We were super busy today. We're pretty much always busy now.

And the neighborhood we're in is predominantly wealthy retirees. So it's also really stressful because they all think they're entitled to special treatment, and shouldn't have to deal with things like

waiting in line.

And we're under staffed. Mostly because the hiring process has become utterly ridiculous, so we can't actually hire anyone right now.

So the hours are long, we don't get breaks, and things are all around awful.

Today I was pretty much counting the minutes until I could leave and just go home.

About twenty minutes before my shift was up, the pharmacist pulls me aside and asks if I'll stay.

I was like dear god please no.

And she reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. And offered it to me in exchange. Like, actually offered to pay me extra out of her own pocket to have just a little more help.

Is this normal? Is this a thing that happens anywhere?

She's not even the regular pharmacist. She was from another store and just filling in.

....

that sounds a bit sketch tbh?

Like I knew we were desperate. And so far behind and everything was just awful. But is this company really that bad that their fill in help is willing to pay techs for extra hours?

But being offered a wad of cash just felt sort of surreal.

In the end I didn't take it. I just left when my shift ended. But maybe I should have? I don't know. She was so desperate that now I feel kind of bad.

No you did the right thing not accepting that money. That's bribery. I know your coworker was just desperate and wanting to offer extra incentive, but declining is the proper response to that whether you

agree to stay or not

yeah that's mega sketch and probably moderately to highly illegal

^

not getting breaks is in itself sketch as fuck too while we're at it

if management found out about that, it could easily lead to a write-up or worse

yeah

The no breaks thing is sadly legal, since PA is kind of a shithole

and yeah, the lack of breaks is a bit alarming. Check your local laws? I'm in reliably red Idaho and even here there are labor laws that guarantee a minimum amount of break time

Not normal for hourly company work.

oh, n/m.... wow

Yeah, state law apparently says only farm workers are required to get breaks

eesh

that is super ridiculous

either way you did the right thing since that coulda been some super bad shit

i'd consider reporting it to somebody if i were you but that's fifty pounds of yikes in a five pound bag all around

Oh good. I'm glad it wasn't just me thinking it was weird.

yeah that's alarming as fuck

nope you did good trusting your gut on that one

I know she really was just desperate, but getting extra money under the table could probably lead to problems with my other co workers anyway.

Yeah

I wouldn't report her, the job is shitty to her to. But good choice not taking it because definitely easy to get fired for doing.

Yikes, this sounds like a bad situation all around.