I’ve worked with a “non prof” group home for 3 years and have paid more than my dues. From the start I have worked ridiculous hours, helping between houses, and have a hard time saying no because I care about my clients. None of that is remembered and for the past 7 months I have essentially been the only overnight employee at my current house. It’s been over a year since we have had a stacked house of employees which means we are always struggling and I am pretty consistently working about 140 hours on a 2 week paycheck. The group chat (of 6 employees) just received a message stating a different house has Covid and needs “healthy heroes” to work, and they will pay more. We are already struggling at this house and I have had no life for so long because I work so much to cover shifts, and this seems like poaching. To add to this, a small few of us are vaccinated, because there is a large population where I live that has a political stance against it, which means the people who can actually work while Covid has hit is a finite number. I have done healthy heroes for my own house twice in the past 2 years. My family has been telling me to stop taking shifts but the problem is, I genuinely care about my clients and feel responsible to be there. Is there anything I can do to return to my hired schedule of 80 hours a 2 week pay period without being reprimanded? I live in an “at will” state. Has anyone else dealt with this with any advice?
Sorry, TL;DR: I work too much being the only night shift worker, am afraid to say bottom lines because I live in “at will” state, and every time I do, I’m pressured to work anyways, and I care about my clients too much to leave them.