Employee begs for 3rd shift in interview process, is given all 1st shift while giving newbie 3rd: 'I already have a commute 45 min to an hour and in that rush hour it takes me almost 2 hours to get there'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 17, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Nobody likes to be disrespected in the workplace. 

We all deserve to be treated how we'd like to be treated. We don't always get that, but that doesn't mean we can't ask for it. This is even true at low-paying jobs. Just because we're not being heavily compensated doesn't mean we don't get to set the terms of our employment. Sometimes it can feel like the employer has the upper hand, and we never get to have our say. But that's failing to recognize just how important we are. They need us just as much as we need them. So when you're thinking about how your job fits into your life, then you should advocate for yourself. You would hate to end up in a situation where your needs were not being met. But you don't always get to control that, no matter how much you might like to. 

That's the situation this worker found themselves in after expressing their needs and desires again and again. They were doing their best to set the terms of their employment, and they wanted to make sure that they could do the job in a way that served them. But despite making their needs known continually, their employer just wasn't getting the message. They preferred to keep them in the dark about their situation when it served them. So they were left wondering if they should look for other kinds of jobs, and they reached out to the internet for some perspective on the situation. 

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  • A stressed woman sits outside of a cafe
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Nobody likes to feel like they aren't being heard. Expressing a boundary is one of the most difficult things we have to do, and when nobody is hearing them, then that can be a real blow to the ego. It's the job of the employer to listen to those who work for them, but that's not what happened in this story. What happened here was a classic tale of disrespect in the workplace. Read on for all the details of this unfortunate situation and imagine what you would have done in this person's shoes. And be glad you're not in them. 

  • Employer forced us to be "open availability" to get hired, begged to NOT do 1st shift, they give me all 1st, gave other newbie all 3rd.

    Situation is bad right now so I need the job for income until my spouse gets settled New job had a hiring event and during the interviews I told them I REALLY need 3rd shift but that if they offer overtime I would be open to potentially covering other shifts
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • They told me I need open availability and I heard them sending others on their way. I said fine but PLEASE give me 3rds if not 2nds. My entire schedule is all day shift. Fml. I already have a commute 45 min to an hour and in that rush
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • hour it takes me almost 2 hours to get there and another 2 hours to come home in the dinner time rush hour. No one is offering full time closer to me. I am NOT a morning person I always am exhausted, nothing "sticks", and I often get stomach aches early with the drive.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Talk to your coworkers. They gave the other new hire all the 3rd shifts. So they HAVE it - and just couldn't be bothered to give it to me. Im furious.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142

  • Commenters rang in with their thoughts and opinions.

