# Saying no to covering co-worker's shifts?



## Dreamcatcher Arabians

No you're not in the wrong to say "NO". I work occasional, part time, float pool for a large medical group. I try to give 2 or 3 days a week. My original agreement with them was that I only would work the same days my DH works in his practice so we could carpool. They've been really short handed and have some rather large training things coming up, so I've actually been working 3-4 days/week for a while now. Periodically I have to remind them that A) I'm part time OCCASIONAL (that means no regularly scheduled hours expected) and B) that I'm only supposed to work when DH does but I've been trying to be a good team player. 

They have 33 clinics and some are waaaaay out in the sticks, and my agreement was to only work the clinics in town. Yet.....guess what......I've been dropping DH off at his clinic and driving 20 miles to cover a clinic out in the boonies. That's all about to come to a screeching halt with winter approaching. 

So, you're part time, regular on Mon & Sat, and have a life outside the shop. I would decline anytime I didn't want to work and I would say, "I'm sorry, I have other commitments that I cannot change. I can't work XXXX." 

Oh, and my work has been doing the last minute scheduling thing too. So, I quit giving any availability from the 1st through the 4th, because they've never been later than that producing a schedule.


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## beverleyy

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> No you're not in the wrong to say "NO". I work occasional, part time, float pool for a large medical group. I try to give 2 or 3 days a week. My original agreement with them was that I only would work the same days my DH works in his practice so we could carpool. They've been really short handed and have some rather large training things coming up, so I've actually been working 3-4 days/week for a while now. * Periodically I have to remind them that A) I'm part time OCCASIONAL (that means no regularly scheduled hours expected) and B) that I'm only supposed to work when DH does but I've been trying to be a good team player.
> *
> They have 33 clinics and some are waaaaay out in the sticks, and my agreement was to only work the clinics in town. Yet.....guess what......I've been dropping DH off at his clinic and driving 20 miles to cover a clinic out in the boonies. That's all about to come to a screeching halt with winter approaching.
> 
> So, you're part time, regular on Mon & Sat, and have a life outside the shop. I would decline anytime I didn't want to work and I would say, "I'm sorry, I have other commitments that I cannot change. I can't work XXXX."
> 
> Oh, and my work has been doing the last minute scheduling thing too. So, I quit giving any availability from the 1st through the 4th, because they've never been later than that producing a schedule.


How do you go about reminding them of the original agreement? My boss has a way of "forgetting" these sorts of things. I feel as if I have already spoken to her about it on a few separate occasions that part time Monday/Saturday is what I am hired for, and that I am more than willing to cover the occasional shift, but am not willing to do full time hours (which is what some of my weeks have been working out to unfortunately). 

I have no intentions of being on her bad side, I don't want to risk being let go at all, but it has come up a few times now that I cannot do full time hours and I feel as if I am being naggy. It makes me feel awful the couple of times that I have had to say no to covering a shift or two. It's gotten to the point where if I originally say I cannot do a day, I now see what appointments I can change around and usually wind up covering at least half that day, if not the entire day. There is 3 days I have been asked to cover next week and since they were not my regular hours I had appointments all 3 of those days, and was able to change up 2 of the days so now working those two dates, but still said I absolutely cannot do the 20th. And then I felt like she wasn't pleased with me for not being able to cover 1/3 days.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

beverleyy said:


> How do you go about reminding them of the original agreement? My boss has a way of "forgetting" these sorts of things. I feel as if I have already spoken to her about it on a few separate occasions that part time Monday/Saturday is what I am hired for, and that I am more than willing to cover the occasional shift, but am not willing to do full time hours (which is what some of my weeks have been working out to unfortunately).
> 
> I have no intentions of being on her bad side, I don't want to risk being let go at all, but it has come up a few times now that I cannot do full time hours and I feel as if I am being naggy. It makes me feel awful the couple of times that I have had to say no to covering a shift or two. It's gotten to the point where if I originally say I cannot do a day, I now see what appointments I can change around and usually wind up covering at least half that day, if not the entire day. There is 3 days I have been asked to cover next week and since they were not my regular hours I had appointments all 3 of those days, and was able to change up 2 of the days so now working those two dates, but still said I absolutely cannot do the 20th. And then I felt like she wasn't pleased with me for not being able to cover 1/3 days.


I am very direct and I tell them (e-mail usually) that I am strictly OPT and not available all of the time. This month for instance, they didn't get the schedule out until the 1st (Hello, I was supposed to be where on the 1st? How would I have known?), but I had not given them any availability until the 7th, so it didn't impact me. When they scheduled me on the 6th, I sent back, "I'm sorry, I'm not available on the 6th. I have commitments.". They sent back, "Well, I thought you'd be available on the 6th since your DH is working that day.". Me, "I am not available. I have commitments." Them, "Can't you change your commitments and work that day?", Me: "No I can't." Them, "Well, you should be available that day, since DH is working." Me (I'd had enough by then): "I am not available. I had tried to postpone making commitments in hopes I'd have a schedule. However, you didn't get the schedule out timely, so I had to make a choice and by then, the 6th was all that was available. If you can get the schedule out more timely next month, I will try to be more accommodating. Please remember that I am strictly OCCASIONAL part time and not available many days." 

