Male "hostess" job?

Question

I was at a restaurant waiting on tables, but got bumped off the roster to let a friend of the family waitress. The owner insisted they set me up with a greeters job, but now the female manager on my shift keeps referring to me as a "hostess" even though I am a guy and telling people to go and see me over at the "hostess podium" and so on. There isn't much work in these areas, but I applied for another job. They wrote to this restaurant and while they didn't show me the letter they did ask about the "hostess" job I had, which makes me wonder what she said.

Now to make it totally worse, she has made a rule that the greeters have to greet everyone the same way.. "My name is x and I am your hostess this evening" - she took me aside and told me that if I didn't say it, she could get rid of me. Firstly is this true?

Second, even if I get another job, will she be able to keep writing that I was a hostess to potential employers- it just bugs me more than anything.

Answer 1

Either she is an ignorant boob, or she is trying to emasculate you. In either case, referring to yourself as hostess is incorrect.

From Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%C3%AEtre_d'h%C3%B4tel ) (see ending of last paragraph):

Maître d'

The maître d' (short for maître d'hôtel, literally "master of the hall") in a suitably staffed restaurant is the person in charge of assigning customers to tables in the establishment, and dividing the dining area into areas of responsibility for the various servers on duty. He or she may also be the person who receives and records advance reservations for dining, as well as deal with any customer complaints and making sure all servers are completing their tasks in an efficient manner. In some localities or traditions the post is also known as the headwaiter or captain.

In the United States, these functions may be vested in a manager, supervisor, or cashier. A working maitre d' here is usually associated with a destination restaurant, or one connected with a four-star or better hotel. Though the distinction between a maître d'hôtel and host is, in practice, one of nomenclature, less elite establishments employ a "host".

Answer 2

I never said that an occupation can not be male or female dominated but if a women wants to work in garbage collection and is able but is turned away because she is a women that would be discrimination. Just for the record not all dirty and unpleasant jobs are male dominated, have you ever spent the day at a child-care center or nursing home? It is mostly women and they have to clean some very unpleasant messes and keep the area clean enough for state inspection and are paid menial wages (although many have 2 or 4 year degrees). Edit: If what you got from reading the responses to your question is "it's ok for men to have to do a disproportiate share of the least desirable work?" then I think you need to read them a little more closely. A job that is less desirable does not mean it is male - dominated.

Answer 3

I don't know if there are any laws against what your manager is doing, but do know that what she is doing is RUDE! I would not want to work for someone like her!

I don't think she *should* fire you if you don't refer to yourself as "hostess", but in at least in the state I live in (Maryland), people can be fired for no reason at all, with little recourse and no income to pursue any sort of lawsuit even if there was.

First I think you should speak with her boss. Maybe her boss can set her straight.

If speaking with her boss doesn't help, I think you should introduce yourself as "host", whether she likes it or not, while you continue to apply for different jobs.

If this is your first job, and/or if you are a minor, you needn't even list it on a résumé or job application. And even if you do, if the place you're applying to contacts your manager for a reference and she continues to pull this "hostess" crap, the new place should understand that it's *she* who has a problem, not *you*. If they don't, then you probably don't want to work for them, either.

Answer 4

#1 - she can NOT give out any more information that your length of employment & rate of pay. they are not even allowed to tell the old "are they elegible for rehire" and prspective bosses aren't supposed to ask. they can be sued
#2 - sexual harassment -- show her in the dictionary where the ess is the FEmale equivolent.

if they don't let up, document everything even if it comes to tape recording and get to a lawyer. also - immediately, right now, tell them you want to see your personal file and get copies of everything that you have signed.

i'm NOT a fan of suing however in this case they are hindering your chances for furture employment.

Answer 5

bosses can be cruel. she sounds like she is trying to make you quit. i would talk to a lawyer and ask them. you can get advice for free, just look in your phone book. she can't write anything bad about you to the other companies that you are applying for, all she can do is tell them if you are a good worker how many absents and how many call ins. if she says anything bad to them about you that is illegal. after you apply for a job, go back and ask them what the references said, they will tell you what they said.. good luck.

Answer 6

Talk to a lawyer first, keep introducing yourself as the host, and wait for her to fire you. You'll be rich soon.

Answer 7

It sounds like a basis for a sexual harassment suit to me. See a lawyer.

Answer 8

Sounds like your former boss was on a power-trip. Is she a man-hater?

Answer 9

Be thankful man I can smell money .. this is a harassment case don't let her RUIN you

Answer 10

Its not good that the manager will let you do that.