    repthe732 Your manager is intentionally making your life miserable. They know they're doing it too. Don't trust them
    via u/repthe732
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Theres constantly overtime slots available for 3rd shifts because they "cant fill it". Here you have me begging for it, and she wont let me. I just need to get thru Jan and Feb financially. If things dont get better im calling and saying I can no longer do 1st, you either give me 2nd pr 3rd or here's a 2 week notice.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • A woman outside in an apron sits with her head in her hands
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • repthe732 That makes sense when you realize your manager is intentionally making your life harder. They know if they listened ti your request it would benefit them but for some reason they want to hurt you. My guess is they're insecure and as a result are scared any new hire may take their job
    via u/repthe732
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Hoping things can better soon enough and I dont need to keep working for them. Because day shift will run me ragged fast. I just need some income until spouse gets hired.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Sure_Acanthaceae_348 There needs to be a law mandating pay for open availability. It's no different than being on call.
    via u/Sure_Acanthaceae_348
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply 100% yes, and there also needs to be some actual accountability for resume collecting/posting for jobs that are filled/employers lying about if its full or part time etc because indeed you report them and theyre still posting the same "jobs" Worse yet, this job told me they can change the schedule on me last minute and will call me and I need to pickup. I cant do that. I live up to 2 hours away and if im off I do other things. So I won't be jumping.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Survive 1014 I have never understood why full time employment wouldnt come with a fixed schedule.
    via u/Survive1014
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply I was told they only hire like this now. I knew someone who worked for them previously and it all was set, you could optionally pickup OT too which was almost always 3rd shifts. They rely on the new hires to be available and flexible so we can cover for no shows and changes. I have ebay I do as my other job, but I still need more of a routine so I can buy/list/and package stuff too. The job doesn't pay enough to NOT do ebay.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • kawaeri Can you make a request to HR or someone above your manager for the 3rd shift? Maybe wait till February so you are in the clear like you wanted, so you don't get fd by your manager. A lot of places have ways to apply for different departments, and a lot don't go through their managers, some do. However you could ask HR and site it as something that you've been. requesting but your manager has been denying with a decent reason. They may like to know especially if 3rd shift is harder to fil
    via u/kawaeri
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Hr said we can call asking about schedule changes or different placements. Job is similar to nurses that go to different patients in different nursing homes. Theres 24/7 demand, i want to know which ones I need to be wary of. Im worried I call hr and say they give me 3rd shift, but its at a nightmare of a nursing home. I am so angry all of this would be prevented if they just respected my availability from the gate.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Candy Temporary7074 i'd be pissed too. you were clear from the start, you even tried to meet them halfway, and they still gave you the one shift you begged not to have. the drive alone is exhausting, and doing it in rush hour every day would drain anyone, especially if mornings already hit you hard
    via u/CandyTemporary7074
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Glad im talking to my coworkers because they are spilling tea. I signed the offer letter knowing it would be bad, but I dont have a choice at the moment. My spouse got fired after his job set him up to fail and retialated when he got injured at work. He's applying and so many places arent actually hiring or it's bait and switch for lower wages and part time bs.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Keptlosingmylogins Its a control thing they more than likely got from some dickbag "corporate bro" its done so you feel indebted to them for the job.
    via u/Keptlosingmylogins
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Agreed. The fact they gave it to someone with the same experience and everything as me, just proves it. Ill stomach the bs until my spouse gets working again. Plan is thats when I quit otherwise I need a more consistent schedule that has NO first shifts.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • Barbarake Could it possibly be that they wanted more experience for night shift workers? When I was a nurse, you had to have a certain amount of experience to work nights since there was so much less supervision. Could the other new hires have had more experience? I'm grasping at straws here. Typically third shift is much harder to fill then first so this doesn't make much sense.
    via u/Barbarake
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Its not nursing, just didnt want to give too much info. For this job, the nights are a lot easier as theres less stuff going on. Maybe hr thinks its harder? Ive had this issue a lot before where my availability and preference is thrown out the window. I think this was a power trip and the woman who makes the schedule giving me a middle finger.
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • GracieGirly7229 Why did you take the job? I don't mean that in a mean but you said yes to the job because there are no other jobs available. Yes it sucks that you don't get to dictate your own schedule but you signed up knowing the possibilities. You can't start making demands on your first day. If it doesn't work for you then keep looking for another job. If there are no other jobs then be happy you're making money and keep looking for something more suited to you. Change your mindset, change y
    via u/GracieGirly7229
  • HuckleberryKey8142 Original Poster's Reply Trying to find anything thats full time right now is not easy. But since your curious, my spouse got fired after his job retaliated to his workplace injury. Bills don't stop. Im trying not to become homeless as we need to keep paying these bills. These jobs suck. They dont pay enough or offer enough hours. This was the first better paying thing that was also full time. Not everyone has a supportive family they can run back too. It's hard our here for ev
    via u/HuckleberryKey8142
  • disappointedvet This is surely intentional. Whether you deserve it or not, they decided that they don't like you or decided that they didn't like being asked for specific shifts. There's no good reason for running a business and managing employee schedules like this. Your boss is a small and miserable person.
    via u/disappointedvet

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