Archived availability conflicts

[judgemental]

so recently ive changed my availability again due to me getting a summer job, but for some reason my hr has been making it a pain in the butt.

the thing is that this summer job has been going on since i first started working at target (2 years now). so basically every summer i change my availability to this and it's never ever ever been a problem. it doesn't conflict with anything and i can still easily work the amount of hours per week.

my hr person says that i NEED to have open availability on the weekends and isn't going to accept my change. even though i am open on weekends, but just from opening to 4 in the afternoon. that gives me a chance to freely work 8 hours or even still work any four hour shifts...

i guess my concern or more rant is the fact that my hr is being a hard ass and isn't letting me change it. they told me that it's because of attendance issues, but i don't think it's really my problem that other's arent coming in. i extend, i come in, i work in other parts of the store as well and help everyone.... but i can't have this simple 3 month availability change because of others? that's kind of annoying

 

[Retail Girl]

So what you are saying is that for the entire summer everyone else should have to close so you can have those nights off. I don't know your work center, or how many others there are, but if I were your coworker, I'd be pretty pissed if I got stuck with all of the closing shifts every weekend.

 

[DoWork]

Those are prime hours off. A vast majority of the store would want your schedule.

 

[unknown]

I think he said he was working another job during those hours. So not exactly off.

If they have let you do it in the past, then there is a precedent set. Follow it.

This is no different than if some college students are working summers in their hometown Targets. The third year, their hr says, oh by the way, you can't leave and cone back next year. We need you now. So it's either quit or stay. But you can't change your availability.

 

[Noiinteam]

so recently ive changed my availability again due to me getting a summer job, but for some reason my hr has been making it a pain in the butt.

the thing is that this summer job has been going on since i first started working at target (2 years now). so basically every summer i change my availability to this and it's never ever ever been a problem. it doesn't conflict with anything and i can still easily work the amount of hours per week.

my hr person says that i NEED to have open availability on the weekends and isn't going to accept my change. even though i am open on weekends, but just from opening to 4 in the afternoon. that gives me a chance to freely work 8 hours or even still work any four hour shifts...

i guess my concern or more rant is the fact that my hr is being a hard ass and isn't letting me change it. they told me that it's because of attendance issues, but i don't think it's really my problem that other's arent coming in. i extend, i come in, i work in other parts of the store as well and help everyone.... but i can't have this simple 3 month availability change because of others? that's kind of annoying

Do you have a different hr person that was not aware that you have worked this schedule since you started? We have college kids that are always coming and going. In my mind this is no different. Calmly have another conversation with him/her and hopefully things will work out for you.

 

[Retail Girl]

I think he said he was working another job during those hours. So not exactly off.

If they have let you do it in the past, then there is a precedent set. Follow it.

This is no different than if some college students are working summers in their hometown Targets. The third year, their hr says, oh by the way, you can't leave and cone back next year. We need you now. So it's either quit or stay. But you can't change your availability.

There is a huge difference. This doesn't involve throwing another coworker (or two) into the world's worst schedule for three months. We'd all love to not work weekend nights for perfectly valid reasons...but unless you work a work center that doesn't work those hours, or unless you are a cashier or another heavily staffed position where the same person isn't going to be stuck covering those shifts, then I think there are good reasons to at the very least have a discussion about this.

 

[unknown]

Of course have the discussion with hr. But the point is, this has been going on since the OP started. It's only now become an issue. My thought is that recently, Target has been having a retention issue, and that might be what is driving this. Treating employees badly won't help that issue.

If it were me, I'd say .... As of now, this is my availability. If you schedule me outside it, consider this my ncns for those times.

I'm sure this this will help the retention issue immensely.

 

[Retail Girl]

So how does treating the other people badly by making them close every weekend help the situation? "It's always been done that way before" isn't a good reason by itself to do anything.

 

[unknown]

How is scheduling someone within their availability treating them badly?

It only becomes bad treatment when people are being coerced into working when they aren't available.

I guess I'm thick. If I change my availability, it's changed. I'm telling Target ... Hey, my life has changed. Them approving it is busy work.

Now, Target can say ... You'll get less hours. Or, you'll get no hours. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm changing my availability. For my reasons. Personal or professional.

Maybe some people don't make that connection.

