UPDATE: Things got even more toxic lmao. My boss sent a passive aggressive email to the other managers to announce that from now on, whenever we request time off - we need to provide a reason. Stating how his "kindess" was taken advantage of. This rubbed me and my manager the wrong way, cause this doesn't seem like the company policy. So we're gonna look at the employee handbook and see what it says. Cause this isn't ok.
For context, i work in a hotel as a cook. Not a normal 9-5. I'm (25F) going back to college part time starting the 3rd week of January. I tell my boss that because of this, I need to go down to 3 days/week, and I'm unavailable Mon and Fri, as those are my class days. He says how he understands, but i would be knocked down to part time. The thing is, 24 hours a week counts as full time here at the company I work for. That's what HR told me multiple times. I tell him this.
He responds basically saying: "Yeah, that's only if you have open availability. You can't have a set schedule and stay full time." Lmao, huh? I remember being told that we have to have open availability, but not that we have to have that in order to qualify for full-time. Doesn't make sense, as I would've been working 24 hours a week regardless, which means I'd still be full time. But because there's days I'm unavailable, it doesn't count anymore? Not to mention, HR should've clarified this with me earlier on.
So not only do I lose money, I'll be losing my benefits (401K, PTO, tuition reimbursement, etc) because I'm prioritizing college? Lmao. Get out of my face, please. I'm going to speak with HR and get the policy IN WRITING. He says he's confirmed with HR, but word of mouth is not concrete to me. I need an email, text, letter, some kind of print because this guy tried pulling bs on me previously. A few weeks back, I got a cold the day before my two requested days off. He was implying that I was lying and said I need a doctors note. Spoke to his boss, he said I don't need one. So you can see why I wouldn't trust his word.
Anyway, this sucks cause I'll probably need to go down to part time. It would help my mental health (as this job is very toxic, and I can focus on my life and school), but my benefits would be gone. On top of my checks being cut🙁 God forbid we prioritize something outside of work. 🙄 /s
This is exactly how companies quietly punish people for trying to improve their lives while pretending it’s just policy and not retaliation
Exactly! Even one of my managers I'm close to was upset when she heard. She agreed saying it doesn't make sense, and that it isn't fair cause I need to prioritize my education.
Make that manager into your ally, and have them inquire about the situation, since she is hearing conflicting information from the boss and HR, and doesn't want to give regular employees wrong information and opening up the company to liability.
Unfortunately, she's under the manager I mentioned in my post. So I don't think she has any power. 🙁
If this hotel is a chain, do a dive into their policies. It can vary. The open schedule sounds made up as far as how one qualifies, but ive seen smaller loopholes. Dont just take managers word at face value. Review handbook and any online employee information sites.
An educated person won't stay in that position forever like they want.
Yep!! I've been job searching for months now. Hate this job.
Corporate Policy: Now With 20% More Petty, Same Low Pay
They're not going to give you the full eight hours each day just to fuck you out of your benefits. Just fyi, the policy won't matter.
Where I live legally you have to work 32 hours to be considered full time.
Ok, but at the company I work for - they say 24 hours a week qualifies as full time. That's what HR told me.
HR doesn't know shit
Can you get that in writing from HR?
It’s good that you’re looking for other work, but it will be hard to find something with benefits that gives you time for classes.
I would try to get confirmation from HR though instead of your boss’s word for it. Benefits being based on availability rather than hours seems fishy to me, but maybe that’s how they make the 24hrs=fulltime policy work. I would want the official company policy in writing though.
Not that catching your boss in a lie would actually give you an outcome other than finding a different job
Ok, sure thing!
And this is what I'm concerned about. How hard it'll be to find a job that can accommodate school, and give me benefits. 🙁
Send a summary email to him recapping the conversation. Then forward to hr and ask for clarification
You seem to be relying heavily on "what I was told" and completely ignoring the company's written policies. You can be told something in error, or you can misunderstand. You really need to get ahold of the company's latest written policies and stop with the hearsay.
Your boss must have a PhD in petty policy enforcement