Hello! So I have been working at a major sporting goods retail brand for almost a year now. We have gone through multiple different store managers within my tenure here because of how horrible communication is. Truthfully I thought most of it was exaggerated, until two conversations i had last night with our newest store manager and second in command.
Earlier this month my great grandmother passed away. I requested the day off for the funeral 3 weeks ago. Yesterday 3-25-22 was the one and only funeral, or at least I thought. I found out at about 530 pm yesterday that there will be a nighttime mass that is the final funeral that will take place today at 5pm 3-26-22.
My stores call out or late notice schedule change policy is 2 hours before the start of your shift. Failure to call out or change your schedule within the time is a write up. After I found out about today's service (3-26-22), I immediately called asking for the store manager who “had just left”. I spoke to our second in command explaining the situation of misscommunication by my family and that I would like to leave early to attend the final service.
I was told in a very vague conversation that I either get it covered or I just don't come it. This conversations confused me because I am one of 4 people closing the store. Legally we only need 3. After talking to the second for almost 15 minutes, I wasn't given an answer and was basically told nothing. Not even a “no sorry we can't accommodate this”. Fast forward to a few minutes ago, I called again this time for the store manager. I called within 4 hours of my shift start. I explained the situation, and that I am OK with working my original shift today, and that I am just inquiring to see if it's even a possibility. I was met immediately with hostility and told “well its a Saturday night. I am aware of this situation. I was there when you called and I didn't give you an answer because I didn't want you to go. Thats why I told our second not to do anything”.
I explained, again, that I was just seeing if it was a possibility. I was then again met with more hostility and tones of frustration of me leaving my shift early, and said it would've been better if I just didn't show up, but if I did that, I would be written up. As of right now, I STILL don't have an answer.
Im less pissed about possibly missing my grandmothers funeral, and more about how they treated me. They purposefully misdirected and refused to given me an answer to force my hand to either “call out and get written up” or just suck it up and stay the entire shift. If they had just told me “no sorry we can't do this”, that would've been way better because at least I have a definitive answer.
tldr; my family didn't inform me about a second funeral service that takes place today 3-26-22. I called my work to see if I can possibly leave early. They purposefully gave me vague answers and tried to force my hand to fully callout, which would be a write up even though I called twice within the 2 hour window before my shift starts. Once Yesterday 3-25-22 at 6pm when I found out, and today at 3-26-22 four hours before my shift starts.