I catch the bus to work everyday and my supervisor has been scheduling me to work until closing time at 1:00 am in the morning. The buses stop running at 11:00 so I have been walking home by myself, which is extremely dangerous for woman even if it is a 15 minute walk. Is there anything that can be done about this or can he force me to work this shift because I don't think there is any other checkers that want this shift.
not sure... you'd need to talk to someone about it probably HR or whoever does your schedules. Tell them that you don't feel safe and have no other way of getting home unless you leave a little earlier... if it comes down to it you may need to change your availability to exclude those hours. Changing your availability might cut your hours working a great deal, be careful. Make sure they understand that you aren't backing down because of your own personal preference but are doing it so that you can feel safe and work for them at the same time.
Have you tried asking your co-workers to drive you home?
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Kroger's general policy is that if you apply for the job, then you have transportation to get here. What hours did youy put down for your availability when you were hired?
If you have limited availability, technically they don't have to put you on the schedule at all. So be careful before saying you arent available past a certain time.
If your supervisor won't listen to your concearn, have you tried talking to your store manager? Explain that you don't want to limit your availability, but that you feel unsafe walking home alone at 1am, and that you would really appreciate it if you could get off in time to catch the bus. If they say no, then there is little you can do.. But being polite goes a long way. It couldn't hurt to ask them to consider it.
In the meantime, try working out rides home with co workers and friends.
pretty much what they said already. then take a hard look at the schedule and note everybody's senority date. if there are several people who have less senority than you and are working earlier shifts, well it might be time to 'bump' their hours. write a note about your desire to leave earlier and put it in the scheduling bag.
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I am no longer part of the oppressed, evil workforce of Kroger! Can you say "Hallelujah"
It depends on if you are part-time or full-time. As a rule a full-time person must be available "anytime", although they do go by seniority on that. Part-time workers have a little bit more say about their availability. If you are part-time, just change your availability to 10:45pm (the extra 15 minutes allowing time to catch the bus). If you are full-time, you can still request it, stating the reason being that the buses stop running at 11. If all else fails, try switching to another department.
Thanks for all the replies. I can't ask any other co workers because I'm the only one that leaves at that time. I'll try speaking to my supervisor again.
Nicegirl23: Bottom line, do whatever you have to to keep yourself safe. Like the above posters pretty much agreed on, if you present your case properly, there shouldn't be any problem....but if there is (and let's face it: only a hard-core bee-atch or dick would give you a prob under your circumstances), another thought would be to demand a pay increase to afford the exorbitant money CAB COMPANIES charge.
'Cuz NO WAY are you walking home after 1 in the morning.
yea sometimes things like this are so easy to resolve. you worry about it being such a big deal and work up a lot of stress just to find out that whoever is writing the schedule just put you there because of convenience. your safety comes first - to you and to your employer. if something (God forbiding) did happen to you on your walk home, that person would be somewhat guilty. start asking everyone to drive you down the road at least a little ways to make it easier on you. if you annoy them enough for awhile then maybe they will support you being moved to the earlier shift
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I am no longer part of the oppressed, evil workforce of Kroger! Can you say "Hallelujah"
I still say that if the supervisor isn't willing to work with you, try the store manager instead.
As far as bumping hours goes.. If someone with less seniority than you has more hours than you, or a better set of hours than you, you can exercise your seniority to claim their schedule. Here, the schedule is posted by noon Friday, and you have till noon Saturday to exercise your seniority.
If you do choose to exercise your seniority, then you must take that person's schedule in full. You cannot choose to only take one or two days. And you must be able to perform the same job as them. So if they are cashier one day, and bagger the next, you must be able to do both.
To do this, you just say to your supervisor "I have more seniority than Jim, and I would like to exercise my right to bump his schedule for next week because he was given either more hours than me, or preferential hours that I have already notified you about wanting."
Then if they say No, you tell the store manager the same thing. If he says no, then you get on the phone with the union and they will make things better.
It is my understanding that you do not need to take the whole schedule of theirs. you are able to claim just a shift. i remember this b/c there was a posting on the union bulletin board stating the policy.
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I am no longer part of the oppressed, evil workforce of Kroger! Can you say "Hallelujah"
Must be a difference between Locals. You may want to ask your store Steward or your Union Rep for clarification on the rules then before taking this option.
Thanks guys I'm going to try and talk to my supervisor again. I do like working the night shift because I can finally get alittle bit peace with hardly no customers around. It's just that lately I have been reading alot of horror stories in the media. This wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't so many creeps in this world.
It is my understanding that you do not need to take the whole schedule of theirs. you are able to claim just a shift. i remember this b/c there was a posting on the union bulletin board stating the policy.
My understanding is the same as yours. You do have the option of doing both though.
My advice is to know the contract inside and out. One of our former managers told a friend of mine that he wasn't allowed to bump because he asked for a day off around Christmas and his hours got cut as a result. He came back and talked to the union rep who told him to get a recording of the manager saying that. He went back and told him that he still wanted the shift and talked to the union about it and the manager called back later and offered him more hours in lieu of bumping. The person he was looking into bumping was a "favorite" as well.
For the record, you are allowed to bump for hours of anybody who has less seniority than you, regardless of how many hours they have (as long as you don't push them below 15). This was something I thought only applied if somebody had more hours than you but they can have less as well.
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Thanks guys I'm going to try and talk to my supervisor again. I do like working the night shift because I can finally get alittle bit peace with hardly no customers around. It's just that lately I have been reading alot of horror stories in the media. This wouldn't be a problem if there wasn't so many creeps in this world.
If you need hugs... I offer free samples!
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
