Work dilemma...

[Cuda1447]

Alright, so I work retail sales. I am also a college student taking 18 credit hours currently. I quit my last job in order to go to a part time gig (working currently about 32-34 hours a week, more than I want). I wanted to be able to concentrate on school more than anything. During December I put in a lot of hours to help out during the holidays and it wasn't a big deal since we were on break from school.

Now our store currently has 4 employees and 2 managers. We are supposed to be staffed with 6 employees but our manager is EXTREMELY slow with hiring. He actually just started doing interviews within the last week and a half or so. We've been short-staffed for about a month and a half. It hasn't been a huge deal since myself and one other part timer were willing to put in the extra hours during Dec.

Now I'm back in school though and I don't really want to be working 5 days a week, I'd prefer one extra day off. Being a part-timer thats what I expected and had in the past. I'm a team player though and since we were short-staffed I was willing to deal with it for a few more weeks.

Now I just got a call from one of my co-workers. Apparently he is having some serious anxiety issues. He told the manager this evening he'll be taking off for the next week. He can do whatever he wants, I don't care. The problem is that our manager is surely going to ask me to work even MORE hours now. I'm already at 34 for this upcoming week. I'm almost positive he'll ask me to work on Sunday, the only day I've had off from work/school since school started. That'll put me at 40 hours (or maybe more) as a part timer.

The thing that pisses me off is that the manager has known we were going to be short-staffed and then even once we were didn't make it a huge issue to get people hired. He's been dragging his ass and the employees (myself and one other specifically) have been making up for it. Now that there is a legit emergency with an employee we are going to take it up the ass even more.


I'm basically considering saying I will not work anymore hours than I currently am. I don't think thats unreasonable given my circumstances. School is the most important thing for me and the reason I quit my previous job was because I didn't want a 40 hour per week job with my last year of school.


What would you guys do in my situation?

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
School is the most important thing for me and the reason I quit my previous job was because I didn't want a 40 hour per week job with my last year of school.


What would you guys do in my situation?

Seems like you know the answer already, tell the manager how much you can work. Don't get the number of hours from the amount you think will make you look like a team player, or make your boss happy, or whatnot. Get the number from how much you can manage while going to school.

 

[Pepsei]

time to draw a line... less hours or quit.

 

[Brainonska511]

I'm almost positive he'll ask me to work on Sunday

When I saw this line, it flashed me back to the seen in OfficeSpace where Peter is talking to Lawrence about why he probably won't be able to go fishing.

Just tell your boss that you're going to school and you have way too many hours as it is. You should be working the number of hours that you want in this case, not how many your boss can push on you.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
time to draw a line... less hours or quit.

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
time to draw a line... less hours or quit.

Can't quit, need the job to pay for school



As for drawing the line, I agree. But in drawing that line I'm basically telling him he won't have anyone to work that shift. Either that or the one full timer available will have to work overtime. OR.... he will have to work over 40 hours in a week. Regardless, I'm sure he will put the guilt trip on me.

Bottom line is that if I say no, he's more or less screwed. To bad eh?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Not learning the course materials in your classes and messing up your GPA to be a team player is a bad idea.

If you only half-learn course 1 in a sequence, course 2 is going to be that much harder to do well in.

GPA doesn't matter after a few years of full-time work, but it can help or hurt you trying to get your first job and any internships during college.

You're not under any obligation to cover for the failings of your manager.

 

[Cuda1447]

So no other opinions? Everyone pretty much agrees here?

 

[SmoochyTX]

Well, first I would tell you that it's spelled "dilemma". Beyond that, I'm not interested.

 

[mooglemania85]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: Pepsei
time to draw a line...

THIS....IS.....WAL-MART!!!!




where's the pole for us plebes?

 

[mooglemania85]

I voted yes. Too short of a deadline to draw a line, and it would only be for 1 Sunday. However, I'd tell him first that you could only do it if none of the other workers are unable to work that day and you're getting time and a half (or at whatever higher rate you use for OT).

I'd also tell him after this "crisis" has passed that you're unable to work more than XX hours per week since your in school, in addition to looking for a more flexible job (with hopefully higher pay).

 

[fleshconsumed]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447

Originally posted by: Pepsei
time to draw a line... less hours or quit.

