scared to get my hair and nails done because tip

i only do these rarely and usually outside the usa so it was never an issue but i have a trip in nyc and booked a $400 hair treatment that i've been saving up for. and their website says standard gratuity is 18%?? i don't understand why i need to pay more, i am already paying 400. is it ok if i dont pay it? it stresses me so much because im on tight budget. i wanted to get my nails done too but seems if you don't give 20% tip on nails you are a demon? how bad is it if i dont tip?? sorry if i sound dumb i am just not used to this at all and it seems bizarre to me

Jobadvisor

You don't sound dumb at all — tipping culture in the US is genuinely confusing and stressful, especially if you're not from there. Here's the honest reality:

For the $400 hair treatment: The salon listing "standard gratuity is 18%" on their website is essentially pre-communicating that tipping is expected. Not tipping won't get you thrown out, but it will likely be noticed and remembered (if you ever return). 18% of $400 is $72, which on a tight budget is significant. A few options:

Tip less than 18% — 10-15% is still considered acceptable in most contexts. $40-60 is still meaningful to the stylist.
Ask upfront — you can actually ask the salon "is gratuity included in the price?" Some high-end salons do include it, especially at that price point. The website wording is ambiguous.
Tip nothing and accept the awkwardness — it's not illegal, you won't be confronted, and you'll never see them again. Many people from outside the US do exactly this without incident.

For nails: $5-10 is pretty normal at a nail salon, even if "20%" would technically be higher. Nail techs are often among the lower-paid service workers and many rely heavily on tips, but a small cash tip is appreciated and won't make you a villain.

The bigger picture: US tipping culture is bizarre and the pressure is real, but the worst that happens if you tip little or nothing is some mild awkwardness or a less warm interaction. No one will chase you or cause a scene. Budget for yourself first — you saved up for this trip, and $72 on top of $400 is genuinely a lot.

My manager is recording audio of me

[dc] is put as my location. But, my actual location is federal property. I don’t work for the government. I work in buildings owned by the government and are contracted out to the company I work for.

I’m unclear on what the rules are for audio recording. I feel like my manager is trying to pull a fast one on me. They will talk about things on the drive back to the shop and continue the conversation to there, where a button gets hit on the phone and then my response to their situation, not even mine, is asked for. So, I somewhat feel like I’m being set up. Because honestly during these conversations I would rather be getting work done, but I also feel where I work is a small community that if I don’t play “nice politics” I will get fired. Thing is, I don’t care about the drama happening one and two steps above me. I just want to do good work and have my free time.

Anyway, what are the rules on federal property? I have read a little and all I can find is federal government regulations for their employees. Not employees on property through contract. Anyone have any insight?

Jobadvisor

This is a genuinely complicated situation, so let me break it down clearly.

The short answer on DC: DC's wiretapping law is a "one-party consent" law — it's a crime to record a conversation unless one party to that conversation consents. That one consenting party can be you. You don't need to announce the recording or get anyone else's permission. So your manager recording a conversation they're participating in is legal under DC law.

Does being on federal property change that?

Even on federal property, state (or in your case, DC) laws generally apply unless a specific federal law preempts them. The federal regulations you found about recording restrictions apply to federal government employees — not contractors. At the federal level, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) generally prohibits recording oral or electronic communications without consent, but allows recording if at least one party consents. Since your manager is party to the conversation and consents (by pressing record themselves), that satisfies both federal and DC law.

The key nuance you're picking up on:

An employer who is a party to a conversation can record it, but secretly recording conversations they are not part of is illegal. Your manager recording their own conversation with you? Legal. Secretly planting a device to capture conversations they're not involved in? Not legal.

The tactic you're describing — steering conversation toward a topic, then hitting record mid-exchange to capture your response — is legally fine under DC's one-party consent rules, even if it feels manipulative.

What you can do:

You can also record. As a one-party consent jurisdiction, you can record conversations with your boss, HR representatives, or coworkers as long as you participate in the conversation. If you feel you're being set up, you have the same right.
Check your employee handbook. Your employer may have internal policies against recording. While the recording itself is legal under DC law, violating a company policy could lead to disciplinary action. This cuts both ways — your manager may also be violating company policy by recording.
Consider HR or legal counsel. If you genuinely believe recordings are being used to build a pretextual case against you, that moves into potential retaliation or wrongful termination territory, which is worth talking to an employment attorney about.

The situation you're describing — being drawn into someone else's drama and then recorded responding to it — is a real dynamic worth being careful about. The best practical move is to stay neutral in those conversations, not offer opinions on others, and keep your own records of what was said and when.

Trying to find a job/career as someone who’s an introvert and not skilled in math/science

I’ve (28F) been working the same dead-end job at a grocery store for years and haven’t moved up at all.
I’ve struggled with math and science and the medical field typically requires a lot of that. I don’t have any real strong passions but I know that I like having structure in my day to day. Being given a set amount of tasks to get done where I can listen to music or a podcast is something I’d really love.

However I’m physically limited. I have a threshold of how much I can handle. I’ve tried doing custodial work and I would be in immense pain. I wish I was stronger because that type of work is exactly what I like. It’s somewhat simple yet structured. I also enjoy stocking shelves, funny enough, because of how simple it is and how I can organize the shelves so they look presentable.
I have some experience with data entry, and I’m good at it, but I think that will be replaced with AI very soon.

My strong traits are: great attention to detail, organized, can memorize numbers pretty well, and I’m artistic/creative.

I’ve already considered making art my career but as someone who SUCKS at self discipline and self-management…I can’t make a living with that. I also feel like I’d learn to hate art if I turned it into a “job”.

Jobadvisor

Based on what you've shared, here are some career directions that could be a great fit:

Roles that match your strengths almost perfectly:

Library Technician / Library Assistant — Structured, quiet, organized work. You'd be processing, shelving, and cataloging books and materials. Very introvert-friendly, repetitive in a satisfying way, and detail-oriented. Community college programs exist for this.

Medical Records / Health Information Clerk — Don't let "medical" scare you — this is paperwork and data organization, not science. You're managing patient files, coding records, and keeping things orderly. Minimal math, structured, indoor desk work.

Inventory Control Specialist — This is essentially your love of stocking shelves, but elevated. You're tracking stock levels, auditing counts, organizing warehouses or stockrooms. Many retail or logistics companies hire for this. Physical demands vary by employer — office-based inventory roles exist.

Museum or Archive Assistant — Cataloging, organizing, and preserving collections. Quiet, structured, detail-heavy work. Surprisingly accessible without a specialized degree at the assistant level.

Document Control Specialist — Companies (legal, engineering, healthcare) need people to manage, file, and organize documents and records. Very structured, detail-oriented, low social demand.

Print Production / Pre-press Technician — This is where your artistic eye meets structure. You're checking files, preparing artwork for print, and quality-checking layouts. Trades-based training is available and it's not being replaced by AI anytime soon.

Quality Control Inspector — Checking products for defects, verifying accuracy, keeping logs. Structured shifts, often lets you listen to music/podcasts, uses your attention to detail heavily. Physical demands vary widely — many QC roles are seated or light-duty.

A few practical thoughts:

Library tech and health information both have community college certificate programs (1–2 years, affordable)
Inventory and document control can often be entered with just your existing work history and some targeted resume framing
QC inspector roles often train on the job — manufacturing, food production, and packaging companies hire regularly

Your grocery store experience is actually more valuable than it seems — inventory awareness, product organization, and reliability are all things employers in these fields look for. The key is framing it right on a resume.