To quit this job?

[MaybUnreasonable]

In September last year I took a weekend job cleaning in a gym to get me out of the house and some time to myself after being a SAHM for 3 years. I had to register as self employed to take the job which in hindsight should've been a red flag.

All was fine, easy work, but they had to close twice due to covid so I didn't get much work in before Christmas. They reopened on 17th of this month meaning my pay is only £72 this month due to invoices needing to be in by the 21st.

Upon returning I'm told that the other cleaners have quit so it's just me left, and the management has changed.

The new manager spent last Saturday shadowing me around the place micromanaging me and saying my work had to be better, and because the full time cleaner had left I now have a myriad of new tasks he wants done within my 4 hours.

One of these tasks is taking apart the drains in the showers and manually removing all of the hair. It was absolutely revolting and the smell made me heave. I'm pregnant so heightened senses and all that.

Usually the men's changing rooms take me an hour but I spent 2.5 out of my 4 hours in there last week as the manager kept saying it wasn't good enough. He was being overzealous about wanting immaculate and dry floors despite the heavy foot flow of people using the changing rooms attatched to the showers as I cleaned. The floors are some type of stone which when marked to an extent will never look perfect again but he seemingly wanted them to look brand new!

I got a bit overwhelmed at one point and was reduced to tears as I just wanted to crack on and move on to other tasks.

He wanted the 4 flights of stairs done (it's an upstairs gym) before I left so I ended up leaving late.

He said he had a young woman (18) starting on the Monday so that should lessen my load but he didn't think she would last two days, his words.

I asked why not and he said because she's so young and they never usually do.

I vowed not to go back last week as I found it that stressful so put it out of my mind then OH reminded me I'm due in today.

The pittance I'm paid is helpful but we certainly wouldn't starve without it. On a good month when there's no covid closures I would earn around £230.

WIBU to quit? Would you?

The main purpose of taking the job was to regain a sense of independence but I just don't think it's worth the stress.

Def quit, your mental health isn't worth it.

I think your message was fine OP. Just get the message across to him and then you can forget about it.

I'm going to, definitely.

I don't seem to be having much luck as a cleaner

I had another cleaning job just before this one which I had to leave due to sexual harassment. I lasted about 6 weeks there until it became unbearable. The problem was it was the married director (of a small family business) who was the problem and I didn't feel able to do anything about it short of leaving.

It's difficult because I'm restricted as far as what hours I can do because of needing to work around OH's full time job and my commitments at home.

I think I'll contact the job centre and see if they are able to help me find something.

So not worth it. He wants the full time work of several people done by one part time member of staff. NOPE.

Hi you are self employed so he is your client not your boss. Take back some control in your exit. I would reword your note to say that the gym is no longer a good fit for your client base. Good luck

Thanks for the solidarity ladies.

I'm worth more and can do better.

I've worked in a few different sectors so have multiple strings in my bow, so to speak. I'm sure I'll be able to find something better.

Yes definitely leave, if you're a good cleaner or you see a future in that line of work, can you not sign up for an agency that pays better? Or set up on your own, just start small and what fits around your schedule, and charge what you think you're worth. Stay positive and good luck

I thought I was a good cleaner but I'm not so sure now

Sack it off op! Your worth a lot more than that!

Cheeky plick.

Not being dismissive of your desire to work, but is now the right time? It sounds like you’ve had a stressful time of it between this job and the one before Christmas.

You don’t say how pregnant you are, but how long more do you plan to stay working, and will it be worth it? Just thinking that if you have another, say, 4 months in which you can clean at weekends, that’s under £1k in earnings, not taking into account travel times and costs, or other costs (I’m not in the UK so no idea how taxes would work on that amount).

It doesn’t sound like you need it financially to stay afloat (though I know more money is always welcome in a household budget) but is it really worth the stress right now?

@VodselForDinner

Not being dismissive of your desire to work, but is now the right time? It sounds like you’ve had a stressful time of it between this job and the one before Christmas.

You don’t say how pregnant you are, but how long more do you plan to stay working, and will it be worth it? Just thinking that if you have another, say, 4 months in which you can clean at weekends, that’s under £1k in earnings, not taking into account travel times and costs, or other costs (I’m not in the UK so no idea how taxes would work on that amount).

It doesn’t sound like you need it financially to stay afloat (though I know more money is always welcome in a household budget) but is it really worth the stress right now?

You raise a good question.

I think honestly, now probably isn't the best time, I was just keen to be doing something for myself and contributing, however small an amount it was.

I told OH this morning I didn't want to stay there anymore and his response was "then quit, it's not a big deal"

I'm 4 months pregnant at the mo.

If this pregnancy goes the same way as my last then SPD will kick in soon and I'll find it physically hard to keep it up.

I worked until 39 weeks with my son (also cleaning) and really paid for it.

If you have to be self employed anyway then it makes more sense to find your own client, decide your own pay and be in charge of your work load.

If you need the money, I'd tell him you are now charging £15 per hour, especially since his standards are so high, you're doing it yourself. And minimum 4 hours per appearance. Cash up front.

The fucker actually followed you around criticising you rather than helping clean himself even though all the other cleaners had quit. No way.

I don't think there's any chance of a pay rise, he actually wanted me to drop hours a couple of weeks ago

The fucker actually followed you around criticising you rather than helping clean himself even though all the other cleaners had quit. No way.

Absolutely yes. He could have easily helped me if he wasn't satisfied with my results.

Instead of doing that he finished working at 6 and spent the next 2 hours doing weightlifting on the gym floor whilst I struggled to pick up the slack after the gym not being cleaned in months.

Put your feet up and think of the arsehole micromanager picking the stinky hair out of the drains.

"Hi manager. I'm not going to be returning to the gym. I found the increase in expectations both unrealistic and unmanageable so I cannot possibly meet them in my current condition without the support of a full time cleaner."

Short and sweet.

@Twinkie01

Put your feet up and think of the arsehole micromanager picking the stinky hair out of the drains.

This made me grin

God it was awful. No offence intended to men in general but I've never smelt anything worse than those changing rooms and shower drains. The dirty gits seldom bother to use the toilet brushes placed next to the loos for their convenience either.

The women's changing rooms were a dream in comparison.

I liked your original message OP. Pleasant and polite, but very clear that bot you leaving and your lack of notice was on him.

I don't think you should muddy it by mentioning your condition because everything was perfectly fine and you'd had good feedback before he decided to behave badly.

Can you get a different job / are there other office or housecleaning gigs around? - either would be less work.

Well I've officially quit, phew.

He read and responded almost immediately

"Ok thanks for letting us know, good luck with the rest of your pregnancy"

I was expecting a much more blunt reply to be honest.

Good result :-)