Can't quit, need the job to pay for school



As for drawing the line, I agree. But in drawing that line I'm basically telling him he won't have anyone to work that shift. Either that or the one full timer available will have to work overtime. OR.... he will have to work over 40 hours in a week. Regardless, I'm sure he will put the guilt trip on me.

Bottom line is that if I say no, he's more or less screwed. To bad eh?

Seems you already have your answer and we can't really help you.

You'll have to weigh the risk of getting fired for saying no to more work hours against your GPA dropping if you say yes.

I'll say you do not own the company anything. You seem like you want to be a team player because you're a nice guy. Drop that stupid crap out of your head. You work, company pays you, that is where the line should stand. You can be a nice guy and put more hours when you can afford to, but in this situation you can't.

Given that the place you work at is already shorthanded I think it's unlikely you will be fired on the spot for saying no, but if your boss is an asshole he might let you go after he finds more "dependable" replacement.

 

[MisterJackson]

Grow a spine? I dunno....that seems like a start.

Seriously. Just man up and tell the manager you can't take on the extra hours, that you have other commitments (That I assume he was aware of beforehand anyway).

Don't be his floormat. As long as you say or do nothing you'll continue to get bent over.

 

[Twista]

Here i am depressed because i cant find a good job. I need hours =] give me yours.

Where do you work at? Company?

thanks

 

[paulxcook]

He is the manager, it is his fault it takes forever to hire anyone, and you are going to school full-time so you don't have to work in retail the rest of your life. Choose school, work the extra hours if you have nothing else to do but make it clear you work there so you can go to school, and you absolutely cannot work more than you currently do on a regular basis. I wouldn't flat out say that you can't work more than x number of hours, ever. I've been in college, I know there are times when you don't have THAT much to do. If the job is one you want to keep you should work extra hours here and there to help out if you can. But you get to determine if you can.

 

[Cuda1447]

I agree with what you're saying paul. And to the others, I'm not being a pushover. I've refused to work extra hours before, and believe me... I've been asked a lot. Hell, I'd say on average of once every two weeks I come in early or cover a shift for someone else. Like I said, during Christmas, I'd deal. I could use the extra money anyway. Being short-staffed, the first week of school wasn't a huge issue either. I also made it clear I would like to get back to my normal 30-32 hours a week with 4 days on. Last week I did 38, this week I'd imagine I'll be asked to do 40.

I don't think this is something I can be fired for. Although, there is a bit of bad blood between myself and the Manager as it is. But I am his best employee, hands down.

Fuck him, schools more important.

 

[olds]

1 week? Work.

 

[Blieb]

You're a "yes" guy (like me). Stick up for yourself or you'll be miserable.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I'd probably work the hours, but then again I worked pretty much full time since my Junior year of high school. (spent some time working LOTS of overtime too ..)

But .... its your decision to make. If you don't need the hours, and if you really need a break, then when he asks you to work sunday, ask him for saturday off. Tell him you need a break and that school is your top priority.

 

[amdskip]

It's the beginning of the semester, work and get some OT, you'll be fine.

 

[Xavier434]

School is much more important and your co-worker's "anxiety" should not interfere with that. This would not be a problem if management properly staffed that department which also isn't your fault. I would not work the extra hours. Looking out for your job and your co-workers is a fine thing to do, but you need to look out for you first. Hopefully, this situation will make management realize that they need to hire more staff if that staff contains college students who need time to study.

 

[Gibson486]

Isn't Sunday time and a half? If anything, I'd work that day and request another day off. if it's too much, then just say "no".

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Isn't Sunday time and a half? If anything, I'd work that day and request another day off. if it's too much, then just say "no".

Why would Sunday be time and a half? Did I miss that somewhere in the OP?

 

[gingerstewart55]

Not too late to "draw the line", as it's been put. Simply tell your boss that you're already committed for Sunday and were committed to the alternative engagement long before your boss asked you to work.......and it's something you absolutely cannot duck out of. Family obligations come to mind, esp. if someone is in hospital........

 

[duragezic]

That's crazy dude. What is your daily schedules like? I think I'd have a tough time working more than 20 hours/wk and taking more than 12 credits.

I don't know how badly you need the money, but I would definitely not work more, and I'd cut back in general on your hours. School is more important, both your GPA and your knowledge of the material. Why make yourself miserable and risk having your grades drop in your last year? I'd work as little as needed to live, do good in school, and enjoy the last year of school.. shit no need to work so much at a job like that when you'll graduate soon and make way more doing something with your degree.