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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that management are pretty poor?

30 replies

Glassmatt · 10/08/2025 18:42

DC16 “Chris” started a new job about 2 months ago. Waiting on in a local restaurant chain, only a couple of 3.5 hours shifts a week.

We’re going to Wales for a few days in 3 weeks so I told Chis to tell work they won’t be able to do one of their shifts where we’re away (Typical, the rota had only been done the day I booked the holiday) so sent an email to work Tuesday gone, but no one replied, then he told one of the managers this morning (when he was at work) who basically wasn’t interested and was no help. She said “ermm ask someone to cover it”. He doesn’t know anyone really as he’s hardly worked there. There is a group chat so he put it in that and asked if anyone would like it or to swap it and no ones replied as of yet.

We’re going away so the shift won’t be covered but to think it’s poor that no one replied to the email in the first place, then the manager was basically not bothered/unhelpful. He’s panicking now, thorough no fault of his own. I would have expected them to say ‘see if you can get it covered but don’t worry if not’. In the future if they don’t reply to emails, what’s going to to happen? How are employees supposed to let them know before the rota is even done, such as if there are dates they’re away/unavailable?

As I say he’s only 16. When I was booking it, I wasn’t thinking it would be a huge problem at his work.

WTF is supposed to happen now? We’re going away regardless. I know the main manager (not the one that was unhelpful today) and I’m very tempted to message them directly as I feel Chris has done all he can. Help!

OP posts:
Original poster
Glassmatt · 10/08/2025 18:52

FloraBotticelli · 10/08/2025 18:46

Well as with any job, what’s the holiday policy? You wouldn’t normally book a holiday without confirming you can get the time off work (assuming you want to keep the job). Just because he’s 16 and you’re his mum doesn’t give you priority over his workplace. If you owned a business, would you be telling your staff not to worry if they can’t fulfil their shift?

I hear what you’re saying
and I don’t disagree with some if it, however it’s all pretty slapdash. I’m not going in to all the ins and outs, but there’s hardly any training or explanations and they’re just left to it. It’s not like they do the same shift every week, they do different ones so they wouldn’t have to put a holiday in necessarily

OP posts:
chatgptsbestmate · 10/08/2025 18:49

He should follow the holiday procedure. Whatever that is. If that means HE has to find his own cover, then that's what he has to do.

OneCoralCat · 10/08/2025 18:46

My DD15 has exactly the same, get workplace is so unhelpful, if they’re sick or want a/l they have to find their own cover.

There have been more times than I can count that we’ve turned up and they’ve said oh sorry the class is cancelled so we don’t need you today.

I try really hard not to get involved becuase even though she’s young I think she needs to learn, but last time that happened I told her I’d already gone too far to turn back so to tell them they needed to find something for her to do as she was rota’d to work.

Im counting down til she turns 16 so she can find a (hopefully) more reliable job!

FloraBotticelli · 10/08/2025 18:46

Well as with any job, what’s the holiday policy? You wouldn’t normally book a holiday without confirming you can get the time off work (assuming you want to keep the job). Just because he’s 16 and you’re his mum doesn’t give you priority over his workplace. If you owned a business, would you be telling your staff not to worry if they can’t fulfil their shift?

justanotherdrama · 10/08/2025 18:45

Yes I’d message the main manager;
but moving forward most companies have an annual leave process policy you have to follow like a formal online request system and it’s either authorised or not. It would be good for Chris to be clear on this.