Child care and schedule

leslie :-D · Mar 12, 2008

what the heck am i missing here???

every single nsg student is well aware of the hrs that we are expected to work.

if you can't do the work, then don't take the darned job!!

although employers implementing childcare would be ideal, they are by no means required to.

why should you be more entitled than those who don't have children???

either do your darned job or quit.

no one owes you anything.

this type of attitude really ticks me off...

that you have it owed to you.

work nocs or find an employer that will fit in w/your schedule.

but please, do not take a job then try and change the hours to fit your home schedule.

no one owes you a blessed thing.

leslie

:madface:

Katnip, RN · Mar 12, 2008

While I sympathize with your childcare plight, exactly what is an attorney going to do? There is no legal grounds that I can see on this. They didn't suddenly change a contract on you, you did not put your schedule request on time.

Your employer must cover those shifts. It's not their responsibility to fill in your schedule for you, nor is it their fault that you were sick, any more than it is your fault.

It's not the hospital's responsibility to provide childcare for their employees, either. It's still up to you to get your schedule in on time.

Have you asked if anyone will switch with you

jessiern, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

I hate to say it, but you childcare problems is not your employers problem. They are responsible for filling the holes in the schedule. If everyone else is required to work every other weekend, I don't see where it is fair to the others if you don't have to do so as well. I assume you knew you would be required to do that when you took the job?

The only think I see that would be fair is if you agreed to work every saturday to get the sundays off, and that's only if they can find someone willing to cover the sundays too. I'm sorry you are in the situation, but really your job is responsible for your childcare.

ABQLNDRN · Mar 12, 2008

While I sympathize with your childcare plight, exactly what is an attorney going to do? There is no legal grounds that I can see on this. They didn't suddenly change a contract on you, you did not put your schedule request on time.
Your employer must cover those shifts. It's not their responsibility to fill in your schedule for you, nor is it their fault that you were sick, any more than it is your fault.
It's not the hospital's responsibility to provide childcare for their employees, either. It's still up to you to get your schedule in on time.
Have you asked if anyone will switch with you

My schedule request was turned in ahead of time. It's just that (apparently, as I was told) other people asked for the day before I did. In the past, this has not been the criteria for getting the day off. Yes, I have asked people to switch with me. No one can.

I'm not saying it's my employer's responsibility to provide childcare. I have daycare 6 out of 7 days a week. I am saying that, if I have informed them that I do not have childcare on a particular day, they should not put me in a no-win situation by scheduling me anyway. By doing that, they are forcing me into a situation in which I have to call in because (according to their own HR policy [which makes sense]) one cannot bring one's children to work. Then, when I call in, I face the possibility of getting written up. If one gets written up enough, one gets fired. So, by scheduling me on days they know I can't come in, they are ultimately setting me up to get fired. That's where the attorney comes in.

I am simply asking them not to schedule me on the ONE day that I am not available. They can schedule me for whatever else they want. If they insist that I work when I can't due to childcare issues, then they should provide a means by which I can work--i.e., provide the childcare that I need.

jessiern, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

I do understand it is a bad situation that you are in, but you have to look at this from the POV of your employeer.

Most hospital nurse positions require nurses to work some weekends. No one likes to do that. And I have seen from time to time nurses requests every Sunday off for church, or childcare purposes, ect. Other nurses have gotten upset by when they are allowed this. Becuase someone had to cover that shift, and most people dont' want to split weekends. That why your employeer is giving you problems. And you are required to work certain holidays. If you are new to the facility, and I assume you are since I saw your post about your dissatisfaction with orientation, other nurses arent' going to respond well to you asking for special treatment (regardless of the why, you are asking for special treatment), especially if it disrupts their schedule.

labcat01, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

WOW! I am a little suprised by the reactions to your post. Good grief!

I am definitely sympathetic to your plight. They have known all along that you are not available on Sundays and for them to turn it around does seem a bit unfair.

Could you not trade a holiday with someone else?

