Emails from my management

I"m not sure I have this in the right spot but here goes.

I received an email from my manager(he copied my HR person too) stating that he was basically sick of  accomodating my schedule and that he has a set schedule made for me and that if I choose not to accept it I can sign a letter of resignation.

So I emailed my HR person asking her if this was for real. She basically reiterrated(sp) everything he said.

So my question is can they ask me to sign something like that over an email? Oh and she gave me a time limit as well. I was at work! And very busy I might ad( I work in retail).

I would like to know also what my options would be.  They have "accomodated" my schedule for 9 1/2 years and now all of a sudden its a problem????

Any help would be much appreciated!!!
Thanks!

01vette:

can they ask me to sign something like that over an email?

Yes.

01vette:

Oh and she gave me a time limit as well.

Nothing wrong with that.

01vette:

I would like to know also what my options would be.  They have "accomodated" my schedule for 9 1/2 years and now all of a sudden its a problem????

Yes, it could suddenly be a problem.

The employer only has to provide reasonable accommodations as long as those accommodations aren't detrimental to his business.

Your options:

Do what the employer tells you.

Quit. No UI.

Get fired for refusing work. No UI.

Hire a lawyer.

Unless you have a binding contract guaranteeing your schedule, the employer can change it.  There is no law that says that you can't be informed of a schedule change via email.  Your options are to accept the new schedule or seek employment elsewhere. 

01vette:

They have "accomodated" my schedule for 9 1/2 years

Why did they accomodate you for 9.5 years?  Is it disability related?

Thats just how they worded it. No Not disability.

My schedule has almost always been the same.  The only day I had needed off was tuesdays(another job) and thursdays.  Then I got another job that I was required to work on on Saturdays.
SO my full time job that i've been at for 9 1/2 years I asked for Saturdays and Tuesdays off, no longer needing Thursdays.  I work all the other days of the week at there.

Now the are saying this is a problem 5 months later, when I asked if I could get Fridays off sometimes instead of Thursdays.

I.E.  My typical Work schedule Monday, Wednesday, Friday Every 3rd Sunday and once in a while they'd schedule me thursdays.(which they should have been scheduling me on thursdays so I can get my hours in but he never does even with me repeatedly asking)

Now I would like to work Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and every 3rd sunday.....

Which I dont and didnt expect to get every week, I just wanted a Friday off here and there to work my other part time job....then they email me and say they have accomodated me enough and heres my choices.

Even though we are extremely short handed, have been down 3 employees since the beginning of the year and the newest employee who was hired in May was hired to work all days of the week and weekend, went to the manager and said, I cant work weekends anymore...and he's letting her. He didnt like it but never said anythign to her her other than she was hired to work some weekends and now if shes not that could be a problem...

so my major malfunction with this company is that they like to single out people and not treat everyone fairly.

So the other stores where there are college kids and other people with other part time jobs that require different schedules like mine are not being singled out.....

So your employer has been working around your personal schedule for 9-1/2 years.  That's much longer than a lot of employers would have done.

Even though we are extremely short handed,  Then that's why they don't want to accommodate your schedule any longer.  They want you available for work when they need you to work.

the newest employee who was hired in May was hired to work all days of the week and weekend, went to the manager and said, I cant work weekends anymore...and he's letting her. He didnt like it but never said anythign to her her other than she was hired to work some weekends and now if shes not that could be a problem...  Sounds like they may well be looking to replace her with someone who can.  That's what, "You were hired to work weekends and if you can't that could be a problem" means.

so my major malfunction with this company is that they like to single out people and not treat everyone fairly.   Accommodating your personal schedule for 9-1/2 years seems pretty fair to me.  Plus it remains to be seen whether the employee who announced she can't work weekends is going to be an employee much longer.

This is not a legal issue.  Your employer wants you to be available for more hours of work and no longer schedule their business needs around your schedule.  Where things go from here is entirely up to you.

I realize they have worked around my schedule. But we are only required to work 30 hours for full time and they do not like to pay for overtime. So I have to have at least 2 days off no matter what. I was getting tues and thurs off. Not a busy time in our line of work. Now I'm wanting tues and saturdays off. Still not a busy time. We work in a retail location and are only open 9-6. They are only 4 of us that work our store. i've repeatedly told my manager I can work on thursdays and sundays, its not that I dont want to work I like my job, otherwise I wouldnt be there and wouldnt have stayed. I've been with the company since it started.  But how can they tell me "you have to have a set schedule( becuase I dont like you....I know this is a fact from my manager)  But its ok that in the other stores we work around everyone else's schedule.?????

My manager needs some serious coaching, he has no leadership skills what so ever.  I do most of his job, and of course mine.  He is the type that does not like any conflict, any criticism, hes almost been fired 3 times.....and all this is coming from him.

I know he has told our bosses some sort of story that isnt true to get to this point because my schedule has never ever been an issue in the past...but when I called his manager and complained that he doesnt get our schedule out until one day before the work week starts, every week....thats when this happened. The very next day. This is retaliation.  And that is not right.

But none of what you describe is illegal.

Its not some sort of discrimination? Singleing me out. Creating a hostile work environment?

No. It's simply getting tired of working around your schedule. Nothing remotely illegal.

So they can work around other peoples schedule but not mine because they just want to? Because they are the owners?

Pretty much.

The law does not require everyone is treated the same. They cannot treat you differently BECUASE of you age, race, gender, etc. But it the basis for the disparate treatment is something else (like after 9 years getting tired of you making demands about what days you will work) then it's legal.

Oh ok. Well I appreciate all of the comments and information. I thought I was a good employee, always showed up early, every time i'm scheduled, never called in, never missed work, do a great job, my customers love me, and I defineately have been a good team player for this company....but I just got an email that I'm fired.

Awesome.

Unless you have some need for an accomodation due to a  handicap or you can prove they are singly just you out for schedule changes because of race or sex --none of which you address-- the manger is free to set any schedules he wants to set and you basically have two choices--work the schedules he wants or hit the road.

No they cannot force you to sign a resignationlatter--but if you are not there at the required times they can just fire you for cause.

Now it may make sense for management to accommodate good people--but perhaps you are not that good or your management isn't that smart --but none of that really matters--they set the schedules--you decide to work or hit the road.

Thanks Drew.

Like you said maybe I'm not that good of employee but I have quite a few accolades to prove that I do a good job. For some reason they have a hard time keeping employees but I've stuck through....almost 10 years. I'll hopefully take my experiences elsewhere.

I will go with the latter that management isnt that smart:)

Im glad at least I have a part time job still to fall back on.

Again thanks everyone for the comments! I have never been in any situation like this before so I had no clue what any legal issues or rights were for anyone.  Now I know a little bit more thanks to all of you.