I placed PTO 6 months in advance because I knew I would not have a babysitter those 2 days. I went through my whole list of people who could watch my kid and I couldn't find anyone I trust to do so. I found my own coverage for the 2 days, so I didn’t think I was going to have an issue. My management gave me a verbal approval, but per our handbook nothing is official until it’s approved on the time card app, and my manager doesn’t approve anything until the day before.
3 weeks before my scheduled 2 days off, we lost 90% of our staff due to various reasons, leaving literally only me and one other person left on my shift and I had already been working short staffed for 5 months. I haven't taken a day off in over a year. Despite being on a 6 month contract that stated I’m allowed 4 PTO days and it ends next week.
Admin took away our bonuses for picking up, and now no one wants to work extra to help out. I'm burnt the hell out.
But I went ahead and worked on finding coverage for the other shifts on the 2 days I scheduled off. I got the shift 60% filled and then the day before, I was told I can't take it off. Funny enough though, my only other coworker on that shift who put their PTO in a month ago with no coverage found, got approved! Because it's his graduation and they couldn't make him miss that.
I told them I'm not going on a vacation or anything, I literally just don't have anyone to watch my kid.
I was basically told to just figure it out, so I called in.
I came back to a write up for misconduct, which breaks my 18 month contract and now I may have to pay back money for breaking my contract. But what else was I suppose to do?
Tomorrow I have scheduled a meeting with upper admin to discuss the write up, my possible resignation, and express my thoughts and concerns.
I really can’t afford to resign at this point though, I’ve built myself up so much in this company and I work in a speciality that only very few other places take my degree and I’ve already looked at those options and they can’t match my current and it would be a serious pay cut with not even comparable hours. I feel stuck.