Anonymous Toxic Workplace Stories are real and anonymous workplace stories. Gain unique insights and drama as we share firsthand accounts of toxic and traumatic work experiences. Discover the untold truths from employees who've lived through it all- as told in their own words.
I worked for a certain company for a couple of months. I left my previous job for this "wonderful opportunity" that was sold in the interview.
I was told I'd receive a contract before I commenced with my duties. Law and behold, I BEGGED for a contract for 4 months, and when it finally came,it was dodgy. I had a lawyer look at it, and made necessary amendments.
The employer didn't stick to what he said he'd do in the contract. For example, he didn't pay PAYE, and UIF but he was deducting money from my salary. I got sick some time last year and submitted a doctor's note. He said to me "no work, no pay "and deducted R4400 from my salary.
He kept making me work overtime with no compensation. Needless to say, I used my own transport (to travel to clients) , laptop and data to do my work. I finally decided to resign when he started giving me more clients to see, and still requesting reports on the day I saw clients. There was no work-life balance, and I was eventually burned out and getting sick. He didn't care, instead, when I asked him to book me off work to write reports, as he said he'd do....He told me that my performance was not compliant with my "probation period"... Did I mention, that I worked for 4 months before I received the contract, and he still put me on 3 months probation for a job he said was permanent in the interview? At this point, it became evident that he was trying to get rid of me because I was "always complaining"... Mind you, these complaints were me asking him for lunch, and not book me back to back, and also not booking me to see clients in far locations, considering there's no system to claim for my km's... He only provided R2500. 00 a month for traveling (which he deducted from my salary, claiming it was going towards SARS which he NEVER paid )... There was so much unprofessionalism and unethical behaviour on his part. He'd also send work schedules at around 4am (that's only when I'd know how my day was planned out). Sometimes, he'd send emails at 9pm requesting me to write reports which were required for the following day. I had no personal life. My life revolved around work. Whenever I'd ask him to be considerate, he'd gaslight me and also ignore my emails. It was at the moment I realised that I've been turned into a machine that I finally decided to leave.