 

[commiecorvus]

If you can show that this is something that you've done before you might be able to sell them on this but you stuck up a red flag, the attendance issues.
It sounds like they have decided you are not their favorite employee in the world so why bother giving you such a nice change of schedule.

Like RG said having weekend nights off is pretty sweet so even with your past history of making the change there are people who are going to bitch.
HR may have decided it's not worth listening to that whining for someone with your attendance issues.

 

[Jack of all Workcenters]

Changing your availability doesn't mean that the change was approved.

 

[PassinTime]

If you can show that this is something that you've done before you might be able to sell them on this but you stuck up a red flag, the attendance issues.
It sounds like they have decided you are not their favorite employee in the world so why bother giving you such a nice change of schedule.

Like RG said having weekend nights off is pretty sweet so even with your past history of making the change there are people who are going to bitch.
HR may have decided it's not worth listening to that whining for someone with your attendance issues.

I think you and Retail Girl misread the OP. " ....other people's aren't coming in" Sounds like OP is being denied a temporary availability change because others aren't showing up. The one who usually shows up is getting the short end of the stick.

 

[unknown]

If you can show that this is something that you've done before you might be able to sell them on this but you stuck up a red flag, the attendance issues.
It sounds like they have decided you are not their favorite employee in the world so why bother giving you such a nice change of schedule.

Like RG said having weekend nights off is pretty sweet so even with your past history of making the change there are people who are going to bitch.
HR may have decided it's not worth listening to that whining for someone with your attendance issues.

What attendance issues? I think he meant other people's attendance issues.

Regardless, my availability is just what it sounds like. My availability. It doesn't matter if they approve it or not. Here is when I'm available. You've got two weeks to sort it out. Less hours? Fine.

Though, the OP implies the same amount of hours, which is never a given.

If I went in tomorrow and said, I've had to change my availability starting June 1. It's done. Like it or not. Schedule me or not. I don't get this approve thing. It's not like it has to be studied, tested, double blind taste test, etc. It's Targets' way of putting people through the wringer.

And I want to add, it's in the same category as publishing a schedule but having a piece of paper on there stating ... Schedule subject to change.

Ah Target, you can't have it both ways.

 

[commiecorvus]

Sorry. I didn't read it right.
I thought the OP was saying the attendance issues were on their part.
Dammit I have got to stop posting before I have had my coffee.

Well, damn then that's not your fault at all.
Just keep bugging them until they break I guess.

 

[Retail Girl]

How is scheduling someone within their availability treating them badly?

It only becomes bad treatment when people are being coerced into working when they aren't available.

I guess I'm thick. If I change my availability, it's changed. I'm telling Target ... Hey, my life has changed. Them approving it is busy work.

Now, Target can say ... You'll get less hours. Or, you'll get no hours. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm changing my availability. For my reasons. Personal or professional.

Maybe some people don't make that connection.

Just because I have (nearly) open availability doesn't mean that I should be taken advantage of. That doesn't mean I should be stuck working every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night for an entire summer so someone else doesn't have to. That is also treating someone badly. And again, does not help retention or morale for the others.

Now, maybe the answer is to hire/train someone else and the person with less availability simply loses the hours....but then generally the person with the limited availability generally starts complaining that their hours are cut, when they can work all of these other hours...because why should they lose their hours when they can simply write their schedule at the peril of everyone else?

 

[Retail Girl]

What attendance issues? I think he meant other people's attendance issues.

Regardless, my availability is just what it sounds like. My availability. It doesn't matter if they approve it or not. Here is when I'm available. You've got two weeks to sort it out. Less hours? Fine.

Though, the OP implies the same amount of hours, which is never a given.

If I went in tomorrow and said, I've had to change my availability starting June 1. It's done. Like it or not. Schedule me or not. I don't get this approve thing. It's not like it has to be studied, tested, double blind taste test, etc. It's Targets' way of putting people through the wringer.

And I want to add, it's in the same category as publishing a schedule but having a piece of paper on there stating ... Schedule subject to change.

Ah Target, you can't have it both ways.

I think you and I are closer on this than we realize. I agree...you can't work then, you can't work then. But then don't bitch and complain when your hours get cut. Sorry, I listen to a coworker with the worst availability complain every single week that she doesn't get enough hours, when she would get the hours she wants/needs by simply opening up her availability, which she won't do, because she wants time off to spend with family. Spot can't have it both ways, but neither can TMs.

