accommodating staff returning to college.

andyseadog · 04-05-2011 3:03am #1

Right, i may give a timeline of events, it would be simplest. i'm working for a large supermarket firm, not sure if i'm allowed name names or not, so i won't for the moment.

-09/ 2009 let go from my full time job

11/ 2009 start new job with supermarket 'x' as a temp member of christmas staff

01/ 2010 work ends at supermarket 'x' like they said it would and i sign back on the dole

05/ 2010 supermarket 'x' call offering me a job doing 20 hours a week and i sign contract saying the same.

07/ 2010 personnel manager asks me to cover someone elses shift on nights for 3 weeks only

after 2 weeks the personnel manager gets transfered to a new store and the new personnel manager that arrives at the store i'm working for refuses to take me off nights.

05/ 2011 and i'm still on nights. i've applied for every internal position available on days and have been rejected for them all despite (in a non tooting my own horn fashon) being the best qualified person to do the job in some cases. i feel now they think (know) i am just applying for every daytime position available to get off the night shift and they are not giving me some positions because they know i'm just going to chance my arm at everything now.

nights really aren't suiting where i'm at in life now and i feel a bit let down by the firm, i've tried discussing things with the store manager and personnel manager but to no avail.

i plan to return to full time education in September of this year, i have another internal interview coming up in a fortnight for a daytime role, and honestly i genuinely need this job, its evening and weekend shifts, i will need my job to pay my way through college and i couldn't possibly continue to work nights while going to college during the day and at the same time couldn't possibly fund college without my job. should i mention this in the interview or will they just see that as another plot by me to get off the night shift?

the company says they always do their best to accommodate staff returning to education, but i don't know if i should just sit tight on nights until August and then tell them then and see what they do and hope i get a daytime position in the meantime?

has anyone any advice on my situation? i'm really at my wits end here. if i had have known the job was going to be a night shift i wouldn't have signed up for it (and i didn't 'sign up' for a night shift), it's most definitely taking a toll on the rest of my life yet i know it would be foolish to leave the job because they aren't easily come by these days and i'd really like to rectify the situation.

any help or advice greatly appreciated.
apologies for the massive essay but thanks for reading

Mrs OBumble · 05-05-2011 12:29am

Look for a job in another company?

Sounds to me like they know you will work nights, so why should they get someone else to cover them.

tenchi-fan · 05-05-2011 12:17pm

This is a technique knowing as "taking a yard".. as in, you gave an inch and they took a yard.

Does you contract mention your hours are 6-10? or does it say your hours or as rostered and can be varied in line with operational demands?

Regardless of whatever agreement you think you had with your old manager, the reality is you're working nights and your contract doesn't say otherwise. I think you should start looking for a new job if you're not happy.