16 year old with new job...question....

[ksjayhawks]

Would you feel differently if she had plans that could not be changed?

It really shouldn't make a difference. When they need extra employees, they start down the list. In the long run those who are more flexible will probably get more calls for extra shifts.

If she shows up on time and does a good job when she is scheduled to work that is all that really matters.

 

[JoShan1719]

I would have gone in, especially if the the hours didn't interfere with plans I already had. Sorry, but as the new person you kind of have to pay your dues. At my work place if she hadn't come in she wouldn't necessarily been fired, but in everyone's mind she wouldn't be considered reliable. We probably wouldn't call her in the future to come in early or pick up extra shifts. It just looks good in the beginning.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I agree with you that it is best to save your "no I can't come in"s for when you have concrete plans which are hard to change. This shows a much stronger work ethic in general and builds up good will for when you need to change your schedule for a big event.

 

[Pumbaa_]

It sounds like she didn't think it through and caught offguard answered truthfully, she had plans

Great opportunity for her to learn about the real world and how to respond in the future

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Absolutely! It's a give and take situation.

She is 16 and this is her first experience with a real job. Explain to her the reasons why it would have been a better idea to go in today. It's a learning process.

Yep. Hopefully she does well and is willingly to work hard.

My 19yodd worked at Six Flags and worked when they called her in. She stood out from the other "teens" therefore when she needed time off they were more pliable.

 

[southbarringtonjen]

At my work place if she hadn't come in she wouldn't necessarily been fired, but in everyone's mind she wouldn't be considered reliable.

Are you saying you might consider firing someone for not working on their day off??? How is it unreliable to not work when you are not scheduled to? It sounds like the store is unreliable to be able to properly schedule their staff.

The store has a problem, and somehow the cashier not being able to solve the problem makes her unreliable? Not only that the other employees are also viewing her negatively now too? How did the store get itself into this situation in the first place? Was someone sick, did they not have adequate staff for the day? The only people who should be considered unreliable is the person who got the store into this situation in the first place. I'm amazed at how easily people are conditioned to blame the person who did nothing wrong.

 

[piglet too]

Having worked retail for many years, if I had plans I too would have said no. It also would depend on what I was scheduled to work the rest of the week. If I have a day off, I may be working the next five, so no I don't really want to work 6 days in a row.

 

[eliza61]

On the other hand, she needs to set boundaries right away too. When I was younger, I let my first boss walk all over me. I thought that I needed to be flexible in order to show I appreciated my job. Unfortunately, that meant I was often taken advantage of. My shifts were constantly changed, and it became a complete nightmare!

On the other hand, a little good will goes a long way. I know when I worked HR at sears the managers often tended to take care of the associates that would help them out in a pinch. So going in when asked at the last moment could send a message "hey, I'm a team player" and gotten her some brownie points.

 

[princess.chell]

It's a fine line to walk; the first summer I worked when I was 16 I went in a lot when asked. It got out of hand, and I started getting taken advantage of because of it. My friend actually overheard my boss telling a manager "Oh just call MJ in, she always will." Now, I had no life when I was 16 for other reasons but I also didn't want to work 35-40 hour weeks like I was. I started putting my foot down more, but I also had established, through going in extra and just flat out working hard, that I was dedicated to my job. I've made it through 2 years and 4 months, with 3 weeks left until I leave (for college).
She just needs to find the balance of when to say yes and no. Figure out what the priorities are for the day.
Caller id also is lovely. I just don't answer when my store calls me sometimes

 

[MickeySP]

She's a kid, she has her whole life to work. So unless she plans to make this place her career I think she should go when scheduled, & if she can when called.

I do not think she was wrong.

If she starts calling in sick for social - yeah.

She will change once she has money goals, i.e. car, prom etc... You don't say she needs this to be an income so I am thinking this is her spending/play money.

 

[ctinct]

As a new employee, it probably would have been better for her to say yes. However, I don't think it will be held against her. I worked retail for many years (too long, really) and almost every day at least one person would call out. It was funny how many people would get sick on the weekends, too. We would just start calling down the list till we got someone willing to work. It wasn't held against anyone if they said no, as long as they were good employees otherwise and worked what they were scheduled. There will be some employees who will want the extra hours and some who won't-it always seemed to work out in the end.

 

[ajk912]

On the other hand, she needs to set boundaries right away too. When I was younger, I let my first boss walk all over me. I thought that I needed to be flexible in order to show I appreciated my job. Unfortunately, that meant I was often taken advantage of. My shifts were constantly changed, and it became a complete nightmare!

"Setting boundaries" in this economy just means that someone else will get the hours and you won't. You want to be seen as the go-to person, more hours is good (more money to save for college!) You want to be seen as indespensable when it's time to cut hours/labor, so they cut OTHER people's hours, not yours (as much).

I know when I did scheduling, on the lean weeks I made sure the hardest workers were scheduled. The people who never had my back had extra time to chill out at home.

 

[JoShan1719]

Are you saying you might consider firing someone for not working on their day off??? How is it unreliable to not work when you are not scheduled to? It sounds like the store is unreliable to be able to properly schedule their staff.

The store has a problem, and somehow the cashier not being able to solve the problem makes her unreliable? Not only that the other employees are also viewing her negatively now too? How did the store get itself into this situation in the first place? Was someone sick, did they not have adequate staff for the day? The only people who should be considered unreliable is the person who got the store into this situation in the first place. I'm amazed at how easily people are conditioned to blame the person who did nothing wrong.

Definitely not saying to fire her. I'm just saying that as the "newbie" it would have looked better on her part to go in, even if she had told them she could only come in for a few hours or something. I'm not "blaming" anyone, and I don't think any of the other posts were either.

Like pp's have said, it's a fine line between helping out and being taken advantage of. It's just a matter of learning when to say no, and I don't think this was one of those times. It's JMO