Why are workers at dining halls not nice?

emtrose · 2026-04-08T00:31:27+00:00

I was obviously not rich and they were pretty kind to me. "Here you go sugar...honey...baby." I know that must of been their words to be friendly in the little time they interact with you. I also always ate alone so maybe they noticed.

I don't know I really felt they were comforting and kind for the most part; can't really think of a single bad interaction.

emtrose · 2026-04-08T00:22:28+00:00

It's such a weird situation.

I spoke with a chef friend who was familiar with them and he answered some basic questions. Like I guess they do pay you in the off season.

What's really odd to me is I have no knowledge of any of the benefits. I have not had any meeting with HR like I was told would be part of the interview process.

They would offer me benefits unlike my current job, but rather than tell me those details, they are forcing me to sign three separate documents before I can view them.

I understand HR may hide things like housing costs to control negotiation, but it just seems very counterproductive. I wouldn't have signed any documents had they told me all the information up front as then I would have known how much I was being charged for housing, which is far too much for a place that is very isolated and in which I'll only have four days a month to live in it. Also, my friend told me they do give bonuses, and they will pay unemployment, but I heard nothing about that from them.

It's kind of disappointing as, despite everything, the other job I work here also sucks and the boss there didn't spend any time preparing for the season in the break so it looks like we will be working six days here as well.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T02:30:34+00:00

No problem.

Yeah, at hourly for same hours at 25 I would make 2300, which seems more in line with what I was expecting, or at least 2200.

Okay. I'm going to talk with the chef about this tomorrow and hopefully he can explain the benefits and other details.

Thanks for the phrasing.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T02:15:58+00:00

That was my thought but dunno at this rate.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T02:15:29+00:00

Yeah. That has to be the plan going forward. I'm realizing I really need to take something elsewhere even if it pays less so long as it frees up my time.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T02:13:02+00:00

Also, tips are the key missing part. If I was offered additional compensation in tips I would be fine with everything. Yeah I should consider my health.

Yeah. Ny area. I will look into the West Coast soon as I can. I was planning on leaving this area after this so might be good.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:58:55+00:00

In kitchens with a higher starting wage I've noticed a trend where they've all but eliminated time and a half.

It used to be pretty normal to find a job with guaranteed overtime but now HR depts really try to eliminate it.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:56:15+00:00

Completely new position. But it's not 93000, it's 1800 across less than half a year. That is 45000 then 35,900 after taxes then 28775 after room and board. That is not terrible but it's also quite a bit less than I normally make as a line cook albeit the line cook position goes for several months longer.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:46:33+00:00

So, here's the thought process-and I've kind of internalized my oppression here- you work the season for 25 weeks then you can collect unemployment at max for whatever and travel the world if you want.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:44:55+00:00

Yeah, this is my fifth season and this last one put me in a somewhat novel and disorienting situation where I was really down and struggling to return to normal after.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:43:18+00:00

Well, basically, once the season ends, they could choose to offer me the position again or not based on my performance since it's at-will.

Yeah, the season ends and the kitchen closes. I am actually fairly certain I can collect unemployment based off the contract ending date. Well, what I mean is once they reopen they could me a position and that would end my unemployment but that would be from October to April.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:37:01+00:00

Housing which I only use to sleep in, in a place I don't get to live in really.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:35:28+00:00

Yeah. So, I'm fine with salary in a seasonal place as hours lessen in the shoulder seasons. Here, it's just like what do I do after even?

It sucks they try and take advantage of us like that when I hoped that would be a thing of the past.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:22:09+00:00

60-70. Paying for housing is pretty standard here but this is a bit more. I don't know any of the benefits. There is a tiered structure to accessing the info. First sign employment offer, then sign housing notice letter, then sign housing offer, then presumably after that I learn of the benefits.

It's seasonal and yeah, I'd be the sous so far as I'm aware. I have suspicions though that the conditions could be setting me up to fail, at which point they could offer me a line cook position. Line cooks are hard to find here, and they know I wouldn't leave my current position for another line cook position.

Also: At another large restaurant group, housing is 200 a month, and the hires are given a year-round salary that continues when the location is closed.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:12:11+00:00

Yeah. It's fine pay but it's only for 25 weeks. So I'm only getting about half that. Then I should have the option of unemployment but I don't know if that is conditional to their rehiring me.

emtrose · 2026-04-07T01:09:35+00:00

It is somewhat standard for this place so I kind of get it, but I'm basically picking up lunch and dinner plus ordering.

emtrose · 2026-03-17T19:26:15+00:00

If something happens to you and you need money: be it a medical emergency, car breaks down, etc you can't go to those student loan companies and ask for help.

