Manager Neglects Employee's Warning to Fill Up a Vacant Weekend Position, Gets Demoted for It

A manager ignored an employee’s warning about filling a vacant weekend shift, then acted shocked when the employee did not magically appear. The whole thing went down with Brenda in charge, and it ended with the manager getting demoted, not the person who was trying to work. He told Brenda he’d be available to cover specific days, and instead of scheduling him, she sent an extra-long email about work ethics and respecting colleagues’ time. The kicker was that she never actually contacted him to confirm anything, and somehow the OP still got blamed.

Here’s the part that really stings, the OP was promoted to full-time shortly after Brenda left.

The OP kicks off his story with a title

Reddit/Dargad082

The OP often had to ask around for extra shifts to make ends meet

Reddit/Dargad082

The OP often told her that he'd be available for more shifts to cover X or Y

Reddit/Dargad082

Her response was an extra-long email on work ethics and respect for colleagues' time

Reddit/Dargad082

They couldn't just put the OP on the schedule and expect him to show up

Reddit/Dargad082

The OP made it clear that she made no attempt to contact him

Reddit/Dargad082

The OP ended up being promoted to full-time shortly after Brenda left

Reddit/Dargad082

To summarize the whole story...

Reddit/Dargad082

Here is some extra information about the bits and pieces in the story

Reddit/Dargad082

There is a process to improve employee performance

Reddit/Dargad082

She realized too late that she had messed up

Reddit/Dargad082

The Reddit post has over 23k upvotes with more than 200 comments. Below are some of their replies.

Reddit/Dargad082

The OP’s pattern was clear from the start, he kept asking for shifts and offering to cover X or Y weekend gaps.</p>

This also echoes the coworker who had a family emergency, then left you stuck covering shifts.

Brenda responded the way managers do when they want to sound serious, a long lecture email about work ethics instead of putting him on the schedule.</p>

When the time came to cover the vacant weekend position, the OP made it plain that Brenda made no attempt to contact him at all.</p>

After Brenda left, the timeline turned brutal, the OP got promoted to full-time, while she faced consequences and ended up demoted.</p>

Someone also shared a similar story

I’ve had something similar happen to me when I worked at the Blue Light Special Store. I would check the schedule and see I was off on such-and-such a day, two or three days out. I’d check it daily to make sure, and up until the last day I was working that week, I was scheduled off that day.Well, like you, I’d be doing something on that off day, and I’d get called, asking where I was, that I was supposed to be working from 8 AM (when the store opened) to 5 PM. I asked when the schedule changed. They’d say last night before closing. I asked exactly when. They’d say something like 6 or 7 PM. Well, that’s odd, because when I checked the schedule when I left yesterday at FIVE O’CLOCK, it said I was still off. They asked if I could come in. I really needed the hours, but I said I couldn’t; I was in the middle of something I couldn’t break away from. That “something” might have been watching TV, playing some games, washing dishes, or just doing nothing.

Sounds like they were trying to get you fired

Reddit/Dargad082

Things would have never changed

Reddit/Dargad082

Just because you hold a high position doesn't mean that you can handle everything. Sometimes, it's important to listen and seek help where necessary.

What do you think about this story? Tell us in the comments section below, and don't forget to share this post with others.

The manager tried to punish absence, but the real absence was her communication.

Before you judge, read how the coworker skipped a concert and demanded an OT pay split.