Overstuffed With Staff

This happened a few years ago when I was still in college. I was working at a fast food joint that was… an interesting place to work, to say the least. I had also been dating this guy for a few months when both of his parents died. The funeral was scheduled for Saturday of that week when I was scheduled to work. It was an all-day event two hours away. However, I wanted to pay my respects, so I asked my manager what my options were. 

My manager told me I could just switch with someone else. I talked with another coworker who was scheduled for Sunday but not Saturday and we agreed to switch. My manager cleared it, and I thought all was well and good.

Cut to Saturday. As soon as I turned my phone back on after the service, I saw a few missed calls from work. Yes, they had tried calling during the service itself. I called back and it was my shift lead asking where I was. Initially, I thought my coworker had no-showed, but no, she was there. 

Puzzled, I asked what the problem was since she was covering my shift. Apparently , they had wanted us both to come in, but hadn’t mentioned it until now, but could I come in today? I told them no, it wasn’t possible, and that I’d see them tomorrow.

The next day, I came in for the Sunday morning shift to see that my coworker I’d switched with was in, as well. Apparently, they told her she was still expected to work it. Not even an hour later, she was sent home because it wasn’t busy enough to warrant having that much staff. I left that job a few months later and can’t say I was too disappointed about that.