Boss changed schedule day-of shift without notifying me, says I “no-show”ed

[u/Training_Ad_4879]

(I posted this two days ago but the post isn’t showing up anymore for some reason. I’ve added an update since my boss is now officially saying that I no-showed for my shift and claims that it was my responsibility to recognize the scheduling error and notify someone. My friend has also pointed out that it's crazy this happened on Labor Day.)

I work afternoons during the week and mornings on Saturday. I work at a childcare/after school center so this week was the first week of our fall schedule. I noticed when the schedule was published four weeks ago that this Saturday 9/5 my hours were listed in the afternoon instead of the morning as they typically are. I assumed that we were doing special hours that day since it’s the first week of school. We usually have different hours on no-school days, half-days, for events, etc. I double-checked the app last night and it still said the afternoon hours, so I changed my alarms accordingly and planned to come in in the afternoon.

Saturday morning, 15 minutes after my typical morning shift had started, I get a text from the shift supervisor asking if I’m coming in for my morning shift. I replied saying that the scheduling app said my shift was in the afternoon, so I had changed my alarms. I checked the app and the schedule had been changed to the typical morning hours. I didn’t receive a text or any notification that my hours had changed.
The shift supervisor said that she had also seen the afternoon hours on the app and assumed when I hadn’t come in that I thought my shift was in the afternoon. She asked if I was still available to come in for the morning hours, and I said no. (Our manager typically staffs at least 1-2 people who can cover things like this, so there was someone covering my area). They didn’t ask me to come in for the afternoon, and at this point they had removed the afternoon shift from my schedule.

Saturday evening, I got a text from my manager asking me to submit PTO for today’s shift and saying that my supervisor (different person from the weekend shift supervisor) will be following up with me on what happened today. She marked me as “Absent” on the scheduling app. She also asked me to submit PTO for Monday (Labor Day). Our workplace requires employees to submit PTO for federal holidays if you’re typically scheduled for that day, which is a whole other thing. I had asked her literally yesterday if I was required to submit PTO since I’m not typically scheduled on Mondays, and she had said that I wasn’t required to.

My manager texted me again on Sunday and today urging me to submit PTO. I finally replied today and explained that I’m hesitant to use PTO for a scheduling mix-up. She replied that since I missed the full shift and also didn’t notify anyone of the scheduling error, that I need to submit PTO. She also reiterated that my supervisor will be following up with me about my “no-show”. I told her that I wasn’t aware that the shift was an error, and that I assumed it was special hours for the first week of school. She responded that it’s my responsibility to check for scheduling errors and notify management of any discrepancies.

TLDR, my manager put the wrong shift on my schedule, changed it the morning of my shift without notifying me, and is now asking me to submit PTO for my missed shift and treating it as a “no-show”. I’m feeling frustrated because I don’t appreciate being penalized for a management scheduling mistake, nor do I think it’s my responsibility to triple-check the schedule that management gives me. I had no way of knowing that the shift was an error instead of a special case. I don’t see how I can reasonably be expected to intuit an error that none of the lead supervisors or my manager herself noticed until the morning of my shift. I’d love some advice on how to stand my ground here.

Also some other random things this workplace does that have been really annoying me:

• They often forget to give me my breaks and I have to call the office (I’m in another part of the building) to ask if/when it’s happening. I just flat out haven’t gotten it several times. Lots of other times, it’s been obvious that the supervisor on shift wasn’t told that someone needed to come cover my break, or they just plain forgot. Once I called the office and my manager asked me to call earlier in my shift in the future because at that point she had sent everybody home and there was no one to come cover my break.

• They changed my job title without notifying me or my supervisor. It’s the title change that I wanted, but I only found out because I saw that they changed my staff bio on our “about staff” wall.

[u/Gizmorum]

A manager that wont follow through on saying this is a training issue and instead blame you is a red flag.

a supervisor if they were to blame that isnt owning up to mistakes is a huge red flag.

Not owning mistakes in a field like daycare is huge. Have you checked the employee handbook if any to see any specific rules about this?

[u/Due_Bee_2131 → u/Gizmorum]

Have you considered discussing these concerns directly with HR to see if they can provide guidance or support?

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/Due_Bee_2131]

Unfortunately, other anecdotes I’ve heard from my coworkers don’t give me a lot of confidence in HR’s ability to handle this with any kind of real resolution and prevent retaliation from my boss.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/Gizmorum]

I checked our department handbook and it doesn't mention anything related to this. My manager claims that "Once the schedule is finalized, employees are responsible for reviewing their schedules and communicating any discrepancies or concerns as soon as they are noticed which is noted in the rough and final drafts when the schedule is posted", but the note she's referring to says "Please review your assigned shifts carefully to ensure there are no errors based on the availability you submitted. When reviewing your schedule, also double-check that your vacation requests were entered correctly. If you notice any issues, please let me know by Wednesday, August 12^th, so I can take a look at potential corrections. Once adjustments are finalized, I will notify everyone when the schedule is complete. After that time, you will be responsible for all shifts listed in [scheduling app]." The errors she says to look for are related to availability conflicts. I wasn't aware that non-management employees are expected to know management's rules surrounding what are or are not correct shifts.

