coworkers' birthdays suck

Bella_Vixen · #1 02-13-2007, 05:49 AM

This involves a coworker AND the manager, both of whom are not on my good list at the moment.

Today is (was?) R's birthday. He apparently decided that since it's his birthday, he wanted to leave work 2 hours early. He somehow managed to talk Bossman into asking me to come in at noon instead of 2.

I ended up working for almost 10½ hours, with no break, no snack, or anything but a buttload of work (checking in new magazines, checking out old magazines, taking out 3 HUGE outside garbages, AND single handedly resetting our new 4ft HBA area, plus taking care of well over 400 customers).

What really pissed me off is R honestly expected me to be thrilled to death at the prospect of working for 10 hours, and my boss said to me, "I don't know why I called you; it wouldn't have mattered if you had said no." Except they both know that unless I am dead, I WON'T say no.

Although, I have to admit that it was jealousy more then anything else: I not only had to work my birthday last year, I had to be at work at 6 am after working until after 10:30 the night before, and I almost had to stay later the day of, besides. I'm the one that always helps out and covers whoever needs it, but NO ONE ever does the same for me.

myswtghst · #2 02-13-2007, 05:55 AM

I know the feeling. I cover shifts for my coworkers ALL the time, and take ALL the late and holiday shifts no one else wants, but when I send an email out asking to switch because of a conflict with my second job, or a doctor's appt, no one will switch, and I often end up having to cancel, or reschedule my life because the scheduler ignored my request for an early shift.

Becks · #3 02-13-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Quoth Bella_Vixen

What really pissed me off is R honestly expected me to be thrilled to death at the prospect of working for 10 hours, and my boss said to me, "I don't know why I called you; it wouldn't have mattered if you had said no."

Next time, ask R how HE'D like to be called in two hours early because of someone else's birthday. Hell, pull the same thing on HIM for YOUR birthday.

As to Bossman, who exactly would he have called to work a two hour shift?

Am I right in guessing that you're the first one always called?

BookstoreEscapee · #4 02-13-2007, 08:37 PM

Do you at least get overtime?

If you say yes because you need the money, at least next time make it clear up front that you WILL take any breaks your are entitled to, plus an extra to compensate for the extra time you're working. It's one thing to be willing to work, but quite another to be expected to work nonstop and be stepped on in the process...

And I worked on my last birthday when I was in the store...it was a Saturday and I goofed off a lot and spent 45 minutes just picking up lunch (though that was the sandwich place's fault, not mine...they were having register problems and got backed up), and at least that long getting everyone's order together, but I helped my share of customers and covered for people and it was mercifully slow for a Saturday...

wagegoth · #5 02-13-2007, 10:43 PM

It feels good to help out, and if you care about your job, it's easy to always be the helpful one, that one that comes in for extra shifts, helps with extra works, etc.

But no one will really appreciate all you do until you start saying, "No." Not all the time, not the majority of time, but if it's inconvenient or you just don't want to do it, then just say, "No."

They'll start appreciating it more when you say, "Yes."

Rapscallion · #6 02-14-2007, 01:08 PM

Y'know, those birthdays just creep up on you unannounced, don't they?

Rapscallion

Becks · #7 02-14-2007, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Quoth BookstoreEscapee

If you say yes because you need the money, at least next time make it clear up front that you WILL take any breaks your are entitled to, plus an extra to compensate for the extra time you're working. It's one thing to be willing to work, but quite another to be expected to work nonstop and be stepped on in the process...

She works in a gas station. That means no scheduled breaks, no scheduled lunch. (Gotta love WI labor laws sometimes, don't ya?)

ShortTemperHatesStupidity · #8 02-14-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Quoth BeckySunshine

She works in a gas station. That means no scheduled breaks, no scheduled lunch. (Gotta love WI labor laws sometimes, don't ya?)

You've got to be kidding... They can do that? Make you work without a lunch break? Damn hunnie... you gotta move! LoL

irateguy · #9 02-15-2007, 12:46 AM

i not only had to work my birthday last year but I was at a wedding the night before and I was hungover

Food Lady · #10 02-15-2007, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Quoth ShortTemperHatesStupidity

You've got to be kidding... They can do that? Make you work without a lunch break? Damn hunnie... you gotta move! LoL

Yes. I just finished a stint at a C-store in WI and will never do that again.