ABQLNDRN · Mar 12, 2008

I do understand it is a bad situation that you are in, but you have to look at this from the POV of your employeer.
Most hospital nurse positions require nurses to work some weekends. No one likes to do that. And I have seen from time to time nurses requests every Sunday off for church, or childcare purposes, ect. Other nurses have gotten upset by when they are allowed this. Becuase someone had to cover that shift, and most people dont' want to split weekends. That why your employeer is giving you problems. And you are required to work certain holidays. If you are new to the facility, and I assume you are since I saw your post about your dissatisfaction with orientation, other nurses arent' going to respond well to you asking for special treatment (regardless of the why, you are asking for special treatment), especially if it disrupts their schedule.

Jessie,

I am not new to the facility. I have been there almost three years. Easter is not a paid holiday for us. If it was, I would gladly trade with someone if I could. There are other nurses on my floor who are given every Sunday off because they "want to go to church," which I personally completely support. So, I am not asking for special treatment anymore than they are. In fact, if wanting to go to church were the only reason I would want Sundays off, I would still work a Sunday or two a schedule. Hey, I love working the weekends! More pay! In short, they ARE available, they are just not being asked to work Sundays.

I don't like to ask people to mess up their schedules by asking them to trade days with me, so I only do it if I absolutely have to. I don't like to disrupt any plans that they may potentially have. That's one reason I don't like being in this situation. I am a huge team player and wholeheartedly believe in working together and helping each other out. I also completely understand the need to cover the floor. I actually work OT as much as possible to help with this!

Anywho, I am going to put in my schedule requests through the year 2088 when I get back to work on Friday. Hopefully that will help. And hopefully I can work Sundays someday so I can avoid this whole mess!:icon_roll

leslie :-D · Mar 12, 2008

i've always been under the impression that holidays are exempt from one's normal working schedule.

it sounds like the employer has been accommodating op's requests up until this particular time.

i'm also inclined to think that when running a business, treating employees equally trumps treating employees fairly.

Easter Sunday is a highly religious holiday- one that many look forward to.

in that respect, it seems 'fair' the procedure was followed in requesting this day off:

and that religious considerations are as important as childcare.

i think if the op makes a huge deal over this (hr, ceo, atty), she may end up shooting herself in the foot.

hope you can work this out with another employee.

leslie

ABQLNDRN · Mar 12, 2008

what the heck am i missing here???
every single nsg student is well aware of the hrs that we are expected to work.
if you can't do the work, then don't take the darned job!!
although employers implementing childcare would be ideal, they are by no means required to.
why should you be more entitled than those who don't have children???
either do your darned job or quit.
no one owes you anything.
this type of attitude really ticks me off...
that you have it owed to you.
work nocs or find an employer that will fit in w/your schedule.
but please, do not take a job then try and change the hours to fit your home schedule.
no one owes you a blessed thing.
leslie

I do not think anything is "owed" to me, I am available 6/7 days/week, they knew about the Sunday issue when I was hired. I didn't say that employers were "required" to do anything, but if they are going to ask me to work a day on which I have stated that I have no childcare, then they should help me secure childcare. Please don't tell me what I think...I don't think I'm "entitled" or "owed" anything...I try not to tell people what they think because then I might seem presumptive and arrogant.

ABQLNDRN · Mar 12, 2008

WOW! I am a little suprised by the reactions to your post. Good grief!
I am definitely sympathetic to your plight. They have known all along that you are not available on Sundays and for them to turn it around does seem a bit unfair.
Could you not trade a holiday with someone else?

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

eccentricRN · Mar 12, 2008

Sorry, but I'm a mother too... and in order to be available to work my scheduled shifts I have to work NOCs. My husband works PMs & days would be great, but not avail... I too have to get daycare, it's what parents have to do... so I should have to work every weekend or every Sunday in your case, just because you cannot, I would find that very unfair. Asking for an occasional Sunday would be acceptable, but every Sunday is abusive...

Now on the other hand apparently your facility has opened up a can a worms by allowing staff to make such requests & has allowed someone to avoid a required shift repeatedly... at my facility we get to put down what we'd "prefer" to work, but with the understanding that you'll more than likely end up working the exact opposite.

One last option is to use PTO, or a sick day... other than that I just can't feel that you have a leg to stand on... Good luck!