I have been working for a retail clothing store for the past year and a half and up until May, everything was ok. My manager seemed to like and I got along well with my co-workers. But when my manager brings 'her cousin' from Israel (who we later find out is her sons' friend) it all goes downhill. We'll call him Jake (not his/her real name). I should mention that the manager, company owners, pretty much everyone is from Israel, although they are all not related. Jake was visiting the US on a tourist visa, but was soon given a position as a retail sales associate. He was very quiet, had never worked in retail and English was his second language- one that he didn't speak very well. Once he came in, however, the responsibilities of me and my co-worker were relinquished. We were no longer allowed to open or close the store and after a few weeks, the manager communicated almost exclusively with Jake whenever she was away. In fact, the manager told my co-worker, upon Jake's arrival, that "everything is gonna be perfect." In July, the manager quit and despite allowing two perfectly qualified women, who happen to be American, the title and all of its responsibility was given to Jake, illegally I might add. Since then, Jake has moved to another store, owned by the same company, and now two Israelies are running the store. This feels very much like dicrimination. Not against race, but against nationality. There is not one person of authority there that is of American origin. What else can explain an Israeli who becomes manager illegally over two otherwise qualified employees? |
