tells me today that there’s a list in notes on the iPad and one of my responsibilities is to clean the office. Not a problem if it was just the office l. But the nasty ass toilet and bathroom they let sit and get dirty for a month before they told me it’s my job??

I don’t want to do that. I don’t feel comfortable doing that. I want to say that but I don’t want to risk getting fired and not being able to collect unemployment. Please help. This is really nasty. And they’re gonna continue to overload me with more shit if I don’t stand up for myself.

 

[aleksandra]

@stingerming Get a new job first, then you can rage quit. Just make sure you won't need them for a reference! As I'm getting older myself, burning bridges has very little value. You'll feel great for 10 mins after though! I'd just not show up once you have a start date on your new gig and enjoy a week or two off! I wouldn't play games w/ Unemployment. Sadly, they can contest the claim, win, and you can get banned from Unemployment.

 

[stingerming]

@aleksandra I don’t plan on freaking out on them. Although it’s tempting with as much as they’ve tacked on to my job. I have a job interview Tuesday pray for me

 

[dmaxie61]

@stingerming New York wants you working not quitting.

 

[pentax34]

@stingerming Start looking for a new job. Not worth the hassle to get unemployment.

 

[laguna_greg]

@stingerming If they don’t have the proper PPE, I’d say “No” arguing exposure to health hazards, especially if I had any health issues.

I’d say “No” if I was chemically sensitive to household and industrial cleaners.

If it’s only your job to clean the bathroom and not a shared responsibility of everyone in the office who uses it, I’d say “No”.

If cleaning the office wasn’t something I was told would be one of my responsibilities at the time I was hired, I’d say “No”. I’m guessing that if you wanted to clean up after other people, you would have applied for a job cleaning up after other people.

So, there’s my two-cents.

 

[vlavender]

@stingerming

And they’re gonna continue to overload me with more shit if I don’t stand up for myself.

Rage quitting is not standing up for yourself. Getting unemployment after quitting is extremely hard. You also can't get unemployment if you refuse to do something just because you think it's nasty. And yes, I agree. They will continue making you do more and more until you say something. What have you told them so far and what happened?

 

[stingerming]

@vlavender I haven’t told them anything. I’m planning on calling my boss on my way back from work and explaining to him that this wasn’t in the job description nor did it say in detail that I had to clean the whole building including the toilets in the notes. It just says “clean office” I was assuming that meant the office space not the whole building and toilets.

 

[stingerming]

Had that been fully detailed to me in the notes or in the job description I might’ve changed my mind

 

[laguna_greg]

@stingerming Put it in writing.

Put EVERYTHING in writing. Also, make sure you have a copy of the job description you had when you got hired.

 

[ema20]

@stingerming Communicate with your boss. Right now they may think you're happy to do these tasks.

 

[mariealy]

@ema20 Laughing because I'm pretty sure they know what they're doing and that OP isn't happy. They lured OP in then continually added job duties they didn't want to do themselves. And if those bathrooms haven't been cleaned in a month, its only because the last disposable employee they suckered into that position was fired or quit a month ago.

(edited because some of my firrst sentence didn't show up)

 

[stingerming]

@mariealy That’s the thing I’m considering doing it and then when I get off work explaining to them the things that I don’t want to do in the future. There’s more than just that that I have a problem with at this job. Either that or outright refuse to do it but then I might get fired. Not sure if unemployment would accept that and I can’t afford to not have some kind of income rn.

 

[stingerming]

Little update- to my knowledge I never signed an actual terms and conditions of employment. 1- I work 42.5 hours every week. That’s what he said my hours are 2- there was never anything in the job description he posted on Facebook that said anything about the property management, cleaning the office or the overtime. If I didn’t sign a binding agreement I’m pretty sure I can refuse to work the overtime and possibly negotiate the bathroom thing. If I get fired for refusing either of those and there’s no paperwork I signed that states the entire job description including the overtime I’m pretty sure I can collect unemployment. Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[allenbee]

@stingerming In the absence of a concrete job description, state workforce agencies will determine what is '"suitable work" based on the work that you've already been doing. In other words, if you've been doing property management and working overtime since you were hired and never complained, then that is considered your job and refusing to do it would be considered a "voluntary quit".

EDIT: Once you start cleaning bathrooms, that becomes your job too. Don't start doing it if you have no intention of continuing. Express your concerns in writing and let them fire you so they can show the job description...and how much more they are asking you to do without the proper compensation..lol!!!

 

[stingerming]

@allenbee So if I refuse to clean the bathrooms and get fired would I be eligible

 

[allenbee]

@stingerming There's a certain way to go about it even though it's a guarantee. Please see my edited comment.

 

[stingerming]

@allenbee I also have a functional nerve disorder and I know the 2.5 hours isn’t a lot for some people but for me it’s difficult. Idk if explaining that to them and then getting fired would make much of a difference

 

[allenbee]

@stingerming That is not helpful information if your employer was never aware of a medical condition, you never asked for accommodation, and most importantly--you've been doing the work anyway.

Edited for grammar.

 

[laguna_greg]

@allenbee Couldn’t she ask for accommodation now, and say that she didn’t realize that the extra hours were going to be a problem, until she started working?

A lot of people don’t like to disclose their personal medical issues, for fear of not getting hired. And, sometimes they don’t think a job will be that difficult for them, until it ends up being difficult for them.

If her employer can’t accommodate her and has to let her go, can she qualify for UI or some type of temporary disability payments?