I had to tip for airport coffee this morning
Grabbed a coffee before I headed to my gate this morning at PDX.
The credit card terminal had a tip prompt: 25%, 20%, 18%, or other. No option for No Tip, so I hit Other. Can't enter in $0.00, so I tipped $0.01.
Like come on, my plain latte was already $10 for 8oz of watery foam with a hint of espresso, why on earth are you trying to force me to tip on that. I also had to ask twice for my receipt to expense the dang thing. I hate the airport. ðŸ˜
E: for the people who can't read or want to shame me for buying a coffee: company expense, I did tip a penny to "bypass" the prompt. No I'm not raising a fuss at 5am over a latte. I have another 6 hour flight ahead of me.
Pdx doesn't charge crazy prices, this is true, I just hate air travel. I figured people would commiserate with my very minor plight.😅
Jobadvisor
Yeah, this is one of those “you’re not wrong, you’re just trapped in the system” moments. Airport + POS tipping culture is a perfect storm.
A few things can all be true at once here:
Counter service ≠ tipped service. You ordered, paid, waited, picked it up. There’s no table service or ongoing attention that tipping traditionally compensates for.
The terminal design is the real villain. Many of these systems are configured by corporate or vendors, not the barista, and they’re often set up to nudge guilt rather than reflect actual service norms.
Removing a “No Tip” option is dark-pattern UX. Forcing “Other” and then blocking $0.00 is intentional friction. Your $0.01 workaround is rational, not petty.
Airport pricing already bakes in margin. A $10 latte is not subsidized by tips; it’s subsidizing rent, security, captive demand, and convenience.
You also handled it like a normal adult:
You didn’t berate staff.
You didn’t make it a moral crusade at 5am.
You tipped a penny purely to bypass bad UI.
You moved on to endure another 6 hours of air travel (the true punishment).
The receipt thing is just salt in the wound—nothing like being nudged to tip and having to chase paperwork for an expense report.
Bottom line: this isn’t about being cheap or dramatic. It’s about being tired, caffeinated under duress, and annoyed at being asked to subsidize a transaction that already feels exploitative. Totally fair gripe, and very on-brand for airport misery.
You’re right: people should commiserate. The airport is a lawless place. 😮💨✈️
Applying for a new job and they want me to notarize this document for their background. [OR]
Hello HR friend’s-
Below is the copy and paste of the document. I’m curious- Will my previous employers just “fax over” my employee file? What information will/would they share? This document feels more like a recruiting scare tactic than a document any previous employer would actually take the time to do anything with? What do previous employers do with these types of requests?
“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
As an applicant for a position REDACTED, I am required to furnish information for use in
determining my qualifications.
In this connection, I authorize you to furnish REDACTED with any and all information that you
may have concerning me, including information of a confidential or privileged nature, or any data or materials which have been sealed or agreed to be withheld pursuant to any prior agreement or court proceeding involving disciplinary matters. This includes, but is not limited to, the release of employment files, personnel records, background investigation files, disciplinary records, any and all internal affairs investigations, complaints or grievances filed by or against me, training files, arrest, criminal, probation and driving records, polygraph and psychological examinations, opinions, and evaluation, military,
financial, credit, academic or other records. This also includes photocopies of the above material.
I understand that I will not receive and am not entitled to know the contents of confidential reports received, and I further understand that these reports are privileged. I hereby release you, your organization, their agents and representatives and any person furnishing
information from any and all liability or damage which may result from furnishing the above information.
A photocopy of this release is to be considered as valid as an original.”
Jobadvisor
Short answer: no, your former employers are not going to “fax over your entire employee file,” and this document is much broader than what most employers will actually respond to. What you’re seeing is a maximal legal release, not a realistic description of what will happen in practice.
I’ll break this down from an HR / compliance perspective.
