So I work at a job right now with very set schedules for employees based on the teams they’re on. I was told that my schedule may be changing to one that better suits my family’s needs— great, right? As I waited to hear news of the change, I end up going on some scheduled time off, and then to a family member’s funeral.
The evening I get back to work, I check my email. In my inbox is an email that says my schedule is changing….tomorrow. The day I came in, I was supposed to have off and I was supposed to start my new schedule in 12 hours. That obviously can’t work for me or my family, so I send an email back saying that “sorry, you need to give me notice before changing my schedule.”
This is where it’s important to know your rights. In my contract, it states that employees must be given VERBAL notice of any schedule changes, and AGREE to waive a 15 day change notice if the new schedule changes are sooner than 15 days. Now, in all reality it would’ve been doable for me to have maybe a week to work things out, but 12 hours? No.
The manager’s bigwig calls me, and says:
“Oh, you were so positive about the change that I just assumed you’d waive the 15 day notice requirement. And I sent you an email instead of calling because I just assumed you’d be one of those employees that checks their email when you’re off in case the company needs you for something”.
Well guess what, I’m NOT that employee.
So now, I have a 15 day break because they already filled my current schedule with someone, and contract rules state they still have to pay me.
Always know what your rights are, folks!