Imagine working a retail job while you go to school. If you were scheduled to work at a time you were supposed to be in class, would you go to class or go to work?

In this story, one student is in this exact situation and chooses to prioritize school. That doesn’t sit right with her manager, so she’s so fed up that she decides to quit. But the schedule gets even more interesting after she gives her two weeks notice.

Keep reading for the whole story.

Priorities

A few years ago I worked part time while going to school at an electronics store that thought they were the best at what they do.

While I enjoyed a lot of the job, co-workers and customer interactions were most of the time enjoyable, the management left a lot to be desired.

At my store there was one manager who handled all of the scheduling (He was referred to as scheduling manager so I will refer to him as SM) and he enjoyed using this power over people.

There was a big problem with the schedule.

Schedules were released every two weeks, and on this particular one I was assigned to come in hours before my set availability they had approved, making my shift start an hour before my last class ended.

I took this up with SM.

Me: Hi SM, I noticed on next weeks schedule I am supposed to come in at X time, but my availability on that day doesn’t start until 4 hours later.

SM: Ok, is that a problem?

She explained the situation.

Me: Yes, I have class. I can be here early if you need but best case I will a couple hours late, which is still earlier than I should be.

SM: OK, if that is your priority in this situation I will take care of it.

(Blood boiled with him implying working retail was more important than school)

Me: Thanks.

Everything seemed to be settled.

We agreed on a time I would come in after my class was over and I chalk it up to a mistake and think nothing more of it

Fast forward to the day in question. I come into work at the agreed time and SM catches me at the door.

SM: Come talk to me in the office

In the office

But the manager apparently didn’t make note of the scheduling change.

SM(angry): Why are you late?

Me: I’m 10 minutes Early?

SM: You were supposed to clock in 2 hours ago, we were short staffed as is…

Me: (try to say something)

Working a minimum wage retail job is not more important than school.

SM: No, I don’t want to hear your half baked excuses. When a manger has to work the floor because you don’t feel like showing up on time, it’s ridiculous…(Carries on for a bit longer ignoring the conversation we had a week before calling me lazy and complaining about having to work the floor)

Me: (cut in) We talked last week, I have class until an hour ago. I got here as fast as I could like we talked about, which is still a favor since I am not supposed to start for another 2 hours tonight.

SM: Oh yeah, I hoped you would have better priorities.

I was speechless, he walked out and left my jaw on the floor.

She knew she didn’t want to work there much longer.

I was already done with the job and planned on quitting after the holiday rush and focus on school as my grades had taken a hit, SM just quickened my action.

I worked the rest of that block and turned in my two weeks at the end of it citing school as a reason.

I was supposed to work normal times for the next two weeks.

I showed up Monday afternoon to clock in and the computer rejects my timestamp. I look at the printed schedule by all of the computers and my time had been wiped for Monday through Friday without anyone telling me. The second week was still on there.

The manager explained why she wasn’t on the schedule.

I went and found SM.

Me: My schedule is blank for this week. Do you not need me?

SM: No, I know how important your classes are so I found people to cover for you, you can leave.

Me: (annoyed) Will you need me next week or do you jest want to end this here?

SM: I don’t know, we’ll see.

The manager had lied.

I went to talk to the other people working the floor and he had not covered for me. He simply wiped me and expected them to pick up the slack.

My schedule stayed for the second week of my two weeks and I didn’t realize till the end he had shifted other people’s shifts.

This company would not give out overtime. If you were going to hit 40 hours in a week you were sent home early.

This happened to two of my coworkers an hour before close on my last day leaving me to close my department ( the largest department in the store) alone.

She knew the manager had arranged the schedule like this on purpose.

Another one of their fun policies is if you close you stay until it is done.

Store closed at 10, closers scheduled until 11, stay until manger walks your department and approves.

I had realized what SM had done, no coincidence that he was the closing manager that night which was something he rarely did.

I spent my hour cleaning one aisle, but man was that aisle spotless. I clocked out for the last time and headed for the door, he stopped me.

He couldn’t stop her.

SM: Where are you going, I have to walk your department.

Me: (taking off uniform) What? I dont work here.

SM: (Eyes wide and annoyed)…

I then walked out knowing if the store opened a wreck in the morning it would fall on him.

She shouldn’t have bothered cleaning the aisle so well. As she said, “I don’t work here.” He wouldn’t have been able to make her come back.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This person can relate to being scheduled at the same time they have school.

Another employee always chooses education over work.

The scheduling mixup for the interview would be a bad sign for this job.

This person’s job is much more predictable.

That store clearly doesn’t like having employees who are students.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.