Employee Says He's Available Every Day Except Sunday, Gets Fired After Only 6 Days on the Job

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 19, 2023 11:00 PM EDT

Here is yet another story where boundary setting led to wrongful termination!

 

This thread was posted to Reddit's r/antiwork subreddit by u/noahgrice, who explained how after less than one week on the job at a grocery store chain, he was fired simply because he mentioned to his manager that he was available every day of the week except for Sundays.

 

Considering that they never mentioned the importance of Sunday availability during the hiring process, this is 100% the fault of the horrible bosses of the world. No matter what it is you do, workers are entitled to say when they're not available without needing to explain anything further or risk penalties as a result of setting boundaries. 

 

You'd think at this point we wouldn't need to say this in 2022, yet here we are. Until the people who are foolishly clinging to exploitative work environments retire and accept that this is not the way we should be doing things anymore, we have to keep calling these people out.

 

We've seen plenty of stories involving horrible bosses and wretched management, like this one where an office supply store employee got revenge on her evil manager.

 

Keep scrolling below for the original post and for the best comments!

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  • 01
    Font - r/antiwork Posted by u/noahgrice 1 day ago . S2 I was just fired for having boundaries I'm only 22 and I just moved across the country by myself, and I've been living off my savings since. It took me 3 weeks but I got a job at a large national grocery store chain (I'll leave it unnamed just in case, but you can have your guess). I have been a cashier for three years so I wasn't concerned about whether I would land the job.
    via u/noahgrice
  • 02
    Font - During my interview, I asked what wage I would be starting at, the manager said that I would be receiving their starting wage of $12.50/hr. I asked if they could match or exceed my previous job (before I moved) wage of $14.50/hr doing the same job, to which she responded "Unfortunately we don't do experience pay here. It's all because of this Union junk we have to deal with." Red flags are flying but I just dealt with it, I only had to commute 1.5 miles and the other job I applied to only
    via u/noahgrice
  • 03
    Font - I started as a cashier at this store on Sunday the 11th, and a mere 6 days later on the 17th, I was fired effective immediately, and here's why. My manager came up to me and asked when I could work next, because apparently nobody thought to check my availability ahead of time and put me on the schedule for next week. I told her my availability was Monday through Saturday, noon to close. She gave me a weird look. "You can't do Sunday?" she said. I told her that was the only day of the week
    via u/noahgrice
  • 04
    Font - I get back to work, but while I was waiting for her to call me into the office, I asked other co-workers if they also were required to work Sundays, and most of them said no. Only a few said they voluntarily work Sundays but that they were never pressured into it. About 10 minutes later, she peeks her head out of the office door and asks me to come in. I walk into the office and she's sitting with the two other managers and she confirms "So you're sure you can't do Sundays? Even a late sh
    via u/noahgrice
  • 05
    Font - She looks at the other managers and gives them a nod. She then says "If you are unable to work Sundays, then unfortunately you are not a viable asset to our company, and it's not worth moving forward with you here. Today will be your last day." I just said okay and went back to work the rest of my shift. I don't really care anymore. I've only been there for 6 days and they don't pay me jack. I'll just find a job somewhere else that actually respects my boundaries. She's lucky I can't affo
    via u/noahgrice
  • 06
    Font - EDIT: I contacted my Union representative and explained everything. I asked about the lack of experience pay, and she mentioned that was valid as they used to do that but don't anymore. It's because they guarantee a raise every 700 hours worked--which could be better long term depending on the circumstances. As far as the firing, I mentioned the name of the manager who was responsible and the Union rep said that was not within her power at that store. This manager was only the front-end m
    via u/noahgrice
  • 07
    Font - FriedSticks 2014 - 22 hr. ago I can't believe you worked the rest of your shift lol Reply Share 3.4k Souchumtastic 22 hr. ago Sounds like they needed the money. I would have left immediately too. 1.1k Reply Share
    via u/noahgrice
  • 08
    Font - noahgrice OP 21 hr. ago Living off savings is no fun. Gonna barely scrape by for rent next month but I do graphic design and art and stuff on the side, I'll be alright for now. 1.6k Reply Share Jumpy-Confidence-462 17 hr. ago. edited 13 hr. ago Reach out. I run a marketing agency. Update: thank you for the upvotes! Still waiting in op but for the people reaching out. I recommend you put a link in the comments. It's not economical for me to interact with everybody individually. To make thi
    via u/noahgrice
  • 09
    Font - fishfishle 22 hr. ago I've worked a grocery job like you described but in the interview, it was very clear that I needed to be available for a minimum of 4 hours on Sunday and Saturday, but that I wouldn't necessarily work those days. The fact they didn't bring it up when you talked about availability is really sus. Reply Share 146
    via u/noahgrice
  • 10
    Font - persephone_love. 1 day ago What a stupid hill for them to die on. So because they can't have you Sunday, they go and ensure they can't have you ANY day by firing you, and now have to spend time and effort interviewing, hiring and training someone else... Reply Share 1.7k
    via u/noahgrice
  • 11
    Font - Obxyz 22 hr. ago That's because they are more concerned with the example you would be setting for the other employees. Your standing up for yourself makes you a risk to their abusive control. 1.4k Reply Share noahgrice OP. 21 hr. ago Love this comment Thank you for your insight 488 Reply Share
    via u/noahgrice
  • 12
    Font - YoshiSan90 20 hr. ago I'd take him up on getting the job back just to run it in that managers face. 51 Reply Share roastpoast 16 hr. ago Same. Could cause a lot of headaches just doing your job while holding your boundaries. 8 Reply Share
    via u/noahgrice
  • 13
    Font - ghouldozer19. 19 hr. ago Tbh, I'd take the hire back just to show the other folx there it's possible and then find something else and leave on your own time. 38 Reply Share
    via u/noahgrice
  • 14
    Font - or Crusoebear 16 hr. ago ^^This is the power move.^^ ps- Once again, everyone needs to stop telling managers/bosses why they aren't available. Stop giving any details (such as the "it's my only day to relax, do chores, etc as mentioned by OP above). They do not care. You could say you have to donate a kidney or save a bus load of nuns & orphans from certain death, they do not care. They will deem it unworthy. Resist the temptation to get into it - just tell them you are not able and leave
    via u/noahgrice
  • 15
    Font - Ele Of Light 20 hr. ago Contact a labor lawyer, go from there... not sure about your state but in my state there is free consultation(at least contact them cause it doesn't hurt to try at this point... and dont stop at one lawyer contact many cause sometimes they dont see the big picture and i know this from experience)... but firing you for a work restriction that they hired you for anyways is not allowed. At least in my state this is a law. Maybe reduce hours at most but that's question
    via u/noahgrice

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management antiwork fired job work Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit
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