That was the end of that discussion. Oh and guess what I got today? A request for my availability for next month because they are going to try to have the schedule out next week. I was a bit nicer about my days, but I still didn't give them anything until the 5th. And I don't work Mondays if I can help it and I NEVER work Fridays or weekends or holidays(they don't pay overtime or holiday pay to PT help).


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## beverleyy

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I am very direct and I tell them (e-mail usually) that I am strictly OPT and not available all of the time. This month for instance, they didn't get the schedule out until the 1st (Hello, I was supposed to be where on the 1st? How would I have known?), but I had not given them any availability until the 7th, so it didn't impact me. When they scheduled me on the 6th, I sent back, "I'm sorry, I'm not available on the 6th. I have commitments.". They sent back, "Well, I thought you'd be available on the 6th since your DH is working that day.". Me, "I am not available. I have commitments." Them, "Can't you change your commitments and work that day?", Me: "No I can't." Them, "Well, you should be available that day, since DH is working." Me (I'd had enough by then): "I am not available. I had tried to postpone making commitments in hopes I'd have a schedule. However, you didn't get the schedule out timely, so I had to make a choice and by then, the 6th was all that was available. If you can get the schedule out more timely next month, I will try to be more accommodating. Please remember that I am strictly OCCASIONAL part time and not available many days."
> 
> That was the end of that discussion. Oh and guess what I got today? A request for my availability for next month because they are going to try to have the schedule out next week. I was a bit nicer about my days, but I still didn't give them anything until the 5th. And I don't work Mondays if I can help it and I NEVER work Fridays or weekends or holidays(they don't pay overtime or holiday pay to PT help).


My boss occasionally asks my availability for the next month-6 weeks as there are some dates she has in advance that need covering for whatever reason, but I am not always able to know my own schedule for my "days off" that far in advance. For example, if on the calendar/schedule that's posted in the shop I am only working my Sat/Mon and according to that schedule have off Tues-Fri as I should, then of course I'll go ahead and book my farrier for sometime during that Tues-Fri (she books 1 week in advance and only works a few days per week), so when my boss asks me a month in advance I of course don't always have specific dates that I am not available, but I always let her know I'm always, always, going to be available Monday/Saturday as those are my regular shifts, and unless she gives me specific dates on my regular schedule, I cannot guarantee I'll be available to cover other dates such short notice. 

Do you ever worry you'd be let go for standing up for yourself and your original hiring agreement? I'm sure there are some not-so-great bosses out there that could fire an employee for that or for not covering extra shifts, but I like to think that I am not in the wrong for having to say no sometimes, I just feel so guilty for it and worry I'll be fired.


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## churumbeque

I dont think they would let you go but if they brought in a 3rd person to work they may give you less hours. If you explain your reasoning like you did here I would think they would understand. I would want to know my schedule at least a week in advance.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians

beverleyy said:


> My boss occasionally asks my availability for the next month-6 weeks as there are some dates she has in advance that need covering for whatever reason, but I am not always able to know my own schedule for my "days off" that far in advance. For example, if on the calendar/schedule that's posted in the shop I am only working my Sat/Mon and according to that schedule have off Tues-Fri as I should, then of course I'll go ahead and book my farrier for sometime during that Tues-Fri (she books 1 week in advance and only works a few days per week), so when my boss asks me a month in advance I of course don't always have specific dates that I am not available, but I always let her know I'm always, always, going to be available Monday/Saturday as those are my regular shifts, and unless she gives me specific dates on my regular schedule, I cannot guarantee I'll be available to cover other dates such short notice.
> 
> Do you ever worry you'd be let go for standing up for yourself and your original hiring agreement? I'm sure there are some not-so-great bosses out there that could fire an employee for that or for not covering extra shifts, but I like to think that I am not in the wrong for having to say no sometimes, I just feel so guilty for it and worry I'll be fired.



If my scheduler asked me well in advance what my availability for the next 30 - 45 days was, I would sit down and figure out when and how much I was willing to work. Then as soon as she gave me a finalized schedule (assuming she got the thing done and out in a reasonable time frame) I would block those days and not schedule anything else on those days. So, I gave my availability for Nov, the 5th & 6th, 9th & 11th, 18th & 19th and 23rd, 24th & 25th. I'm also working a special gig for them the weekend of the 14th, 15th. I will not schedule farrier, doc appts, photo shoots, horse shoes, whatever on those days, IF she gets the schedule back to me by the end of next week. If she screws around again and it's the 1st before she gets it to me, I will not have blocked those days off and if I have scheduled something for one of them tough. Fair is fair. I didn't take them to raise, and I don't expect them to have taken me to raise. 

