7 Jobs With Terrible Perks

Many tech employers have made the news in recent years for offering unbelievable perks to their employees such as free massages. In contrast, some employers have instituted ridiculous requirements on their workers that can leave them owing their employer money at the end of a work day.

State laws generally serve to protect employees, but many employers get by instituting unfair policies or illegally disregarding labor rules.  Reporting an employer’s violation may lead to them being penalized, but will almost always result in the whistleblower being fired.

1. Waiter/Waitress at a Diner – In many states, restaurants such as Denny’s pay their servers as little as $2.13 an hour with the expectation that tips (which are taxed!) will make up for the low wages.  Tips can be abysmally absent in a slow economy or during the night shift, leaving one’s wages well below minimum wage.  While most restaurants are required to pay a tip differential, servers rarely see it.
2. Newspaper Journalist – Often requiring a great deal of time, stress, and travel, a journalist enjoys very little job security in today’s newspapers.  With high numbers of layoffs, a journalist must often dedicate more than 40 hours a week to handle the increased work load.  Those starting in the field can expect to make less than $35,000 a year during their first five years, and few last longer than that.
3. Gas Station Attendant – Most gas station attendants are required to pay for drive-offs, so when gas prices are high, a thief can cost you your day’s wages.  In addition, most customer treat you poorly, particularly when gas prices are up.  Sadly, the attendants don’t even get a discount on filling up their own cars.
4. Cab Driver – With gas prices up and more people avoiding unnecessary expenses, cab drivers are increasingly finding themselves losing money as they drive around looking for fares.  Even with customers, trips tend to be shorter and tips are shrinking.  Consistently rated as one of the worst jobs, driving a cab can actually be a money losing occupation after expenses.
5. Nursing – Taking care of the infirm is both stressful and messy.  The relatively low wages in relation to the amount of schooling required leaves many nurses wondering why they chose their careers.
6. School Teacher - Tenure can make it difficult to fire a teacher, but it hasn’t stopped New York City from sitting hundreds of teachers in rooms with nothing to do.  Every day. For years. Often resulting as a punishment for upsetting administration, a teacher can be left with the unfulfilling assignment of sitting unproductively with no one to teach.
7. Clarian Health – Imagine being charged $10 per paycheck because your employer thinks you’re fat.  That’s what actually occurs if your employer Clarian decides you fall into the ‘fat’ category of employees.