Boss texts employee the day before to come in at 10 AM on mother's day despite previously saying 4:30 PM: 'I now have commitments in the morning'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 11, 2026 4:30 PM EDT

Would you skip your Mother's Day plans to work a last-minute shift?

If you have the type of job that requires you to be on call all the time, then you might be used to shuffling things around at the last minute. But if you're used to a schedule, any shifts in it can throw your whole week off-balance. And it can usually be avoided with the proper planning. As the adage goes, "A lack of planning on your end does not constitute an emergency on mine." And this couldn't be truer. Especially at work. You don't want to be responsible for the work emergencies of your higher-ups. It's their job to plan, and it's your job to show up on time and do the work. But they can't expect you to bend to their will just because they said so. 

Answering a work text after hours is a much-debated topic. In some cases, you definitely have to. You have to make sure that you're communicating with thoughtfulness and promptness. Some jobs require this of you, and you don't mind because they give you something in return. But then there are the jobs that require your attention outside of work because they don't respect your time. They think that just because you work for them, you're on the hook all the time. That's what happened in this story, where a boss decided that their last-minute schedule change was more important than their employee's plans. 

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    A woman looks at her phone, dejected
    via Kev Costello

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

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    Boss texted day before we have to work at 10am on mother's day.

    11:53 AM reated this group chat with you and 3 others Hey everybody, with tomorrow being Mother's Day, we are doing a buffet and instead of 4-7:30, we will need you all to work 10-3:00. Thank you. 11:53 AM + Create event Okay Sounds good No prob RCS message 帅
    via zombiexo_o

  • Mother's Day can be a pretty big holiday, depending on where you are. Maybe you spend it with family. Maybe you make plans to get together and celebrate the mothers in your life. Maybe it's one of the only days in the year when you can get together and enjoy each other's company. Either way, it's not right to make plans and then have to bail out on them. Most work emergencies aren't really emergencies at all, and shouldn't be treated as such. At least this one wasn't. Keep scrolling to read what happened here and see what you think.

  • 03
    he set my shift to 4:30 originally, so I made plans to volunteer tomorrow morning and he just tells me this not even 24 hours before.
    via zombiexo_o
  • 04
    A woman holds a cell phone in her hands
    via Julio Lopez

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

  • 05

    Commenters said how they would have dealt with it.

    CouplePurple9241 "Based on the original schedule you provided, I now have commitments in the morning. See you at 4:30 tomorrow."
    via CouplePurple9241
  • 06
    grilledcheese2332 Did they not know mothers day was coming up? Their fault for not scheduling properly.
    via grilledcheese2332
  • 07
    viewtiful14 How this would play me: shows up at 4:30 Boss: "DIDN'T YOU SEE MY TEXT!!!!!"
    via viewtiful14
  • 08
    Me: "Nope I was scheduled at 4:30" That's it. I don't care don't text me I won't respond.
    via viewtiful14
  • 09
    WatDaFuxRong These kind of jobs are a joke. Like this shouldn't even be legal.
    via WatDaFuxRong
  • 10
    WakingOwl1 Depending on what state you're in there may be a law related to how much notice you need for a schedule change and whether or not it has to be in writing.
    via WakingOwl1
  • 11
    hotwaterwithlemonpls "I am unavailable at those hours. See you at 4:30."
    via hotwaterwithlemonpls
  • 12
    sveeger I don't see an am or pm, so just blow it off and say you showed later.
    via sveeger
  • 13
    JMarchPineville Sounds like a good day to be sick at home
    via JMarchPineville
  • 14
    erwaro Remember: abysmal failure to plan on your employers part does not constitute an emergency on your part.
    via erwaro
  • 15
    AntiqueTwitterMilk "Sorry boss. I am already obligated to a personal matter after you told me 4p." "What personal matter?"
    via AntiqueTwitterMilk
  • 16
    "I can still come at 4p." Unless you need the money. Then you just go and do the job. S ks that your manager doesn't have things better organized.
    via AntiqueTwitterMilk
  • 17
    Eagle_Fang135 Who is coming for a buffet last minute not advertised? I mean if notice is day before for workers why expect customers to know and show up?
    via Eagle_Fang135
  • 18
    jmw403 Nope. Boss goofed and it's not you're problem. They can ask and even beg, but it's not your fault if you don't show up on the new schedule.
    via jmw403
  • 19
    DPSOnly Understandable, NOBODY knew it was going to be Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May. It is always announced 18 hours beforehand, no sooner than that.
    via DPSOnly
  • 20
    Consistent-Cap-9360 Work communication outside of office hours is not permitted. In Germany, it is outright illegal. The time you were scheduled as of your last
    via Consistent-Cap-9360
  • 21
    shift is the time which stands. You are not obliged to acknowledge work communication until the beginning of your next shift, at the originally scheduled time.
    via Consistent-Cap-9360

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Tags

boss antiwork toxic-workplace job bosses coworkers working workplace bad bosses toxic-work-environment
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