Letter to Jeremy reads like one very bad, misinformed decision after another – followed by the letter itself. Very hard to sympathize.
Wow–it’s like she expects the CEO of the company to solve all her problems, including the debt she incurred in moving across country to this job! Yes, rents in SF and many parts of the country are VERY high, which is why folks have room mates and do what they can to minimize their costs or even move in with relatives.
I know people who pay most of their wages for housing costs–heck we did too! She had great health benefits AND free food at work, which is pretty amazing. Very few companies I know of offer these things and I know of no company who allows workers to take free work-supplied food home.
Wow–good luck for this person in trying to get another job, never mind a better-paying one. Wonder if she racked up debt getting her English degree as well and how she will pay her bills now?
It seems she got some donations and is now, “free lancing.” Being fired for “intentional misconduct” could car her from unemployment benefits.
I feel very sorry for all low-wage workers in SF and other high COL areas. Even if you want to leave, it costs $$ to leave. Plus, you can’t apply for these types of jobs remotely; no employer in their right state of mid would hire someone who is not local (what was Yelp CEO thinking when he brought out of staters for min wage jobs? Probably could not find anyone from the area…). I know a few young people who are now looking to leave their $60k jobs in SF because they want to start a family. Sadly, $60k is not a whole lotta money in SF.
Moving the call center to a place where that wage would be livable makes sense. Let me guess… If the co moves the call center elsewhere, it will try every trick in the hat to pay even less.
It’s not up to employers to tell their employees to relocate or not. Each person must do due diligence and decide whether they can have the standard of living they find acceptable when they accept a job and/or relocate. If company does NOT pay relocation costs, any move is ALL on employee. S was given relocation expenses to move from LA to DC, both of which are relatively high COL areas. He weighed that in deciding whether to accept job offers.
It is incumbent on prospective employee to figure out wages, benefits, opportunities for advancement In weighing job offer rather than whining about it after they’ve accepted the job. To me, the author is very whiny and immature.
I agree the cost of living in many parts of the country are very high. I don’t foresee employers offering housing or “dorms” for low wage workers. As another suggested, they may move low wage jobs to less expensive part of country, or overseas. Who knows?
Of course is there is no relocation offered, employee pays for any associated costs. But is is not my point.
Smart companies do not even look at out of state resumes when hiring for jobs that pay min wage and/or come with zero relocation budget to avoid problems down the road, just saying. It is very easy to do so in the day and age of computer filters.
SF has been plagued with shortages of candidates for low wage jobs. Sheesh, the guy did not even have to move the call center out of state. There are plenty of places in CA where revitalization by increased employment would be welcomed. He apparently hoped that the attraction of SF would draw cheap smart workers from out of state. And it worked, but these workers are apparently slowly realizing that not all that glitters is gold.
Was Amazon recently blasted for exploiting its workers? At least Amazon’s wages are competitive locally, and they do not hire out of staters for janitorial etc. jobs.
Our S applied for and received three full time job offers. None were for the state where he was in college, CA. If you exclude OOS applicants, your job applicant pool shrinks significantly. Maybe for lower wage jobs, it may make sense to exclude OOS applicants, but not if you’re trying to build the best workforce.
I’m glad S had moving expenses, including one airplane trip, moving his gear, and driving from LA to DC were covered, but that was something he carefully considered in deciding whether to accept the attractive non-minimum wage job offer. All of these things made the offer more attractive, as well as opportunities for advancement, etc.
I think I made a a bit more than the woman in the story in my first job out of collge. My degree was in history. But that was in 1989.
No one forced the woman to accept the job and terms–I have had many low-paying jobs over the years, often with no benefits. Those were choices I made and blame no one for them. Whining solves very little, in my universe.
“Our S applied for and received three full time job offers. None were for the state where he was in college, CA. If you exclude OOS applicants, your job applicant pool shrinks significantly. Maybe for lower wage jobs, it may make sense to exclude OOS applicants, but not if you’re trying to build the best workforce.”
