DIS retail mgrs--a moment of your time please(Update pg 2)

[TheOtherVillainess]

Is it reasonable for an employee to ask for something simple?


Here's the situation. My boss likes to write 'open-ended' schedules like this:

Sun 11:30--(blank)
Mon:10--(blank)
Tues--OFF
Weds--10--(blank)
Thurs--OFF
Fri 10--(blank)
Sat: 11:30--(blank)

I have considered writing a very polite note, asking him from here on out to write shifts for me that have a definate end time but I am afraid if I do this, he'll think I'm asking for too much and end up firing me. Is asking to KNOW what time you get off asking for too much? One of the main reasons I'm scared to ask him is a couple of weeks ago, he didn't want to give me more than the schedule for the next day when I asked for the weeks' schedule. He said I didn't need to know my schedule for the entire week on Sunday night (when he puts it out). I told him I needed it because I needed to know what days I would need a babysitter and he grudgingly gave it up.

TOV

 

[Serena]

I don't think it's too much to ask, but it doesn't sound like your boss is reasonable.
I understand your worry.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Unreasonable doesn't even begin to cover it, Serena.

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[Evil Princess]

I'm not a manager but I work retail and have worked retail for a few years, and that is insane, especially since you are a new mother.

When you talked about your breaks in your journal too I was appalled. At Guess we get 15 for 4 hours, a half hour for six, and an hour for eight. Same thing at TSA.

If I were you I would quit and get a new job in a different place. Finding a job in retail isn't that difficult, especially if you've had prior experience. This job is making you miserable and is really taking a toll on you and your family.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

It's been harder than you think. I've been looking for a different retail job since I got pregnant and so far, nada.

I DID print out a very polite note which I made two copies of and I'm considering giving it to him, but I'm scared to death to do it.

The note reads as follows:

Dear (insert boss's name here),

From this week on out, I need to have definate end times on my shifts, please. I do not mind working any shift you give me; I only need to know what time I am getting off each day. Thank you for being so accomodating.

(signed here)

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[Evil Princess]

Perhaps the job market is different up here, but I put in applications to almost every store out of desperation and a few called me back, lol.

Could it have been that because you were pregnant, stores were hesitant to hire you? I know that's wrong, but perhaps now that you've had the baby you could try again?

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I don't know. I must admit to feeling a little disillusioned at the moment because I put out SO many aps and nobody's called me back.

Not one.

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[CEDmom]

I'm not in retail and haven't worked at an hourly job since college but this guy is seriously messing with your head. There has got to be employment laws that cover hours worked per day, required breaks etc. I'd tell him that you need to know the hours at the beginning of the week. Do you honestly think he'd fire you for making a reasonable request? It's not like he doesn't have the information.

Do you have a lot of retail stores by you? Have you gone in person to apply? They may just to hiring people on the spot and not going thru resumes.

Good luck.

 

[DMickey28]

State and Federal Labor Laws cover breaks and such...

 

[C.Ann]

There's NO way I could deal with that - and it's insane to ask a person to work without telling them what time they'll be done.. What if you had to rely on busses? What about arranging child care? How about having some idea of what your weekly INCOME is going to be?

I'd write him the note and if he fires you over THAT, I'm pretty sure unemployment would view it as an unreasonable termination and give you benefits while you look for something else..

Geez - I'm SOOOO angry, and it's not even ME in this situation!

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Do you work full time or part time? I used to work retail and the managers were always very clear as to when I would be punching out. They didn't want me to go overtime and have to pay.

The letter sounds fine. I would give it to him. It is not unreasonable. I do understand your fears though. Is there anyone else you work with that could put the suggestion to him as well?

 

[bumcat]

I would start over again with the applications. You might have been sending them in when there wasn't much hiring going on. One of the best ways to get hired is to go to the job fair for a particular company and have your resume in hand.
Maybe you can send an anonymous letter to human resource? That is just crazy. My husband works at Lowes and they always have a beginning and end time. They can also switch days with someone if they need to.

 

[buzzlady]

When the open ended hours were posted, I would go to the schedule and write in my own hours that I was leaving. Maybe he would ge the hint.

 

[Jasminesmommy]

Make a copy of the schedule then go ask for definite times. If he fires you you get umemployment and proof he was at fault and get a different job. I quit a place like that.

 

[crazelion]

That is unreasonable scedule. There is federal laws that say 15
minute break every 4 hours. 6 hours a 30 minute break. 8 hours a 1 hour break.

I unreasonable boss like that and would not take that I quit the job. I did not show up the Day After Thanksgiving to open the store. He finally got the message.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

he won't fire you. He'll just cut your hours down to something like

Friday 5:00pm - 8:00pm

Go find another job.

 

[dcg0317]

I work for a large retail chain in the NE and don't konw if it is store policy or state, but I know our schedule has to be done by thur. each week and posted no later then Friday am with a complete shift listed. Maybe you shoukd see if they have a store policy stating work shedules and posting.

 

[CajunDixie]

Any chance you can find the DS policies online? Even a manager has to answer to someone and be held responsible to do their job correctly. I once worked for Pizza Hut and my manager had me coming in early to go to the bank and pick up the change funds, calling in orders, calling in our numbers and opening the store while he was driving up here from his mom's....she was still doing his laundry for him yet she lived 2 hours away. Once our district manager happened to stop in on one of these days and we had already opened the place ontime at 11 without the manager there......the DM was mad. The store is not to be open without a manager or asst. manager onsite. Of course, I then filled him in on all my new duties.

 

[Mish19]

That's unreasonable to have open - ended schedules like that. When I worked retail I was hired for specific days and the times. Only time it changed is if they needed me to work extra days. I had a manager who always asked me to work extra days and i always said no, but it didn't stop her from asking LOL.

I would try again with applying for other retail jobs, it couldn't hurt. PLus, since it's almost Summer a lot of the college kids quit.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Well, encouraged by some of your responses, I did give him the note today. I also kept a copy for myself, just in case I need it for something in the future.

What about arranging child care? How about having some idea of what your weekly INCOME is going to be?

That's why I did it...so I would be better informed about when I work so I could arrange childcare. I didn't tell him that but only because he didn't ask. If he doesn't ask, I'm not telling him either.

I think the reason he feels justified (and this is only MHO here..I don't know what goes on in that head of his) for doing open ended schedules like that is because I have what's called an open availability. I can work any shift he gives me, day, night, weekend, whatever. I don't mind working any thing he gives me. I just would really appreciate knowing what time I get off. Maybe it doesn't bug the other people he does this to (cuz he does it to EVERYBODY, not just me), but it bugs me to death.

*edited to say--I didn't know who to contact, so I used the corporate website to send a comment to them about it. I also sent an email to the local Health Dept because one of the cashiers has open sores on his hands. I told him he should probably be wearing gloves if he has to handle the raw limes/lemons to make drinks and he said he didn't care. I told him he should also probably be wearing band-aids to cover up the sores. I was told there were none left in the first-aid kit. His sores are NOT due to something that happened at work. Something about a horseshoe, rusty nails and something that happened at home is why he has them from what he told me. I was so grossed out by the fact that not only does he HAVE open sores, but that he was picking at them yesterday. That is totally disgusting.

TOV