A US barista has shared a text message exchange with her boss that led to her quitting after more than two years with the business.
Former Starbucks barista, Auralee Smith texted her manager to advise that unfortunately, they were putting their family pet down over the weekend after its lengthy cancer battle, and she would need the day off work.
“I have to put my dog down on Saturday night and I will be an absolute mess. Ella she’s my best friend, ”the 21-year-old said in a text.
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However, Auralee was shocked at her manager’s response when she asked her if she could change the day she put her dog down, out of fear the team would be short-staffed.
“I’m really gonna need you to find coverage. I understand it’s a tough situation, but you have plenty of notice, so it’s not going to be approved if you don’t come in,” the boss replied over text.
“Is there a way you could do it on a night where you don’t work the next day?”
Auralee responded by saying she promised to find someone to cover her shift, however, she was putting in her two weeks’ notice.
“It’s the family dog, she’s very sick, and it’s what my family has decided to do,” she responded.
“I can’t reschedule when I put my dog down for Starbucks.
“This is also putting me in my two weeks officially. I’ve worked for this company for 2.5 years and I appreciate what it’s done for me, but I’m ready to move on.”
When Auralee posted screenshots of the conversation to Twitter, many people were disgusted by the manager’s response, with many saying it should be the manager’s job to fill the roster should such a devastating issue arise.
However, Auralee later told The Insider, while she wasn’t surprised at her manager’s response, she understood it wasn’t entirely her fault.
She said the issue was more that she believes the company had cultivated an environment where employees were overworked.
“To me, this is just the mentality that Starbucks promotes behind the scenes,” Auralee said.
A spokesperson for Starbucks told The Insider the text messages posted by Auralee did not show the full picture.
The spokesperson said the company offered personal and sick leave to staff, but in this case, Auralee did not ask for it, and her manager did not offer it.
“The health and well-being of our partners is and continues to be our top priority. In this instance, we were able to support this partner in getting her work covered at that time, ”a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement.
It is unknown which Starbucks outlet the woman worked for.
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