Don’t know if this is quite the right story for this sub, but figured I’d post it and see what everyone thinks.
This happened a couple of years ago. My boss owns several stores. Where I worked which was about a 20 minute drive from home, I delivered construction material. One of the other stores they owned that’s in the town I live in, delivers house hold stuff like appliances and furniture. And important to note, where I worked, we closed 1 hour before the other store. They seemed to think that because I lived in the town as the other store, I’d drop everything to help them out.
That afternoon closer to 1pm, one of my coworkers told me the other store phoned, telling me I had to help with a delivery in their last few hours, past the time when my store closes.
I send a message to the manager of that store, telling him I have commitments, and can’t do the delivery. Less then 5 minutes after I sent that text, the head boss phoned me, and asked me why I can’t do the delivery. I told him I made plans for the night, so I can’t really help.
His next words really ticked me off. “Well, during the winter, we pay you to work even though there isn’t much going on, so we expect you to work overtime occasionally. So this isn’t really optional.”
I was pissed. Even though the winter is quiet, I don’t sit around. I try and do as much work as possible. From shovelling, to making sure everything is safe, etc.
I said “I don’t know what to tell you. I made plans to help my dad, and the plans can’t be changed, because I have to pick him up from work. (Important note, he worked at a place within eye sight of where I worked) My boss asked me what I am doing. I should have said it’s private, because he had no right to ask that. But I panicked a bit, plus I figured if he’s that arrogant and inconsiderate, he doesn’t deserve the truth and said I’m picking up my dad, and are going to a job to do together outside of town on a family property. That we are heading straight there and not going to town.
So he tells me to talk to my dad, see if he could spare me. I just said yeah sure. Not having any intention to really talking to my dad. I did phone my dad to give him the heads up on what is going on because there was a small family connection between my dads job and mine.
So I phone the manager of the other store, asking if the delivery can be done a hour sooner, then I could do it. He said no, saying the customer won’t be home until a certain time. I tell him then unfortunately I can’t help, because of my commitments, and tell him I’ll tell the boss.
I text the boss, saying it can’t be done. That my dad needs my help, and this job can’t be delayed. And I try and teach him a lesson by saying “If I had been given more notice, I could maybe have made it work.” He then texted back, and said to me to take my dad home, do the delivery, then I’ll be done in a hour, and can continue doing the job with my dad. My boss also offered to help my dad with the job so I could do the delivery, because he didn’t live far away from where we were working.
It was like I was talking to a wall because I told him earlier I was picking up my dad and going straight to the job. Plus, if he was willing to help my dad, then surely he could step up as a boss and fill in.
So repeated that I’m not going home. I’m picking up my dad, then heading straight to the family property. Won’t be going anywhere near our home town. He finally dropped it. Apparently what I did it quite the talk in the company. A majority of the staff were on my side. Those that weren’t were the ones who have their noses up the bosses back side.
I’ve covered everything. Phoned the governing body that oversees employment, and they said I have legal right to refuse overtime work unless there was a written agreement which there were none. I also made copies of regulations, just incase my boss decided to have “a little chat” about it.
This isn’t the first time my boss has tried to screw with my personal life. This incident was when I starting to get my voice.
One time I had a weeks vacation coming up, and less than a few days before it was suppose to start, he scratched out one of my vacation days to work. He didn’t phone, email or anything to ask. His reasoning was he “didn’t realize how short staffed they’d be when he approved it. And figured I would work it if I was in town.”
I didn’t.