>Context: I work part time (two days a week) as a night auditor

>>17973511
Just say you can't.. I doubt your boss is going to appear through the phone and drag you to work, ha. You can't be fired over that. He's the boss - he can do the work.

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>>17973535
I know, and I've covered a bunch in the past, but I'm working with my therapist who wants me to set boundaries. I have a problem where I can't separate myself from my job. This is great if you run your own business or are in a career. But I'm just some part time worker making $10 at a meh hotel. I genuinely get upset when guests are upset, and I need to fucking stop.

So can you or anyone give me some examples of what I might say? Is "I'm sorry, I really can't tonight" fine even if he begs? I'm autistic if you wanted some more context and a possible explanation for social retardation.

>>17973550
"I'm sorry, I can't tonight" is fine. If he begs, he is being inappropriate. If you want to give context to it you can say "I'm sorry, I can't tonight I have a lot of school work I need to do."

>>17973558
Just got off the phone.

"Hey anon. Think you could help out?"-Boss
"I'm sorry, I can't tonight"-Me
"Alright. Do you think you could do a portion? I'll be in tomorrow so I'm looking at a 24 hour day"-Boss
"I really can't"-Me
"Ok"-Boss
"Can I ask about the full time guy? He ok?"-Me
"He had a reaction etc etc"-Boss (full time guy has a lot of illnesses and had a reaction to a medication I guess
"Damn, ok."-Me
"Yeah. Well alright, thanks"-Boss (I don't think it was sarcastic)
"Yeah. I'll see ya later, bye"-Me
"Bye"-Boss

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>>17973585
Holy shit

He just texted me. He's saying he might get the full time guy to take my saturday shift if I can work tonight. Here's the full text.

>>17973650
ps. I'm not working tonight, god dammit.

I've been toying with the idea of focusing on school as well and quitting. I'm on disability however, and even working the two days a week at this place doubles my income so it's difficult. It just surprises me he'd text me asking again. It's the third time he's asked.

>>17973535
>You can't be fired over that.
if you don't have plans that you can bring in written proof of you absolutely can be fired for that.
>>OP
>How do I tell him no?
pretend you didn't see the text and don't answer any calls

>>17973658
>You can be fired for not coming into your $10 an hour job with 4 hours notice.

Thanks, I needed a good laugh.

>>17973658
seems like its a bit late to pretend not to see the text due to the timing

>>17973511
Just call him and say sorry you can't. You would if you could but you've already engaged into a commitment with a personal matter

>>17973676
Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds a little too formal coming from me, but I think I'll say "I'm sorry but I can't. I already have plans."

Does that sound too much like I'm with friends? On the other hand, I don't give a fuck if it does, because it's up to me, and not him. Truthfully, I'm working on a school project atm which is far more important to me.

>>17973678
just say you have a project deadline

>>17973650
Reply saying you have prior commitments and you're sorry but you can't. Don't elaborate on what those commitments are, just be polite and firm, and then take care of what you have to do.

>>17973683
Should I mention that my files are on this computer? Because I bring a laptop to work with me, but I don't have Microsoft Powerpoint or Word on it, or any of my on-going project files and I bet he'll ask why I do'nt just do the project at work?

>>17973689
say you're in the library perhaps? i think that would be better cause he would ask if you could just transfer the program

>>17973678
It does. While it's good to set boundaries, for something as serious as not covering for a coworker who's at the hospital, I think it'd be worth implying your own commitments are serious and unwaivering as well. You don't owe an explanation for what they are, but I don't believe you should use the word "plans". You're refusing someone who's in a shitty position and really needs help, even if they are your boss and it's help with work. It's better to smooth things over and not make it sound like you're not covering because you want to go get drunk. If you were in their position, you'd want someone to help you. So at least be sympathetic and professional in regards to how your boss (and possibly coworker) is feeling right now.

>>17973511

Aww yeah OP, while you're like "I can't be bothered" the other poor bastard is in hospital...

I know what a night auditor is, you do bugger all, so kill two birds with one stone... Do you school work there? Now go get ready for work...

>>17973702
I agree with you 100%. The only issue I have is that I literally covered last week for two extra shifts for the full time guy. He became a grandfather and I said to myself exactly what you're saying.

It's not my fault if someone else has it shitty. Which is funny because I know my boss makes salary and doesn't even work weekends, so I'm not going to cry over someone making 10x what I do, working a single 8 hour shift.

>>17973709
Sure, but I can't do heavy school work such as this operations management project that's due in a couple days. Also if the shift is so easy, then the GM can do it once. Also also please see above for my rationale. The fulltime guy is constantly fucking sick or busy or asking me to work. So I'm not an asshole for finally starting to decline. It's not MY JOB. It's not my fucking problem the full time guy can't work on the days he's scheduled. He's the one missing work. It also colors my perspective because he makes $18 an hour. I make $10.

