The Nightmare that is Massage Envy

I just got fired from this wretched place for leaving 2 hours early, because it was absolutely dead.  The phones were not ringing, and there were other therapists who had the same 2 hour availability.  However, the other therapists were booked most of the day.  I had an 8 hour shift and only had 2 hour long appointments.  I don't get paid unless I have clients.  Basically, they expected me to sit around for six hours without pay when I have private clients that I could see that actually RESPECT me and my skills.  I told the front office desk people that I was just going to leave if nothing came in after 7:30.  They close at 10pm.  This same bitch ratted me out to the manager before I even had a chance to talk to the manager.  Then, I get called into the manager's office and told that not only am I being fired for leaving 2 hours early when I had NO massages, but that I injured a client that I had.  I asked her to show me the proof and tell me who the client was.  She wouldn't.  She was lying straight to my face.  I said if my license is on the line then I need to know about it.  You have to tell me who she is.  She told me to just leave.  How professional!

The manager is completely incompetent.  She is never around except to put people down and criticize their every move.  The only reason she has a job is because her parents own the franchise.  As is the case with most MEs, the owners are always looking for a quick buck. They run it like an assembly line.  Get them in, take their money and get them out.  They do not care about the therapists or the clients for that matter.  They know nothing about massage.  NONE of them have massage licenses. They are bossy and abusive.  If you don't do exactly what they say when they say it, they can your ass. They go through LMTs like water.  You'll notice that they are always hiring when you look at craigslist and indeed.com.  That's why.

My co-workers were forced to massage clients when it was CONTRAINDICATED to do so.  They had to see clients that were hitting on them.  I'm surprised this place hasn't been sued.  Another co-worker is so physically damage from the back to back deep tissues that she had to have neck surgery.  The people at the front desk do not let you finish your soap notes.  As soon as you put the file down, they stick it back in the drawer.  You have absolutely no time to do a proper consultation. 

I was working 40 hours a week doing at least 6 massages a day typically (except for yesterday).  You are only supposed to do 25 massages a week MAX.  There are weeks I did 35.  They pay is so miserably low.  If I didn't work 35 massages a week, I can't earn a decent paycheck.  The clients tip horribly.  You are lucky to get 10 for an hour massage, 15 for 90 min and 20 for 2 hours.  We are not waiters, bartenders, or hair dressers.  My job is EXTREMELY physically demanding.  I only weigh 115 pounds, and I've had to work on 300 lbs male clients sometimes back to back doing deep tissues.  They do not give a s*** if you are overworked and tired.  God forbid, you get a little cranky or moody after being worked so hard.  They will fire you for that, too.  You are treated like a robot.  If you get injured like so many do, they just replace you with another fresh-out-of-school therapist.  My thumbs are shot.  I have a constant pain in my neck, and my elbows are trashed.  And my reward for all this hard work is getting fired.