Manager forces convenience store employee to work 14-hour shift after coverage doesn't show up: 'My manager would rather us work 16 hours than close the store'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 6, 2026 9:00 PM EDT

Should you be forced to pick up your coworker's slack?

When you're on a 'team,' you're probably expected to act like a team. But that only goes so far. You don't want to be held accountable for other people's messes, even if you share some amount of responsibility. If someone else is bad at their job, it's not your job to come in and fix it. It's your job to mind your business, show up when they need you, and do your best, especially in workplaces where respect is a limited resource. They don't treat you how you want to be treated, so you can only do so much for them. That's what happened in this story, where an employee was consistently punished for their coworker's shortcomings. 

When you're working a long shift, the last thing you want to do is more work. If you've been planning to leave at a certain time, and then you can't leave then, it's devastating. You know this if you've experienced it. You've summoned up all your energy to get through the day, knowing that you'll clock out at 4 PM. But if 4 PM rolls around and you suddenly have to stay another hour, that's going to be the longest hour of your life. I don't make the rules. That's why it's so frustrating when management doles out uneven hours and leaves their employees hanging when they least expect it. That's what kept happening to this employee, who figured that there had to be a better way.

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  • A brightly lit convenience store from the outside
    via wyyz

  • Manager makes me work 14 hours if 3rd shift doesn't show up, rather than letting me close and go home. Could use some advice.

    My manager works 4am-1pm, so she's asleep by around 6pm Anyway, I work 2pm-10pm at a 24/7 convenience store. Sometimes the lady who works overnight doesn't show up
    via Thellie11
  • Therefore, I'm expected to stay until the manager gets there in the morning. However, I've closed up once or twice recently and she gets furious. Usually sends me a nasty text about how that's "job abandonment" and how "I'll get fired if I do it again."
    via Thellie11
  • The real question is, why is it always my fault for not wanting to work 16 hours, but never my coworkers fault for not showing up. My manager always says call me or the assistant manager if she doesn't show, one of us will relieve you. But then when I do that, they're both asleep
    via Thellie11
  • It's just annoying how my manager would rather us work 16 hours than close the store. I don't understand. Maybe it's to avoid corporate yelling at her, who knows
    via Thellie11

  • When someone else keeps failing to show up, that's not your fault. That's their fault. So why should you be punished for it? It's unfortunately a common situation, and one that this worker was being pushed into by their manager, who didn't respect their time. They needed to outsource some second and third opinions to get a full grasp of this situation. Keep scrolling and tell us what you think in the comments.

  • Commenters gave their takes on the situation.

    mis_1022 They said call them. Steps to take in order. Call them, leave message and text Janet didn't show up. I am locking up unless I hear from you in 30 minutes. Step2,
    via mis_1022
  • after 30 minutes lock up. Not your problem you are not the manager. Will they gas light you, yes sounds like it but not your problem.
    via mis_1022
  • bstrauss3 Call them -- that's the manager's job. It may s k to be them but it's the manager's job it's not your job.
    via bstrauss3
  • MossGobbo Put a sign on the door and close. If the manger wants the store open then they can either come in the cover the shift, hire more reliable staff, or deal with a partially closed store.
    via MossGobbo
  • zoppaTheDim First off, wake them up. That's what they get paid extra for. It is their worry, not yours. So wake them up. Multiple messages, multiple calls, document your attempts to wake them up.
    via zoppaTheDim
  • Your manager has the responsibility to cover absences, not you, once again, that is why the manager makes more money than you.
    via zoppaTheDim
  • A young convenience store worker writes on a clipboard
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • ItBeMe_For_Real Not answering their phone? That sounds like job abandonment. Pull the reverse job abandonment Uno on your boss.
    via ItBeMe_For_Real
  • "Hey, it's 10:10, Nancy hasn't shown up. You told me to call you and you're not answering. I'm locking. up & goin home."
    via ItBeMe_For_Real
  • Crystalraf I get held over at my job and work 18 hours sometimes. But I get paid 1.5x my hourly rate for each extra hour that wasn't already scheduled and I get an overtime meal
    via Crystalraf
  • delivered from Bennigans on the company dime. And it doesn't happen very often. And I make over 30 an hour, so the math works out..... I would push for overtime pay after the 8 hour shift,
    via Crystalraf
  • any additional hours in a 24 hour period worked you get 1.5x rate PLUS 2 dollars an hour shift differential for working the night shift PLUS a pizza delivered to the store. If they can't or won't do the absolute minimum of paying overtime for the extra shift, you close it up.
    via Crystalraf
  • Soft_Analyst_9081 Is this a local business or a chain? If a chain, they most likely have a procedure for this in a handbook. If a local thing, you need to make them create one. Stay at work many extra hours isn't a reasonable request.
    via Soft_Analyst_9081
  • In cases document everything. The advice to call them, leave a message and state you will close within X minutes if you don't hear from them, is great. But document everything.
    via Soft_Analyst_9081
  • Ninja_Squirrel_Army If they haven't fired the person who no shows, they aren't gonna fire you.
    via Ninja_Squirrel_Army
  • A convenience store worker stands at the cashier
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Rhueless Scheduling someone to start exactly when your shift ends and the other person is unreliable? Seems like poor management and poor planning.
    via Rhueless
  • At the end of your shift, text your manager that you have a family emergency and cannot stay past your scheduled hours.include the hours of the ahift. Shut down and text that she may want to come in to reopen.
    via Rhueless
  • The next time this happen, text at the end of your shift that you have a prior commitment and can't stay past your regularly scheduled house. Lock up and leave.
    via Rhueless
  • If they fire you, you'll have a well documented grievance. But also look for another job with managers that are better planners.
    via Rhueless
  • Professor_squirrelz Can you contact your district manager and ask them what to do in that situation?
    via Professor_squirrelz
  • Glittering Matter369 That's not reasonable, expecting you to stay for a full extra shift with no real backup plan is on management, not you, and calling it job abandonment doesn't line up if you tried
    via Glittering_Matter369
  • reaching them and got nothing. If they want a 24/7 store, they need someone actually on call and responsive, not just saying call us and then being unavailable. I'd start documenting every time this
    via Glittering_Matter369
  • happens, who you called and when, just to cover yourself, and ask them to clarify the exact policy for when no one shows and no manager answers because right now all the risk is being pushed onto you, which isn't sustainable.
    via Glittering_Matter369
  • Ok_Neighborhood_470 First. Working at a gas station is about the worst job there is. The actual work and customers are ok. But the pay leads to lots of people quitting and calling out and cranky burnt
    via Ok_Neighborhood_470
  • out managers being nasty. The fact that they're open 24/7 just to sell junk food at 3am at the expense of underpaid people who deserve to sleep normally tells you all there is to know.
    via Ok_Neighborhood_470
  • But I get some people have no choice. When I worked 2nd shift, the day manager would split the overnight with me. So I'd stay 4 more hours and she'd come in 4 hours early. This is at least fair. But if this happens a lot
    via Ok_Neighborhood_470
  • they need to find a more reliable night shift worker. Or she needs to work those nights and let the assistant do the days shifts. You can just refuse to stay. They won't fire you, they're already desperate for help as it is. That b is bluffing...
    via Ok_Neighborhood_470

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace manager job coworkers working bad bosses
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