Will I get fired for calling off Black Friday?

Joined
Nov 25, 2020
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I was hired in October as a seasonal TM in women’s ready to wear. I have a good feeling my team and TL like having me on the team, so I was thinking I had a good chance of staying on past the season’s end. However, I just started another job as well. I had my orientation and first day of work at the second job and received their schedule the same day Target’s Black Friday week schedules were finalized, so I couldn’t adjust my availability at either job. I ended up getting double booked the day of Black Friday.

I asked around my entire department and no one was willing to pick up my shift, so I’m stuck. I decided to work my shift at other job instead (that position is a full time, management position so I would rather work there in the long run anyway), and call off at Target. I know Black Friday is the most important day of the year, so what are the chances I’m about to get fired? My style department loves me, but I might be totally screwing them over by doing this. Advice please?
 
No you won't get fired, especially if they like you. I'd put your shift on the shift swap board in tsc pronto. It's possible a cross trained team member from another work center might be able to do it. It's a last ditch effort but it could happen. So I'd do that and talk to your leadership and explain you will unfortunately have to call off if nobody else can take it.

At least it gives them a little time to find a replacement and it beats you calling off on the day of your shift.

Can't say it won't hurt your chances of staying past seasonal. It really depends on your performance, attendance, and needs of the store once the period is over.

I know one work center on our sales floor only kept 2 people. Just better try your best to outshine everyone else the rest of the period if you want them to keep you. I'd also adjust your availability at both jobs so you don't have something like this happen again. But they won't fire you.
 
Get that shift posted on the SWAP SHIFT board ASAP.

Black Friday is a ALL HANDS ON DECK-type day.

Since you are seasonal, any type of disciplinary action can lead to immediate termination or not being kept on. A NCNS on Black Friday would certainly get you term'ed immediately.

Just make sure you call in prior to your shift on that day. You don't necessarily need to tell them you have another job. But just let them know you have an obligations for that day. Or just call in SICK😁
 
Most years, this would be a giant bad move. But this year is different. I'm not even scheduled for Friday (although I just finished a long run of days without one off and there's another stretch starting Saturday, but still).
That said, this isn't a giant good move either, won't earn you any "good worker bee" points, and you might find yourself on the short end of the stick when it comes to scheduling when hours decrease. And this won't go over well with your fellow TMs if they're swamped with work partly because you're not there to pull your weight.
 
Talk to your ETL and tell them about the situation... is it possible you can work both jobs if you get your shift changed at target? Some ETLs will work with you on this type of thing, even if your originally scheduled shift was probably to provide coverage in a certain area. Tell them that you would rather work than have to call out
 
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