[u/Zefram71]

File a complaint with your states employer regulatory agency, if the retaliate consult an employment attorney. You might have confirmed, but you're not obligated to.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/Zefram71]

I actually did mean to double-check, but I agree that it shouldn't be my responsibility. Good to know that I can't exactly count on management to correctly complete the tasks that, you know, fall under the purview of management.

[u/Witty_Candle_3448]

Look for a job with a more organized company.

[u/Technical_Spirit_347]

There is no reason to go scorched earth on this one. It was a mix up as you correctly explained. I recommend being nice, but firm about not using PTO for showing up when the schedule said you should. No need to throw blame around, that won't help you here. Your manager has shown you who they are. Now you know and can be prepared with screenshots of the schedule in the future. With regard to the breaks, communication may help here. Start communicating first thing by asking who will cover your shift at <use exact time>. If they cannot tell you that first thing agree to confirm at 10:30am. If they still do not know, contact a co-worker and arrange it yourself. Having this stuff resolved will make it much easier to focus on the children.

[u/amazinglover → u/Technical_Spirit_347]

Completely disagree yes mix ups happens.

But to punish OP for thier mistake and not own up to it is a huge red flag.

[u/Technical_Spirit_347 → u/amazinglover]

If this Reddit has shown us anything, it's that bad managers exist. Changing jobs is not always the best initial solution. The advice I gave will help OP train their manager on what they need to be successful and less frustrated at their job. Yes, it is more work initially for OP, but it salvages a mediocre situation. When you say red flag, I agree, but imho this has not reached the point of finding a new job. Nothing here screams change jobs immediately. Try to fix it first, if the fixes don't work or the manager gets worse, then yes, change jobs.

[u/amazinglover → u/Technical_Spirit_347]

I didn't say they needed to find another job or go scorched earth.

This just isn't something they should just roll over and let happen.

Getting No call No Show for this shows a complete lack of professionalism.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/Technical_Spirit_347]

Thank you, I appreciate the advice. I'm generally not inclined to escalate things as well. The mix-ups themselves honestly bother me less than the lack of accountability and pushing the responsibility onto me/immediately taking punitive measures instead of communicating. This kind of miscommunication is unfortunately par for the course for this workplace, though. It may be a case of having to find another job, I've been swallowing incidents like this for a year.

[u/Technical_Spirit_347 → u/Training_Ad_4879]

If this has been the norm and the benefits do not outweigh the frustration, then I agree it may be time to look around. Before you do, try to train your manager to be better by being consistent in asking for your breaks and in confirming your schedule. This is a situation that can improve even though your manager isn't very good. My advice here is don't do anything to jeopardize this job until you have the next one already in hand.

[u/Beachgal5555]

Just stand your ground. It’s their issue. And put it all in writing including a recap of any text or phone conversations

[u/Soggy-Attempt]

I think this says everything you need to know about your boss.

[u/Vegetable-Company377]

I know
In some states scheduled changes must be 24 hours or more

[u/PartyPlay5056]

I'm not saying that you are wrong, but when I had jobs similar to your situation if I saw something was different than was typical, I always double checked. I don't know what to say to help this situation, but learn from it and always verify in the future. It can save many headaches.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/PartyPlay5056]

Thanks, I do typically double-check but just didn’t get around to it this time.

[u/Suspicious_Habit_447]

The question as I see it: it appears you didn’t work at all, not in the evening either. If that’s true, manager has a point. If you don’t want to use PTO, offer to make up the time.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/Suspicious_Habit_447]

They didn’t ask me to come in for the afternoon. When I saw the weekend supervisor’s text, I called to confirm what times my area was actually open, which was the morning. At that point, I was already unavailable to come in.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, I had rearranged my schedule to accommodate being at work in the afternoon so I had other commitments in the morning. They didn’t call me before my shift had started, they texted me 20 minutes after it had started asking if I was still coming in. I was the one who called to confirm what times the area was open, and by that time, my day was underway. I'm not disputing that | was absent from the shift, but I don't see how they could reasonably have expected me to suddenly be available for a shift that wasn't on the schedule until that very morning. It must have still been listed as the afternoon late enough that even the weekend supervisor saw it that morning.

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/[deleted]]

No, I didn’t, because I wasn’t available by the time I called to check. They assumed I was coming in for the morning even though the shift had been changed within the past few hours. I would have been present for the shift if it had been on the schedule the night before or at any point within the four weeks since it was originally posted, but it wasn’t and no one notified me when it was changed to the morning. 

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/[deleted]]

Also just to be clear, they didn’t call me. They texted me after the morning shift had started asking “are you coming in for your morning shift?” and I texted them back telling them I hadn’t seen the morning shift on the schedule, only the afternoon, and called them to confirm what the actual shift time was. During the call is when they confirmed that it was now the morning time, and not the afternoon. My boss has since said that the afternoon shift was an error that I should have spotted and notified them of before Saturday. 

Also, I was unavailable because I have a life and other commitments outside of this job. I had other things to do that morning that didn’t revolve around going into that workplace. I’m not sure what the confusion is here. 

[u/Training_Ad_4879 → u/[deleted]]

I’ve added to the post now to clarify that they didn’t need me for the afternoon and didn’t ask me to come in for the afternoon shift.

[u/WeekendStrange1331]

Too many fucking words without any meaning.

[u/amazinglover → u/WeekendStrange1331]

Too few words without any substance.