What Are The Schedules Even For, Then?!

I work in a restaurant. I’ve made plans in advance relying on me getting out at 3:00 pm today from an opening shift (10:15 to 3:00 pm). The reason I was able to plan this is that I can see everyone’s schedules both online and on the paper copy. My replacement is supposed to be there at 3:00, meaning I can easily get out by 3:05, if not before.

That is until my replacement calls out at 1:30 pm. I tell the manager on the floor that I can only work what I was originally intended to, and she says she’ll try her best. It has always been the precedent that, as a busser, if your side work is done and your replacement is here, you can leave after checking out with a manager. The floor manager eventually gets someone to come in earlier, which means that I should be able to go without issue.

Three pm rolls around. I check out with my busser coworker who I’m leaving behind, and I go to a different manager to check out. She then proceeds to argue with me about how I “know that’s not how we roll” and such trying to keep me. I proceed to stand my ground, and she calls in the general manager. The general manager has me come into her office and sit down. They apparently expect me to suddenly work two more hours on the fly without even asking me.

I’m sixteen, I don’t have a car or license, and my ride is waiting on me. I can’t just tell them to wait for another two hours

General Manager: “So, I heard that you were intending to leave at 3:00. Why did you make plans?”

Me: “Because I could see everyone’s schedules, saw my replacement was due to come in at 3:00, and planned accordingly.”

General Manager: “So, you just assumed you would be getting off at 3:00?”

Me: “I guess?”

General Manager: “Did you call a manager to see when exactly you were to be off?”

Me: “No.”

I am astounded that I have to even think of calling a manager just to see when I will get off. I don’t think management would want all of us constantly calling to make sure we’ll be off anytime we want to make after-work plans.

General Manager: “Okay. So, you assumed you’d be getting off at 3:00. You know that isn’t how our schedules work. Just because it says, ’10:15 to 3:00 pm,’ that doesn’t mean you’ll be getting off at 3:00.”

This throws me for a loop; why bother with printing schedules in the first place? You sit here and wonder why people are upset with their schedules when you don’t even follow them yourself?

I sit there in silence.

General Manager: “The best I can do is to get you out of here at 4:00 pm.”

Me: “That won’t work.”

General Manager: “Have a little bit of compassion. [Coworker]’s grandmother just died. You were in a sticky situation, too, and people took up for you.”

This is a reference to when I had to escape a domestic abuse situation and was unable to work.

Me: “I am truly sorry, but I cannot cover for him.”

General Manager: “So, you’re saying you have to leave right now? Are you sure you want to deal with the consequences?”

Me: “Yes.”

General Manager: “All right. This will be your final written warning. This cannot happen again.”

Me: “Okay.”

General Manager: “I’m very disappointed in you. I thought you had a great work ethic and you were mature and responsible. Now my opinion of you has been changed, probably permanently.”

Me: “Okay, that’s fine.”

General Manager: “You’re free to go.”

I’m going to be putting in my two weeks on Tuesday, along with a written letter disputing the write-up. They tried to get me to sign the write-up, but I declined and said I had a response in writing that I would be submitting. They frustratedly agreed and let me continue my shift the next night.