>>17973725
It's also worth mentioning I can be a jaded shit about this because he works the five dead days (mon-thurs) while I work the busy weekends, dealing with drunks, prostitutes, people threatening me, calling the cops at least once a weekend.

>>17973725

How old are you?

>>17973733
25. Why do you ask?

>>17973737

You just solved your own question...

"he works the five dead days (mon-thurs)" so it's going to be dead, right? Free money to sit there and do school work...

>>17973754
Then why can't the GM or anyone else work it? Why me, when I have shit to do? It's a two way street. I covered for this guy 5 times in the past 4 weeks. So I'm going to get defensive when accused.

>>17973671
Well, you *can* be fired for this. I have no idea what >>17973658 means by "written proof" (of what???) but if you live in the USA and don't have an employment contract, in almost every state, employment is "a-will". This means that you can be fired for any reason that does not violate the terms of a contract (e.g. a union contract) or government social policy (e.g. "I'm firing you because you're a nigger").

The main reason why you can expect he won't do this on the spot is because then your boss is going to have to find a way to cover your shifts as well. If he's a vengeful fuck, he may be willing to take that hit. If he concludes that he wants to fire you, it's more likely that he's going to find a replacement for you first.

What he's going to have a hard time doing (if you protest it) is fire you *for cause*. Not showing up for an unscheduled shift isn't "cause", so he can't legitimately refuse to pay into unemployment benefits for you. The government isn't going to give a fuck that he fired you though.

If you really aren't willing to help the guy out and don't want to work tonight than just repeat "I'm sorry, I'm not available to work tonight."

Don't expect a lot of sympathy or flexibility from your boss should you need it in the future, and consider that to his thinking, you aren't coming through for him when he really needs it. Yeah, it's a shit, low wage job, but that doesn't mean he won't jump at the chance to get someone he thinks will be at least equally competent and that he can rely on in an emergency. He may not find someone to replace you right away, but I would expect him to start looking.

You should work it just because it's the right thing to do and you would want someone to help you out in this situation. Ask if there's anyone else he can ask, and if it's really impossible then you should go in. Just because you covered for the dude doesn't mean it's fair to duck out when there's an emergency. Yeah it's overbearing on you but it was your choice to cover those other shifts.

Also you're getting paid for your time. More money won't hurt you OP.

>>17973768
That should be "at-will".

>>17973725
That you work the fucked up shifts and have covered for this guy multiple times is a good argument for why they should give you a significant raise (I'd say at least to $15/hour, but start with asking for the same salary), especially if you come through yet again.

If you already asked for a raise and were denied, I would stick with "nah", but I'd also be searching for another job.

>>17973768
Sure, and if he wants to go through the effort to find someone to take my position at the wage that is it, he's more than welcome. I'll focus on schooling or get an identical job at one of the other hundred hotels around here. I show up for when I'm scheduled, occasionally cover, and do good work, so I'm not too worried. And even if I did think he'd go far out of his way, I'm not reliant on the income.

>If you really aren't willing to help the guy out and don't want to work tonight than just repeat "I'm sorry, I'm not available to work tonight."
You don't understand. I "help the guy out" every other fucking week. I'm not exaggerating. I've been here for a year and a half. Haven't taken a single sick day and the only weekend I requested off was Halloween, which I asked a coworker if she could take my two shifts for beforehand. I asked for a 10% raise on my 1 year anniversary, which I got. And I like the GM, but the full time guy is a massive bullshitter and needs to either retire or ask the GM to train a third person who can cover in emergencies. We used to have a third guy, but he quit two months ago.

>>17973776
Every week it's an emergency with this guy. I have shit going on too. I didn't take a day off when I "Baker Act"ed my mom, or when my grandfather had a heart attack. Just because I don't bitch about my life to my coworkers doesn't mean everything is perfectly cheery all the time. It was my choice to cover those shifts, you're right. But if we're counting how many shifts one person covered for another, then I got about two months work to cash in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Mental_Health_Act#Clarification_of_Baker_Act_criteria


>>17973797
You might be right. On my two years with the hotel I might ask for a larger pay jump. $15 sounds out of the question though, unless I'm wrong? The average looks to be $13 in my area according to glassdoor.com Thanks for your feedback btw.

>>17973550
"Hey sorry [boss's name], I can't cover tonight. I've had a few plans that I've had set up for a few weeks." Is there anything I can do from home? Could we talk about this when I get back?"

Stuff like that: tell him no, give him the impression that you have other responsibilities to attend to, and give him the impression that when you get back to work, you are willing to help him out

>>17973851
I should ask him later if he'd like me to train a third person for emergencies like this.