A Starbucks employee quit after she was told to put her dog down.
Auralee Smith quit Starbucks after working there for over two years.
Gandy was her best friend until she got cancer and had to be euthanized.
A 21-year-old college student quit her job as a Starbucks barista after her manager asked her to change her appointment so that she wouldn't miss work.
Gandy was Auralee Smith's best friend. Gandy was adopted by the family when she was eight years old.
She came out of her shell thanks to her family. She was finally happy to not be in a bad situation.
The family said that Gandy was a cat-dog because she loved napping in the sun. Smith said Gandy would sing along when she played the piano.
Smith said that she would try to match the sound of the note she was playing with the sound of howling. It was really nice. She was a big fan of that.
When Gandy's family found out she had cancer, the vet recommended against operating because of her old age. Smith said the last thing she expected was for her Starbucks manager to be "literally asking me to change the day I put her to sleep" when she asked for her shift to be covered.
I'm sorry, but I'm not able to find coverage for my Sunday shift. I will be a mess when I put my dog down. Smith told her boss that she was going to text some people to see if they could help out.
Smith's manager said he needed to find coverage. It's not going to be approved if you don't show up, you have plenty of notice. Is there a way to do it on a night where you don't work?
The last straw for Smith was a text message.
I audibly heard that last sentence. What is happening on the planet? Is it possible? How was it that I was told what to do? Smith made a statement. I was asked if I could change the day she slept.
Smith said she would do her best to find coverage. My family decided to do this because the family dog is very sick and it's inconvenient. I can't change my plans when I have a dog. I'm putting in my two weeks officially as well. I've worked for this company for 2.5 years and I appreciate what it has done for me, but I'm ready to leave.
Smith said she wasn't entirely surprised by her manager's response and didn't put all the blame on her. She said that it was Starbucks that created an environment where employees were tired. Many of the coffee chain's employees have unionized.
Smith said that this is the mentality that Starbucks promotes. Over my time at Starbucks, the mentality that leads to someone asking me to change the day I put my dog to sleep became worse. I felt like I was going crazy. When I saw that, I was done.
Smith's text messages don't show the full picture, according to a Starbucks spokesman. Smith's manager sympathized with her situation but insisted that she needed to find coverage for her shift. Smith didn't ask for personal and sick leave, but her manager didn't give it to her.
Our priority is the health and well-being of our partners. A Starbucks spokesman said in a statement that they supported the partner in getting her work covered.
Smith submitted her resignation letter weeks after the text exchange in which she thanked her manager and said she learned a lot.
Smith said she got a lot of support after she posted the exchange on social media, but she still doesn't like how the company tried to promote a big happy family atmosphere while employees worked in tense conditions.
They're still stuck with the idea that they're trying to be a little family-owned coffee shop or something, even though they have gotten more toxic and callous in that way. While everything is short-staffed and toxic, they expect you to act like it is.
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