This happened about…11 years ago. I think. I worked in a supermarket, a high school kid. I had a friend. She was a fresh high school graduate. Her mum’s birthday was coming up, mum didn’t have a whole lot of time left. My friend was going to request time off to spend time with her mum on what would likely be her mum’s last birthday. She asked me if I’d cover. I said sure.
Went to the manager. Manager said no.
Friend said “screw them.” Didn’t show up for work. They called me in.
Friend showed up for her shift the next day expecting to get in trouble. Instead, upper management heard why she’d took the day off and apologised for how she’d been treated. The other manager got in trouble for denying her request.
My friend spent her mum’s last birthday with her mum. Her mum died a couple months later. Even if my friend got fired, I would have her do the same thing again. A shitty little supermarket job was not worth missing her mum’s last birthday.
Don’t let them take the important things from you. If my friend, a fresh high school graduate, was strong enough to say no, so can you.