Call out or just quit outright?
So I started a new job about 3 and a half months ago at a family-owned restaurant. The family that hired me is very nice and the people there (for the most part) are great.
When I was hired (with no official title btw) I was told I’d be hired at minimum wage plus $1. No tips. At the time that sounded great because I was in desperate need of a second job. I work retail as my primary job but unfortunately it’s only part time and I have rent to pay. Previously, I was doing Uber Eats to supplement the lost income. It wasn’t the greatest but I made ends meet every month with a few extra dollars here and there. Now, I’m in a pickle.
At my retail job, I’ve been aiming for a lateral move that would allow me to grow more and achieve my goals. Only problem is, I now have an interview for that position tomorrow (Friday) during my shift at 5pm. I’m also supposed to work at the restaurant from 4:30-9. Normally I’d be able to just switch shifts with someone else but unfortunately there’s only one other person I can switch shifts with and she’s not able to right now for personal reasons. Trying to balance both jobs has been tough because this kind of scheduling at both places at the same time has been frequent as they both need me on the same days at the same times.
Last time I was scheduled both places, I ended up calling out from the restaurant. That was my second time calling out in less than four months. I’m not usually the type to do that but things have been hard lately. Along with getting no tips, I also don’t get breaks there, I barely get any hours, I don’t get sick time even though it’s legally required in my state, and I also have a coworker who’s constantly hitting on me even when I tell him to stop.
This is where I’m conflicted: I’m tempted to just let my boss know I can’t come in, tell him I’m sick or something. On the other hand, with unpaid tips and meal/rest break violations I’m owed over $3,000 in compensation. Because of that, I’m honestly so tempted to just quit before my shift. I recently had another interview at a completely different company that would allow me much more flexibility for my retail job but of course that may not go anywhere so I don’t want to count on that too hard. So what would you say I should do? Call out or quit?
Posted Aug 14, 2026, 5:54 AM UTC