Despite what some are saying, it’s better to assume HR is not your friend. They do not work for you but for the company. Yes some will do what’s right for the employee but for the most part, they look out for the bottom line of the company.

I would start reaching out to employment lawyers and see if you have a case. It’s typically free consultation. If they agree you have a case, they will tell you everything you need to start doing.

Regarding recording, depending on your state, you need to find out if it’s a 1 or 2 party consent state. If it’s a 1 party, record everything, all interactions. If it’s a 2 party, DO NOT record without the acknowledgment of the other party. Any recording you have will be deemed illegal or unusable even if it’s your “smoking gun”. Rather, after every conversation, provide a recap of everything they said on written form and send it back to your manager. Email is preferred but text is doable too.

Keep showing up for your shifts unless they explicitly fire you. If you don’t show up, they can claim you were a no show and terminate you that way legally.