We’ve all figured out that “ruining the workplace” is code for “making your job less of a dumpster fire.” Here are some things you can do to help ruin your workplace:
5. Speak up against discrimination. Whether it’s against you or against your coworkers, don’t let it go by. Lawyer up because they can and will retaliate. Scared you’ll lose your job? It isn’t going to get better if you don’t speak up.
4. Check each and every one of your paystubs and make sure it’s accurate. If it’s not, report it. And if they won’t fix it, report them to the State or Federal Department of Labor. And if it’s a big number, call a worker’s rights attorney.
3. Take your PTO. Take ALL of it. You earned it. It’s part of your compensation package. They are actually paying you less because they’ve subtracted your sick time, vacation, and other leave out of your wages. Take! Your! Vacation!
2. Learn everything you can about workers’ rights in your jurisdiction. Read blogs like this. Educate yourself on the history of employment law in the United States (warning, you’ll need a barf bag for that one). Pay attention to laws being passed in your jurisdiction. Talk to people who know what they’re talking about, like workers’ rights attorneys and union reps. Chances are you’ve got special ways to ruin your workplace that you don’t even know about yet.
1. And the top way to ruin your workplace…??? UNIONIZE IT! That’s right, engage in some collective action and agitate for better wages, safer working conditions, and real action on those discriminatory practices. Get a contract that guarantees a minimum standard for your health insurance, and when they try to take it away, fight like hell.
Look, it’s not that easy to ruin a workplace. You might get yelled at. You might get fired. Some jerk might write an article whining about what you’ve done.
We’ll bring the popcorn.
