What Should I Do About Work?

[pammy831]

I had a really bad day at work today and I am looking for some advice. I am currently a part-time teller at a bank. My DH is active duty military and is currently in Afghanistan. He will be coming home for 2 weeks for a mid-tour leave. He will be arriving here in the states probably Monday or Tuesday. At least 3 months ago, I asked my supervisor at work if I could have the time off while my husband's home to be with him. They said that that wouldn't be a problem. Well, the assistant manager lays on me today that I have to work the Saturdays while he's home because there will only be 3 tellers and there's nothing else she can do. I think I'm just going to quit tomorrow. This is a temporary job anyway because I have to move and go back to TN in July when he returns from deployment anyway. In addition, I don't love working in the bank and don't really plan on pursuing this same line of work during my next job hunt. Finally, I am so disgusted at their ability to not only lie to me but to be so heartless when it comes to a soldier coming home from Afghanistan who wants to spend time with his wife while he can. Do you all think I'm a bad person for just wanting to quit?

[Sam_2.0]

I can understand being frustrated with the situation, definitely.

Just to make sure I have it right - you work part time at the bank. While your husband is home for two weeks, you are also scheduled to work two Saturdays (are those the only days you are scheduled?).

Before you quit, think about some things first:
1. Can you afford to quit? Will the loss of this income make it difficult for you to pay bills or make ends meet?
2. If you need to supplement with part-time income, do you have another option? Where else can you go apply?
3. Is there anyone that can trade shifts with you?
4. Instead of quitting, what if you tried to work out an arrangement with the manager (not the assistant manager)?
5. Instead of quitting, what if you just called in? As a manager, I HATE when people do this. However, you might just get in trouble but still have a job at the end of the day.
6. How long is your shift? I know time with your husband is very, very important. But, if your shift is just for a few hours, could he use that time to catch up with some friends while you work, and then make plans to get together as soon as you get off work?

[wvugurl26]

Being as I don't think you need the money (if I'm wrong that changes my answer) and that you will be moving to a completely different area when you are job searching again, I wouldn't fault you for quitting. They had months of notice to come up with someone to fill your shifts and at part time hours to boot. Also do you have to go to TN or will DH be coming to where you are in PA? That would definitely factor into my quit/not quit decision.
I might make an effort to get the shifts filled, talk to a higher up over asst mgr but I wouldn't sweat quitting if it didn't work out. I just can't see part time bank teller wages in that area being worth the hassle.

[reeneejune]

I'm not in that field, but I am an Asst. manager at a retail store, one of my responsibilities is LOA's. IF you were a permanent employee that had been there 6 months or more, you should qualify for a LOA (leave of absence) under one of the federal acts that allows family members to take time off when an active duty member of the military comes home on leave. MOST employers will honor a LOA for the family member of a service member regardless of how long they've been with the company. But they don't have to.
What I would do:
Go back to your immediate supervisor first and talk with them CALMLY about your frustrations. Remind them of the ample notice that you provided that you would need the time off. Ask why they are denying you the time off. Explain, again, why this is so important to you. If you're not satisfied with how your supervisor handles it, then by all means go to the branch manager. Go through all of the above again, and if you're still not satisfied, contact the human resources department at the bank. The important thing is to BE AS PROFESSIONAL AS POSSIBLE. Why? Because regardless of the field that you plan to work in next, this is the kind of situation that a future employer would ask about and would be relevant regardless of what field you go into. I know it's tempting to just say "I don't need to deal with this crap" and walk out, but I urge you to exhaust all your options before you resign.

[pammy831]

Well, last night I was all gung ho on giving my notice today and flat out quitting. After sleeping on it, I realized that I was going to do that because I just hate confrontation SO much. Well, today while at work, I actually grew some stones, some how, some way LOL. I went into the assistant manager's office and I said, "Well, you're not gonna like this, but I talked to my husband last night, and if I'm gonna have to work the Saturdays, then I'm just going to have to quit." She said, "Well, we really need you because we'll only have 3 people on those Saturdays. I'm just trying to run a business." So I said, "I understand that and that's fine, but this is the most important thing to me above anything else and that's just how it is." So then she said she would talk to her boss, our branch manager, on Monday about it and that she'd have the branch manager give me a call about it. I am anxiously awaiting to see what they have to say lol. Regardless of what they say, I'm glad I decided to do it this way instead of just blowing up about it.

As for the other questions, no, I don't need the money at all. My husband makes plenty enough for us to pay everything. I make a paltry $300 every 2 weeks, which is barely worth driving 14 miles each way for lol. I was just doing the job while he's gone for the experience. But the experience for the future just isn't worth missing out on time with DH. I got hired once at a bank without experience so I could probably do it again later on if I ever decide to go in that direction again lol.

[gailbon]

Maybe you can compromise in some way? Can you offer to work other shifts for workers who would be willing to cover for you? I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to miss even a few hours with your husband, but also imagine that your boss cannot get those shifts covered because soemone else has a wedding to go to, a sick parent to attend to, childcare issues, etc., and also needs the time off. I think the professional way to handle the situation is to look at all options and others' situations before just quitting.

[blackcard]

Maybe, try taking a leave of absence? On the other hand, if you are leaving in July anyway, what difference does quitting 3 months early really make?

[blackcard]

Just make sure you give proper 2 weeks notice. Yes, even if you dont list this employer on a future job application, the new employer will find out now in this computer age when doing a background check by SSAN.

[mizbear]

pammy- Have you gotten an answer yet? Being from a military family I have a major concern about you quitting your job- should ever NEED a job due to a lengthy deployment, unexpected bill or more expensive base location for instance.