Let me guess those were not minimum wage jobs. Yes, it definitely makes sense to not look at out of state candidates. Probably could not get any local folks to apply there. Things in SF are so desperate (know that from some friends’ hiring experiences) that many low wage jobs go unfilled.
We have similar issues in HI, with many low wage jobs unfilled. It makes staffing very challenging and affects customer service. If the company cares enough, they have to figure out what it takes to attract and retain needed staff, including raising wages and increasing benefits. I don’t think rants and whining is the path if choose.
It makes no sense to me for employees who choose to accept a job to turn around and whine about the terms they accepted. The writer knew the moving expenses were on her. If she had any math skills, even before she got her first paycheck, she could tell funds would be tight and she may need to rethink whether to even accept the job or live with relatives or get more room mates, etc. Whining after getting into a difficult situation is really unhelpful. Maybe she should have found a different jobs which would better use her skills and compensate her better.
" I don’t think rants and whining is the path if choose."
She chose to use the same venue that serves as the foundation of Yelp’s business. Do you think Yelp would be successful if all of the reviews posted on it were unicorns and roses? 
not to mention her twitter name is lady murder face.
Well, is a yelp reviewed restaurant required to render service to someone it knows has slammed it in the review?
I’m developing a theory that her essay was prompted by a decision to quit her job, which morphed into a plan to attract some attention to herself, and possibly get herself fired with a chance to get a goodbye check as a settlement from the employer. Or at least do a public “take this job and shove it”, giving her some personal satisfaction.
No one who can write that well can be that stupid.
I thought the cost of living in places like San Francisco was so high that nobody could possible live on $60k, and that’s why some people consider it unfair that colleges don’t give high income residents of those cities need based aid. Why is it okay for high income people to complain about the cost of living and expect it to be taken into account when colleges are determining financial aid but it’s not okay for lower income people to expect it to be considered when their employers are determining wages?
“Well, is a yelp reviewed restaurant required to render service to someone it knows has slammed it in the review?”
I am not saying Yelp was in the right or wrong; it was their choice to not continue to pay her the low wages. I just find it ironic that when Yelp got a taste of its own cookin’, it blew the gasket. Her “rant” is no different than any reviews you find on Glassdoor etc.
" but it’s not okay for lower income people to expect it to be considered when their employers are determining wages"
a job involves an offer and acceptance. (two way street)
a company either can fill the positions at the low wage, if they can not they need to raise wages, or move to a cheaper location to live…or they can make bad decisions and end up going out of business. (for a myriad of reasons)
I would operate in a place with affordable living and pay a higher wage to keep employees happier and keep turnover to a minimum…as well as great health insurance. but that is me and I do not run a silicon valley/san fran tech/app company.
I don’t agree with either complaint. Though people are free to complain if they want.
Schools in SF area (and anywhere else in the country) will offer whatever financial aid packages they deem appropriate. If they are not able to get the mix of students that they want to actually enroll, they need to change their aid offers (or take other steps to attract they students they want) or live with the current mix they have. Up to the college.
Same is true of businesses and employees. If you are not getting the number and quality of employees that you want with the comp packages you are offering, you likely will need to increase comp. Or find a way to make the number/quality work. Up to the owners of the business.
How else should either work and who gets to make that decision?
Is Yelp really a tech company? They are just using technology that’s developed and used by others for their business concept. Would you consider Gilt or J Crew tech company because they have an online presence? When I think of a tech company it needs to develop new technology to do business. Google, FB, Amazon, yes, but Yelp?
Nowadays, anyone who employs a bunch of programmers is apparently a tech co.
zo is onto something here. Does the rent a co like Yelp pays for the shiny new headquarters in downtown SF (google it - it is amazing) add to the shareholder value? It would if the employees located there were high in demand, highly paid tech workers who would be drawn to such place by the glamour of downtown SF life. Housing low tech, low paid folks in the same facility… Not super great for the shareholder value, IMO, but I do not run Yelp or invest in it. I rarely even look at their reviews because of the planted rants and raves issues.