For reference, I am a full-time college student with a part-time job at a local coffee shop. The coffee shop is set up a bit like a fast food chain, so many highschool students will come in and work for a month or so before finding somewhere different. The coffee shop pays $9 an hour. I have been working there for about 5 months now and am now one of the eldest employees there.
I started working during the spring semester of college to pay for gas and food while taking up to 20 credits in college. Through the semesters, the schedule and availability changes as the classes do. This is self explanatory and the coffee shop knew about my schedule from the start.
When the summer semester started, I updated my availability to be courteous of my employers and ensure I had enough time to complete all of my classes. With this new schedule, I actually requested more time at work (longer hours, and extra day in the week, even as much as a double shift whenever one was open). The next day, I received a rude message from my boss because I'd requested Fridays off. I told her it wasn't a problem, and I could still work Fridays if it was such an issue. I reminded my boss again of the extra hours I'd requested, and never got a response.
My classes began and I realized my scholarship wouldn't be available for the summer. I was counting on the extra funds to pay for my textbooks. I again asked my boss for extra hours, to no response. The next time she was in the coffee shop I asked her again in person for extra hours. She rolled her eyes at me, and said, ” you messed with your availability so many times I didn't even bother messing with it.”
Rage went over me as I walked away from the situation. The only time I'd changed my availability was once for the new semester, and once more by her request. I am now short $400 for my school books. It may not sound like much, but I haven't come from money. I am going to community college to better my chances of a scholarship to a larger university.
I was sent a message the next week that mentioned some extra days that were available. I accepted all of them. I have a scattered week of 4 to 7 hour shifts every day this week. I am having to sell my things to make up for the lost wages that she is responsible for because of my “inconvenience”.
My coworkers are 16 and 17 year olds who are given double shifts and extra hours. I am not upset with them but I am upset with the establishment that is refusing me the extra hours I've requested multiple times to pay for my way through college while also hiring more people to train. $9 an hour is not worth this disrespect, and now I have a week to come up with $400 before I have to drop out of classes because of my managers negligence.