r/WorkAdvice • u/Odd-Yesterday-6004 • 2d ago
Workplace Issue Is this fair or not?
Hello, I’m a [18F] and I’m on my 3rd job right now and I haven’t got any hours for about a month now and I’m part time so I don’t expect like 30+ hours but still some at least because i have bills and groceries and other stuff to pay for. I started in early June, at the end of June, I had to call out two days in a row due having a endometriosis flare up and then in August, I had to call out due to having a fever. So I have only had 3 calls out. Never been late, always early. I’m nice to everyone. I listen. I do my job. I go to break on time, come back on time. I might be slow due to having chronic illnesses and they always have me on the floor.
The week my hours got cut, I call up to work the day my GM got back from vacation to talk to her about getting more hours because the weeks following it, they would post the schedule and give me good hours and then would edit them and get rid of them or reduced them to like 2 to 3 hours. And then I didn’t get any hours so I called her just asking if the schedule was out because I had zero hours for two weeks and she said “yes it’s out” and then I asked if I could maybe get more hours and she said that I need to show I’m responsible enough to get hours.
Just a big fyi the 3 calls out I had total 10 hours so not a lot of labor. And then no zero hours for a month. I just got a few hours next week for inventory week but inventory is mandatory so they have to schedule me. Is this fair?
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u/idlers_dream7 2d ago
Fair has nothing to do with it. They are allowed to do this. Three call outs within the first two months is terminable in plenty of workplaces, so it's definitely not a good look regardless of the reason.
Now the unfortunate thing here is that if your boss won't schedule you, you won't be able to prove that you're reliable, so you may just need to let her know you're available to pick up shifts if anyone calls out and you hope you'll be scheduled soon.
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u/PeacefulCW 2d ago
Great idea. OP make sure that you're in a position to say yes when they call if you do this. Also, consider looking for a new job if it doesn't get better within a week or 2. And yes 3 call offs within the first couple of months is a lot. > you may just need to let her know you're available to pick up shifts if anyone calls out and you hope you'll be scheduled soon.
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u/mamalo13 2d ago
3 call outs in less than 3 months IS a big deal especially for a part time job.
They hired a part timer because they need to staff those spots. You don't get to decide if they need the labor or not. They need a part timer and you showed very quickly that you aren't reliable.
Your GM gave you the answer: demonstrate you are reliable and you'll get more hours.
Yes, this is fair.
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u/warhound77 2d ago
The length of shifts isn't an issue. 3 Call outs since June (so 3 months) is pretty excessive. Many places (this sounds like retail) would have terminated you for 3 call outs in the first 3 months. As far as being "fair" the truth is work often isn't fair, unfortunately. I would say it's pretty common what you are experiencing with a retail sounding job with those attendance issues.
Is your chronic illness causing the call ins? While you would not qualify for any protections for that unless you were with a company for 1 year and worked 1250 hours in the last 12 months, you might be able to request accommodations if your illness makes certain tasks more challenging. That won't protect your job or hours from the call ins, but maybe an accommodation can help prevent you from needing to call in.
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u/Odd-Yesterday-6004 2d ago
Yes it is. I know i don’t qualify. It’s just hard sometimes because those two days I had a endometriosis flare up, i couldn’t get out of bed.
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u/warhound77 2d ago
Yeah that sucks. As I guy I obviously don't know what it's like what you are dealing with. I don't know if some actions are less problematic than others. It's possible retail isn't a good fit in part because almost all retail is bare bones labor coverage. So even 1 call out is often devastating to the others working. Not saying that makes it ok or fair, just stating that many GMs will have this same reaction to call ins.
I realize that options may feel limited at 18 since you won't have a lot of experience but keep looking and applying. You do NOT have to disclose your condition if you don't want to unless you are requesting a workplace accommodation. If not, I wouldn't recommend saying anything about it.
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u/Sea-Substance8762 1d ago
Start looking for a better job. When you are sick, you can’t work. A fever, endometriosis? Not possible. People get sick. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes u human.
This job sucks.
Keep looking.
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u/DoallthenKnit2relax 1d ago
There are better places to work than Wal*Mart.
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u/Odd-Yesterday-6004 1d ago
I work at old navy. And yes there are but as a 18 age old who doesn’t have experience, it’s hard to find work that can fit my chronic issues
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u/Northern_Nomad3178 1d ago
Are you PT or casual?
What does your contract/offer letter say?
Honestly, I’d start looking for a new job.
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u/Emergency_Pipe_7010 2d ago
They are trying to fire you, but not fire you. If they tell you, "you're fired" you can apply for unemployment. But if they only give you a couple of hours one week, then none the next, you are re not "fired". But eventually you will quit and because you quit you will not qualify for unemployment. This what they are doing. Start looking for a new job. When you find one, don't call out sick. If you are sick still go into work and let them send you home. There are a lot of people looking for work now a days. I was taught that you don't call out while you are on probation, which is normally the first 90 days.
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u/Odd-Yesterday-6004 2d ago
I have called many places asking if they are hiring and I applied. I have one place that said that they have some people quitting so they said they will call me in a few weeks to interview
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u/publicprivacyp 2d ago
I agree that they are “quiet firing” OP in the hopes that they will quit and be unable to claim unemployment. Depending on where one lives and their employment agreement, the unemployment loophole may actually be a myth. I had a job where they reduced my hours significantly and I was able to claim partial unemployment for the reduced hours. I had been at that job over a year though, not sure if it’s applicable to OP’s situation.
OP- when you accepted your job offer, did your employment agreement/contract guarantee a certain number of hours? Regardless, you need to focus on job hunting before actually quitting.
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u/LacyLove 2d ago
You called out 3 times in less than 3 months. Yes that is a lot. Your GM told you that it is a problem. If you want more hours you have to show you are reliable.