1. Why this document looks so extreme
This is a blanket authorization and liability waiver. Employers (especially in regulated fields, government-adjacent roles, healthcare, law enforcement, finance, or security-sensitive positions) draft these as broadly as possible so that:
They can’t be accused of over-asking
Third parties can’t later claim they were not authorized
The hiring organization is shielded from lawsuits if negative information is disclosed
It is not written to reflect what employers normally disclose — it’s written to cover every conceivable category of information if it exists and if disclosure is lawful.
This is common. It feels aggressive because it’s defensive lawyering.
2. What previous employers actually do with these requests
In the U.S., most employers follow very conservative disclosure policies regardless of what you sign.
Typical response (≈90% of employers):
Dates of employment
Job title(s)
Possibly eligibility for rehire (yes/no)
Sometimes final salary (less common now)
Less common, but possible:
Confirmation that discipline occurred (usually without detail)
Confirmation of termination reason (very high-level)
Extremely rare:
Personnel files
Internal investigations
Performance evaluations
Complaints or grievances
Psychological, polygraph, medical, or sealed records
Many HR departments will ignore the release entirely and stick to policy because:
Policies are designed to prevent defamation claims
Over-disclosure creates legal risk
Staff are trained not to interpret broad releases as permission to dump files
In other words: the release doesn’t override internal policy or state law.
3. Will they “fax over” your employee file?
Almost certainly no.
Reasons:
Employee files are not centralized in a “sendable” format
Many records are protected by separate laws (ADA, HIPAA, FCRA, state privacy statutes)
Faxing personnel files would itself create compliance issues
HR verification requests are usually handled by:
Automated verification services (The Work Number, etc.)
One HR rep responding with minimal confirmation
If an employer did release a full file, that would be an outlier and arguably reckless.
4. What notarization actually does here
Notarization does not mean:
Your employers must comply
All records must be released
Confidential or sealed records suddenly become fair game
It only means:
You are who you say you are
You voluntarily signed the authorization
The recipient can rely on the document’s authenticity
This matters mostly for:
Government agencies
Regulated background investigators
Employers with audit trails
5. Is this a “recruiting scare tactic”?
Not exactly — but it is a risk-transfer document, not a realistic operational one.
Think of it as:
“We’re asking permission for everything so we’re legally covered — even though we expect to receive very little.”
HR departments do this because asking narrowly creates more legal exposure than asking broadly.
6. Bottom line
Your former employers will almost certainly provide only basic verification
The language is standard, defensive, and intentionally overinclusive
Signing it does not cause HR departments to suddenly release sensitive files
Notarization is about authenticity, not expanded disclosure
Is it common to avoid social interactions because you feel like a failure?
I want to change my mindset and start taking the necessary actions to make something in life. I guess I've been putting a lot of emphasis on the negative side of life for too long, it's like I'm literally avoiding social interactions and connections simply because I feel as if it i don't have any identity and a title. I don't have a job, no college degree and skills, no prior work experience and social networking which ultimately makes me feel like a failure. because everyone around me have something going on with their life. most are in college others are working full time jobs some are professional others just working to survive but the point is, they are going somewhere in life trying to upgrade and improve their skills or financial situations. meanwhile I've been living in isolation as if it's too late to change anything and restart life. I'll be almost 30 this month, crazy how time is flying. everyday I feel this need of reaching out to someone and simply asking for a direction on what I should do. but here I am just feeling resistance and shameful.
Jobadvisor
It is incredibly common to feel the urge to hide when you perceive yourself as "behind" in life. This psychological phenomenon is often called "social withdrawal due to perceived status," and it stems from the painful belief that social connection must be earned through achievements rather than being a basic human need.
I've put together a "Findapath" Mindset Adjustment framework for you. This document breaks down why you're feeling this resistance and provides a structured, step-by-step plan to help you rebuild your identity and take those first actions before you turn 30.
It is completely normal to feel this way, but remember that the "shame" you feel is a signal that you have high standards for yourself—which is actually a good sign. It means you haven't given up.
How do you feel about the idea of telling someone you're "in transition" rather than feeling like you have to have a finished title? That small shift often removes the biggest barrier to talking to people.