It's great to work different kinds of jobs when you are young and to get a feel for what you like to do. One of the things you just learned is that employers do not have your best interest at heart.

I would consider trying to find a job somehow related to your major.

Is it the sign of a well-run business that they suddenly can make do with so many fewer hours worked? Either there was a lot of sitting around before, or those remaining will be sweating buckets from now on. Sounds like management has decided to show those uppity wage-hikers where to stick it -- they'll by God LOWER the payroll. In any case, never stick around a job where your lot worsens over time through no fault of your own.

Other employees probably feel the same way about their fewer hours- and you are in a blessedly sheltered situation. Sooner or later, a few people will be forced to find other jobs, and their hours will be spread around. If you like your job, and find it wonderfuly free of stress and not mentally taxing, go ahead and ride out this little blip. Other jobs- while more mentally and morally enriching- might not be what you need right now. If you're working and going to school, it's important to conserve your energy and excell scolastically.

Two further notes. I can see switching to a different job because the company is transparently messing with your life, but if you don't care, don't worry about it.

Find a job or an internship for the summer that makes your resume pretty- because it's good to find out if you're in the right career early, and a high GPA and a degree are useful in only a few select fields.

when I was about your age, I went and got a job really quick at a restaurant waiting tables. experience at a fast food restaurant could get your foot in the door at a restaurant where you could make real money. waiting tables can be very lucrative, if you find the right job. I worked my way through many years of college in (increasingly fancy) restaurants. Not that I'd discourage you from finding a job in your field... I didn't because I was an English major and my best option was a bookstore. Frankly, waiting tables paid much better. But bail out fast on the fast food, for sure.

Kay

I am sceptical about this situation for several reasons.

First of all, the owner might be planning to hire more employees. Maybe a relative (or close friend's child) of the owner has asked to work there. We don't know for sure that the owner's decision is an exercise in efficiency.

Second, this letter sounds like a plant by a right-wing "free market" type who wants to scare everyone about the dangers of a drastic federal minimum wage increase. I anticipate numerous troll postings that complain about how we should abolish the minimum wage altogether.

Third, is this "Job Week" for the "Since You Asked" column?

And fourth, do we know that the letter writer is working at a burger joint? If he/she sells fast-food tacos or chicken sandwiches, does that change the qualitative value of the product? And who says that all books inherently have a higher value than burgers anyway? I'm a vegetarian, and yet I would still rather sell a greasy burger than a copy of Ann Coulter's latest book. At least indigestion caused by a burger doesn't last as long.

If he's making minimum wage, how could he possibly make LESS at the bookstore?

The minimum wage didn't go up in proportion to the hours cut; therefore, the owner is using this as an excuse. Normally, it's not useful to short employees hours since you'd rather have fewer to manage.

Finally, the SF area on minimum, plus college? Please.

I suspect this letter is completely bogus.

Right recommendation but wrong reason. The letter writer should immediately quit. That is the rational free-market response. Nowadays business owners don't really give a shit about their workers. Protestations to the contrary, businesses treat labor as an expense to be controlled as any other expense. Labor providers should then make a similar evaluation: is remaining with the company worth the pay and poor treatment? From my experience, many workers are now responding the same way: they'll leave a poorly paying job for a better one at anytime, just as business owners make a decision about cutting job pay and hours in the interest of business owners.

It sounds like the manager at this fast food establishment made a tough choice. He could either fire an employee to save on labor costs, or he could cut everyone's hours on the theory that it's better to spread the pain around a little. If you leave, don't be surprised when your hours are redistributed to everyone else. Or, one of your co-workers might quit sooner than you can, and then you might find your hours increasing. The same economics are likely to affect the bookstore up the street, though, so, at least in this case, make sure you have secured your next position before you leave this one.

To the LW:

Maybe you could keep your current job, but get another one to make up for the lost hours.

Granted, you would then have two part-time jobs, but they would each be paying you more than you were making before. And even though a fast-food job in itself does not necessarily enhance your career option, working with people you like is good for your current quality of life.

Perhaps you could work the "lost" hours at the bookstore, and thereby feed both body and soul, for I absolutely agree with everything Cary wrote about what would be right about working in a book store. A short while ago, I actually had a one-day-a-week part-time job in a used book store, in addition to my regular weekday job. I loved it. It didn't pay very much in comparison, but the other benefits were incalculable.

(Fwiw, I was in favor of this minimum wage increase. I just didn't think it was enough.)