I don't even give being fired for not giving enough time a brief thought. First, I don't really care, I'm just doing this for fun and pocket money. Second, there is no minimum required amount of time I HAVE to give them. Nor do I have any expectation of a minimum number of days they have to give me, if all their slots are full, nobody is sick, on vacation, maternity leave, whatever, then I could conceivably go a whole month without working a single day. It's part of that job description. 

In your case, you have contracted to give them 2 days per week and further those days are specified, Monday & Saturday. They have no right to expect you to work any other days. If you had a full time job Tues-Fri, you couldn't give them any more time, what then? If I were in your position and they fired me, I'd just go find something else, it sounds like you have plenty of skills to be an asset elsewhere. And honestly, if my job made me feel like you are saying yours is making you feel, I would be looking already.


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## DuckDodgers

Next time they ask simply say that you have made prior commitments to your existing clients, and as such you can't cover these shifts with short notice. If your boss tries to give you a hard time about it then explain that, as per your original agreement, you stick to your regularly scheduled days whenever possible and frequently have your other days filled with clients and appointments that cannot be rescheduled on short notice. That you'll be happy to cover shifts given enough notice and when it does not interfere with your existing obligations. 

If you phrase it right and (if necessary) reference your original hiring agreement and your obligations to your clients then a reasonable manager shouldn't jump to firing you or giving you a hard time. If they do then it is really probably best that you move on from that job. Either they really do need someone with more availability (somehting you can't do) or they feel that they can bully you into taking on responsibilities that you didn't agree to. 

Quite honestly, it sounds like the other girl not having her schedule together is more of a problem. You're worried about getting fussed at for not being able to fill the shifts that SHE had to miss. While almost everyone will have occasions to miss work at some point in time it sounds problematic if the issue is presented to you often enough to be warranting this discussion. Not saying that she needs to be let go or anything, but your job isn't to do hers.


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## beverleyy

DuckDodgers said:


> Next time they ask simply say that you have made prior commitments to your existing clients, and as such you can't cover these shifts with short notice. If your boss tries to give you a hard time about it then explain that, as per your original agreement, you stick to your regularly scheduled days whenever possible and frequently have your other days filled with clients and appointments that cannot be rescheduled on short notice. That you'll be happy to cover shifts given enough notice and when it does not interfere with your existing obligations.
> 
> If you phrase it right and (if necessary) reference your original hiring agreement and your obligations to your clients then a reasonable manager shouldn't jump to firing you or giving you a hard time. If they do then it is really probably best that you move on from that job. Either they really do need someone with more availability (somehting you can't do) or they feel that they can bully you into taking on responsibilities that you didn't agree to.
> 
> *Quite honestly, it sounds like the other girl not having her schedule together is more of a problem. You're worried about getting fussed at for not being able to fill the shifts that SHE had to miss. While almost everyone will have occasions to miss work at some point in time it sounds problematic if the issue is presented to you often enough to be warranting this discussion. Not saying that she needs to be let go or anything, but your job isn't to do hers.*


Thank you for this! I wasn't thinking of it this way at all. Her regular job is a flight attendant, though in the fall/winters she works full time hours at the barbershop and is very very part time at her "regular" job, so on the days she needs to miss I have told my boss I would fill in if I was available and continue to stick with my Mon/Sats. 

As I said I am a huge worrier, and worry so much that the blame will fall on me. Realistically I know that it's not my job to cover a co workers every missed shift, but I feel as if it's expected so I begin to worry that I'll be the one let go (she has been there longer than myself). I feel as if a good chunk of the shop's short notice schedule changes are due to her, yet my boss seems to blame me when I cannot make something that was not part of my original schedule. 

But yes, you are most definitely right in saying that it is not my job to do hers. I fill in if available and give 110%, but I can only do so much. I feel like I am on the fast track to being completely burnt out by covering each and every one of her shifts that she misses, and that's usually 5-8 per month.


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## natisha

I work part time on a 3rd shift job. I get called all the time to come in on a few hours notice. I tell them I'm drunk.


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## Clydesdales

That made me laugh!!


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## Saddlebag

Just say No, You'll find it empowering.


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## Clydesdales

Clydesdales said:


> That made me laugh!!


Just saw that it didn't quote what made me laugh... I was referring to what Natisha said. Thought I'd correct that, because it came across as a bit rude!


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## beverleyy

Clydesdales said:


> Just saw that it didn't quote what made me laugh... I was referring to what Natisha said. Thought I'd correct that, because it came across as a bit rude!


haha all good, figured that's what you had meant.:lol:


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