School cafeteria work is not easy. The cafeterias in our school districts have anywhere from 400 to 2400 students that need to eat in a span of about 3 hours. These jobs are moving! Heavy lifting (you ever seen a 40 pound jar of mayonnaise?), mixing huge batches of ingredients (good lord, the shoulder muscles!), running industrial-sized commercial cooking equipment (ovens, grills, fryers, mixers, etc.), all to cook hundreds of meals. There are constant temperature checks, sanitation checks, herding students through the line quickly yet safely so everyone has time to scarf their lunch, ensuring the proper amounts are served each and every time, and then when it is finally done…the dishes (everywhere!).
They are fast-paced, high-stress, physical jobs. I’d probably fall into the stereotype of ‘grumpy old biddy’ lunch lady than the easygoing, ‘every-hair-is-in-place, lunch-with-a-smile’ lunch lady if I had to do it five days a week.
And yet, my elementary school mind persists in believing that the lunch ladies are ancient. Probably older than a grandma (!). Even appreciating that my second grade self probably thought 30 was ancient, I’m pretty sure that most adults do not think 48 qualifies as ancient. In fact, I’m willing to bet that most people would think that 48 was in the prime of life and well able to handle the rigors of school cafeteria work.
Well, ladies and gentlemen: You would be wrong.
48 is apparently one foot in the grave and the other walking through the door of a law office, freshly minted lawsuit in hand.
Let’s back up a minute. I've stated before – and will continue to do so regularly – that we are transparent with job duties and physical requirements for each position we are trying to fill. We want to make sure nobody is wasting anyone's time. Don’t try the "nobody told me blah blah blah." We did. It's in the hiring paperwork you failed to read when you were filling it out.
Jumping back into the story: A particular lady started her part-time cafeteria position (four hours/day) on a Monday, told me Tuesday that it was great and she enjoyed it so far, and called to quit on Wednesday. Day three. She lasted three whole days. Our conversation:
Worker: This job is hard. I mean, I wasn't expecting it to be so physically demanding.
Me: We did discuss the job duties and physical requirements prior to you starting, and you indicated you would be able to do the job.
Worker: Yeah, but I just didn't realize how hard it would be. I mean, we're pushing 2400 kids through in three hours! I'm 48 years old, you know?
Me: (says nothing)
Worker: There's so much lifting and moving, and it's so fast-paced. I mean, at 48 years old, I just can't keep up, you know?
Me: (stays silent)
Worker: It's exhausting. I mean, I'm 48 years old, you know, and I just can't do something this physical.
Me: So you're resigning?
Worker: I'm going to have to. I'm 48 years old--
Me: Effective immediately, I presume?
Worker: Yeah. Do you...do you have any other work?
Me: Well, we work mostly with medical assembly and light industrial companies, which would be small-part assembly in a cleanroom environment.
Worker: Oh. Do you stand? Are they fast-paced?
Me: You would be on your feet for the full 8-hour shift and required to meet a quota for the day to ensure production numbers are being met. Yes, they are fast-paced and your work is tracked to make sure production is on-track.
Worker: Well, I don't think that's for me, either. I'm 48 years old, you know?
Me: (does not reply)
Worker: Do you have anything, like, clerical or something?
Me: No.
Worker: Ok, well...
Me: I will let your kitchen supervisor know you will not be returning as of today.
Worker: Ok. What about my pay check?
Me: Your hours will be processed for payout next Friday as per the scheduled pay period.
Worker: Ok, well, thanks for everything.
Is the job difficult? Yes.
Do I think your age plays any part? Not in the least.
Are you going to get me to make any kind of sound at all that might be interpreted as a sign of agreement that a 48-year old may have a hard time doing the job? Hell no. I know what I'm doing, and I know what you're doing. Spare me. I know plenty of middle-aged and older women who are able to do that job just fine (probably run circles around your ass) and enjoy the shit out of the job. I've been in this industry long enough to know when someone is fishing for something. This lady, bringing up her age so much, was fishing for some kind of validation that the job would, in fact, be considered difficult for someone of her age. No thank you.
My grandma could do your job.
Comments