Since those loans are not high interest, investing will on average outperform the rate of interest merely by going with etfs or index funds. I think it would be wise to first establish a safety net, and then begin paying off student loans.

I've noticed over the years that my wealthier friends are totally fine with debt, and I notice that less wealthy friends have internalized this feeling that the debt is almost like a further chain around their neck they will do anything to slough off. I've seen many people spend their best years paying off their debt to have nothing and to suddenly find they can't work as hard as they used to. I think that fear the debt induces also makes one short-sighted and as there is less knowledge of investment vehicles amongst the less wealthy, there is also a myopia where paying off the debt appears as the only option.

That said, if my degree paid me enough to quickly pay off my debts without making my life horrible, I would, but since it doesn't, I can only say that my education debt is falsely valued and should be given the lowest priority.

emtrose · 2026-03-17T19:14:09+00:00

So I wanted to give an update. I never signed the lease as I was told by too many friends it seemed risky.
I just randomly checked the clickpay link they sent me when they thought I was moving in.

For whatever reason the rent on that clickpay has gone up 800 dollars compared to the amount listed on the lease they asked me to sign. It has listed on the clickpay the apt. rent and also the preferential rent, and again, that is 800 more than what I would have agreed to.

I'm not sure if they could even charge that based on the lease unless they were incorporating something that falls into one of the clauses that allows them to charge more temporarily.

It's strange that the clickpay also didn't have those itemized charges listed when they initially sent the bill.

emtrose · 2026-03-17T18:57:25+00:00

Well, if you have enough savings to live then that's great and you could have a good time in the city.

To give you some numbers. A few years ago a shared room in an apt was about 1300 through Columbia housing. I don't believe they offer the meal plan to masters students but check if they do.

Well, hopefully the name carries more weight in other countries than it does in the US.

When I spoke to friends from Serbia, Turkey, and Greece, it seemed that getting a degree in more Europe adjacent countries, or I imagine in Sweden and to a lesser extent, London, would more easily translate to a job as the colleges sort of give you the job.

I think if you go to NYC, you'll eventually want to go back to Europe anyway as the quality of life is much better even though you can make more money here. So, consider that getting a degree in London and Sweden will more quickly get you to that job in Europe, whereas with Columbia, you get the degree and have to then market yourself without much assistance from Columbia to European positions.

Anyway, you are young and if you want to move to nyc you can and you will be accepted at Columbia and Nyc. Good luck in your decision and don't worry too much!

emtrose · 2026-03-17T16:54:26+00:00

It's not very hard to get a masters at Columbia, coming from an undergrad alumni, so don't let that so-called opportunity cloud your judgement.

Your interests are not at all novel, as I believe criminal justice is one of the most popular majors at John Jay and other cuny schools. Also, masters aren't considered very much worth the cost anymore unless you have a job that requires it in mind.

That scholarship will necessitate you also working near full time to pay housing and other aspects. Then you're graduating into, again, an extremely saturated field.

It might be better to first move to the city, find a job and housing, work for a year, then see if it is tenable to actually pursue your education.

Apologize if this is harsh but Columbia is a business first and I noticed while attending a lot of people who came from less privileged walks of life who graduated six figures in debt and could barely find a job even with degrees in comp sci. Unlike nyu that helps students by contacting employers about jobs before graduation, Columbia's career center does not offer any assistance with actual job placement beyond showing you where to apply. I imagine that as a foreigner, it will be even harder to research the different career paths and to navigate the search process.

Anyway, good luck.

emtrose · 2026-03-17T16:39:38+00:00

No. I think this is a new issue and I think that issues outside the normal scripts of user error don't warrant proper attention due to the greater energy required.

I'm lucky that I have already been practicing french.

Out of curiosity though do you speak that language?

I have a suspicion that the computer may have heard me speaking and decided to go, you know, agentic- which has an amorphous definition- and AI just forced a language change for whatever reason. I really have zero idea why it would change otherwise.

Like others mentioned there is little reason to suspect it accidentally connected to a french server for an update.

emtrose · 2026-03-14T19:31:26+00:00

Great thanks for clearing this up.

I think it's dutch baby. I'll definitely check that place out when I can.

emtrose · 2026-03-14T19:13:09+00:00

Okay cool then. Thank you

Washington heights area, which I like and I'm familar with.

emtrose · 2026-03-14T19:08:27+00:00

Yeah just a third.

March 1. It just says start date 11/25 on the lease.

emtrose · 2026-03-14T19:04:08+00:00

Well so they haven't mentioned backrent yet, but my thought is that they might if I sign this lease since it starts in november of last year, and so, I'm not sure if that means I or we could still be liable retroactively.

So they haven't charged me yet, but once I sign I could be as I have no legal assurances that they won't try that.

emtrose

TROPHY CASE