I was hired as a receptionist at a business that specializes in children’s activities about 2 months ago.
The interview was great. The department head and the direct supervisor emphasized how much this company values work life balance, and as a company that deals with kids they understand that family comes first. I made sure that they were well aware that I have small children and my availability was limited. They did tell me that they hoped to expand the position to full time “down the road” and asked if I was interested. I said that I would be interested in full time when my kids got older and needed me less but while they were small all I could do was part time. The job was advertised as part time and I was offered 25 hours a week.
I’ve been a SAHM for a few years and my kids are finally in full day school. The hours I was offered allowed me to get the kids on the bus in the morning, and get the kids off the bus after school.
When I started it was a DREAM job. Everyone was great, the receptionist duties weren't grueling and I had the opportunity to be creative and sew things that would be used in the children’s programs.
A couple weeks ago I was asked if I could come in any earlier and I said yes, as long as I could leave earlier too. He was fine with that. A couple days ago the department head stops me to let me know that effective immediately my schedule has changed. I now have to come in earlier and stay until the later time. She let's me know that she's already changed my schedule. I tell her this won't work for me because I'm working the maximum hours I'm available. She tells me we'll have to figure something out.
That evening I check my schedule and it has changed through the end of the month. I can make it work temporarily, but this change just isn't sustainable.
I email my boss letting her know this and go to bed.
Next morning I wake up to find I've been removed from the schedule and I have an email saying we need to talk.
I get to work and my boss and department head pull me into a conference room and close the door. They tell me that they're surprised by my lack of flexibility. They let me know that they made the schedule to suit the business not the convenience of the employees and I was told that I need to step up or we should part ways.
I reminded them both that I'd been flexible when they asked me to come in early. I'd been flexible and covered weekend and evening shifts without complaint. I'd been flexible when they asked me to do a massive art project as additional work from hours. (I've done freelance art before and usually I charge twice as much for my art as this company is paying.) I let them know that my schedule limitations are not about convenience, they're about my family. I asked them both if they were expecting me to sacrifice what my family needed to keep the job. I could tell that the department head was mad when she said she didn't appreciate how that sounded.
I asked if it was possible to see if the evening staff would be willing to come in early a couple times a week so I could have a couple early days. I was told no because evening staff are college students with no flexibility in their schedules.
I asked her to expand my hours to 30 instead of the planned 29.5 so I could get benefits (my husband dropping his work insurance would save us enough money that we could afford child care). My department head said no. She repeatedly encouraged me to quit if I felt like the new schedule would cause me stress. I refused to quit. I was told that I'd need to follow the new schedule and if I came in late or left early it would be considered quitting. I was also told that my quality of work and attitude were expected to remain the same.
I'm devastated. The pay wasn't fantastic but the atmosphere was good, the hours worked for my family and there was potential for growth eventually. We don't live close to family, so there is no help for childcare. Jobs with hours that work for us are hard to find and I just feel so depressed. I don't know what to do.