In shift work, particularly in locations that rely on staffing part-time workers to handle annual increases in foot traffic and trade, it's pretty common to have workers list their availability, determining when they're available to work and be scheduled. This allows for part-timers to keep a second job, attend class, look after their kids, or whatever other life obligations they might have.
Usually, some indication of your availability will be given and negotiated upon during the interview process, which will be an important determinant in your candidacy and whether or not you get the job—the point is that your manager is well aware of your availability and the fact that if you're not available during a certain day or time, you cannot work.
Like what you see? Follow our WhatsApp channel for more.
Still, you'll inevitably run into a scenario where the scheduling manager reaches out to ask you if you can work a shift or even outright schedules you for shifts you cannot work. This puts you in an awkward scenario where you have to tell that manager that you can't work that shift, and depending on the manager, they're likely to make a stink about the fact that you're barbarizing their "perfect" schedule.
So, for this reason, it's probably best to communicate when you intend to be away on leave, even during periods that are normally outside of your availability.
That being said, the schedule is the manager's problem, and if they make a mistake in making it, that's their problem, too. In no way is that a fireable offense, yet this worker found themselves dismissed for being unable to attend an erroneously scheduled shift. See the text messages from their boss and the context they provided in their post and in the comments.
Stay up to date by following us on Facebook!