Can I get written up at work???
By Lochoa
@Lochoa (222)
United States
June 26, 2011 1:51am CST
Ok so I have this dilemma...my availability at work isn't the greatest but its only bc when I did have open availability before and I only got scheduled 2-3 days out of the week during the week and they were 98% day shifts! So I changed my availability to work during the week and not weekends since I was never really scheduled weekends anyways... I thought this would be easier so I can start to do more stuff with my husband on the weekends since he works a "9-5 M-F" job and we didn't have to worry if I was going to be working that weekend, if this makes sense! Since the change in Oct 2010 I've still only gotten my 2-3 days a week during the times Im available no problem...
I work at a restaurant... we always get new managers doing our schedules and what not, really bad manager turnovers! Anyways! I just got a new manager to take over my schedule (this manager has been with the company for a long time now) but new to our dept's schedule... well this is the 1st week they're taking over and I got scheduled outside my availability! Ok so once in a LONG time this might happen and if I end up not having plans I'll go in which is rare (I worked today Sat bc they scheduled me but I ended up staying here and not having plans) but I got scheduled on a sat and sun next week when I'm not available to begin with plus on top of that I'll be out of town celebrating the holiday! I even have my cousin from San Diego going down to hang out too!
SO I haven't talked to this manager personally yet but I have left them a VM (the other day right when I found out )and haven't received a call back! I got one person to cover one of my shifts but not the other shift! I've tried to help them out and see who can cover my shift but everyone else requested the weekend off and got it! So what am I supposed to do? I didn't request this weekend off bc it's already outside of my availability so no need to request it off. I feel bad bc they're going to be short someone that day since I'll be out of town but is this my fault? I've never had this happen to me before and I don't want to get written up or fired for not showing up for my shift but tech im not available that day anyways so whats going to happen?
I left another message today for that manager to let them know that I got my sat shift covered but not my sun shift and not sure what else to do bc I'll be out of town, etc. but I'm dreading the phone call and what they're going to tell me!
Can you please give me some advice?
2 people like this
3 responses
@pumpkinjam (8770)
• United Kingdom
26 Jun 11
If it's not a time you would normally be available and they know that, they should have asked you beforehand if you would do it. They can not expect you to drop your plans when you have fitted your plans around the times you are supposed to work. From what you said, there is no reason why your manager should assume that you would be available. You can't be there if you're out of town and you shouldn't get fired because they have obviously not looked at your availability. If you were supposed to be available then that would be different but, as you already changed your availability to not working weekends then they should have considered that and not put you in. I'm sure you wouldn't mind doing the odd weekend if you're asked but not being asked to do something you're not scheduled for and then expected to do it anyway is not acceptable.
Your manager is in the wrong here. You have done your best to let him know you won't be there and, as it is a time you would not normally be available, it is up to the manager to find someone else to replace you. He can't give everyone a weekend off who normally works them and just expect you to come in.
@Lochoa (222)
• United States
26 Jun 11
This is exactly how I feel! I can understand if I requested it off and didn't get it bc it's only a request not a guarantee but its just not within my availability regardless of what my plans are or not.
I just hope they dont try to retaliate bc this manager isn't approachable anyways! Thats why Im dreading this situation :(
@aisha209 (45)
• United States
27 Jun 11
I think you should call and talk to your manager because you dont want to wait till the last min to here what he has to say. If he says that you are not going to have a job if you dont show up then you will have time to think about what you want to do. Also by you working that one weekend you should have brought it up before the next schedule came out. If he gives you the option of going to work or losing your job would you be happy with going for a weekend of fun or coming home with out a job and have to look for another.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
26 Jun 11
Hi Lochoa,
Well, I would suggest the direct approach instead of the passive one. I would suggest seeing this manager in person and telling her that she scheduled you outside of your availablity. I wonder if you put it in writing on your application when you were available and when you weren't?
It could be that rules are changing and you will have to take your turn at working weekends. We all have to take our turns unless we are on a specific work plan. I was on Baylor shifts, so I worked weekends for 16 hours and was off the rest of the week and got paid for 40 hours a week, even though I only worked 32. But I never was forced to work during the week because I was on a specific work plan. But if the rules changed, I would have been forced (most likely) to comply with the new rules.
If nothing has changed, and you were hired for only certain days, then I would tell this manager straight up, and if she doesn't honor it, i would go over her head and make a grievance about this. You can only work when you are available to work, and if they hired you knowing this, they are in the wrong... not you if you don't show up.
Yes, they may write you up for not showing up, but you might have a case for the labor board if they do.