 

[unknown]

I agree Retail Girl. It goes both ways.

 

[redeye58]

they told me that it's because of attendance issues, but i don't think it's really my problem that other's arent coming in. i extend, i come in, i work in other parts of the store as well and help everyone.... but i can't have this simple 3 month availability change because of others? that's kind of annoying

Whenever you submit a schedule change that restricts your avail, there's never any guarantee it'll be approved.
This falls under "needs of the business" & they CAN deny it whether there's precedence or not because it's not for school or even an internship; it's for ANOTHER JOB.
They know that there's a lot of call-outs on the weekends so it would be foolish of them to lose a TM's avail for even part of that time.
It sucks but try this: whenever you're scheduled for a weekend closing shift, post it on the swap board & see if it gets picked up. If that doesn't work, try asking your fellow TMs if they can swap & close for you.....every weekend, all summer.
Annoying? I'm sure your HR thought the same thing.

 

[judgemental]

I'm a cashier. I know the hours are very small right now, trust me. I'm always covering someone's ass when they call out. I'm constantly working for them or coming in early or extending. I've extended the whole week because everyone I work with is a pain in the ass and wants to call out for some minimal shit. I don;t know why they're not fired yet. I'm not asking anyone else to close for me. And this job is every other week and they know that, so not all of the weeks I'll be working those hours at my other job. They know all of it. And yes we did get a new HR and I've explained to her everything and she still doesn't care. My GSTLs know that I have this summer job and it's important, but they don't have a say at the end.

also this isn't a full tme job! it's just a three month gig that i work. for like 9 weeks or something.

 

[PassinTime]

Whenever you submit a schedule change that restricts your avail, there's never any guarantee it'll be approved.
This falls under "needs of the business" & they CAN deny it whether there's precedence or not because it's not for school or even an internship; it's for ANOTHER JOB.
They know that there's a lot of call-outs on the weekends so it would be foolish of them to lose a TM's avail for even part of the time.

Target's inflexibility causes it to lose quality/dependable TMs. My store has been trying to hire since BEFORE XMas. Can't get and keep sufficient staffing levels. If you can't pay a competitive market wage to all of your employees, at least try to provide hours that are conducive to a life/family balance. Or, keep having to hire new employees and continue the cycle of having inefficient, new employees.

 

[Retail Girl]

I'm a cashier. I know the hours are very small right now, trust me. I'm always covering someone's ass when they call out. I'm constantly working for them or coming in early or extending. I've extended the whole week because everyone I work with is a pain in the ass and wants to call out for some minimal shit. I don;t know why they're not fired yet. I'm not asking anyone else to close for me. And this job is every other week and they know that, so not all of the weeks I'll be working those hours at my other job. They know all of it. And yes we did get a new HR and I've explained to her everything and she still doesn't care. My GSTLs know that I have this summer job and it's important, but they don't have a say at the end.

also this isn't a full tme job! it's just a three month gig that i work. for like 9 weeks or something.

That shouldn't be an issue, then. There should be enough cashiers to go around...especially since this is only every other weekend.

 

[SFSFun]

Just submit the availability change every week. And every time you are scheduled for a shift that falls outside of that availability, put it on the swap board. If no one takes it, call off. HR will figure out that they are screwing themselves, but it sounds like your HR might just keep doing it anyways.

If this summer job is really important to you, treat it as such!

You may get coached for attendance but all you can do is explain that your availability has changed, and it not being "approved" doesn't change that fact.

 

[Flabbergasted]

I hate availability requests so much. I hate how my ETL-HR lies to everyone saying that they welcome and approve almost all availability requests because they are oh so willing to work around people's availability. But when I put in a request to have the same 3 days off each week for school, my ETL-GE asks why I'm short-staffing the business. Rude and unnecessary.

 

[jenna]

Can you simply ask off for the nights you work your second job?

 

[SFSFun]

Last time I changed my availability it was to extend it by 30 minutes each day (so I could work the SFS mid shifts).

HRTM denied it and commented that I could not have Sunday's off...

I resubmitted it, then poked my head in the office to let her know that I am ALREADY unavailable on Sunday and I was actually trying to make myself MORE available. Apparently she just saw availability with nothing for Sunday and denied it without looking further or reading the comment...