Told it's "my responsibility" to find coverage for shifts scheduled during previously-approved vacation time

Question

I have been working at a YMCA pool as a lifeguard for about 6 months now. I am a good employee who has shown up to every shift, follows the rules and has even come in on late notice due to lifeguard shortage on certain days. I don't ask for much time off but I have been planning a school trip to Japan for about a year now so I had to ask for time off.

My issue is that I let my managers know 5 MONTHS in advance that I would be going to Japan for 10 days and that I would need time off. I let them know multiple times over email, in person and I even submitted an official request on our scheduling app. Despite this, I was scheduled for 5 shifts (including swim lesson instructing shifts as I am also an instructor) during the 10 days I requested off. I was also assigned a shift during some other PREVIOUSLY APPROVED vacation time.

When I asked about these I was told to cover all of the shifts, including the one during my approved vacation time. Getting shifts covered is very hard to do, especially for instructing shifts (I have 3 I need to cover). These managers have been causing difficulties with the scheduling since the start of the year and all the employees complain and have trouble. Recently I got an email from an employee who was so desperate they were willing to pay $100 for a shift to be covered.

If I don't show up for the shifts I would feel really bad for the kids in the lessons. Personally I don't think my managers should have scheduled me during a time where they knew I wouldn't be there, but they did and now it's "my responsibility". I asked if the lessons could be given to another instructor but they said that there wasn't enough instructors. This bothered me because my boss was praising us for the 3000 kids a week that are taking our lessons. If we don't have enough instructors we shouldn't take so many kids.

I really love working here and I have many good friends who are co-workers who I don't see outside of work, but the management system is bringing me very close to quitting.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm not sure what else to tell my managers as they seem to be firm in their decision.

Answer 1

Politely inform your manager that you will be in Japan at the time these shifts are scheduled for, that the time off was requested five months ago, and that the moron scheduling you for when they knew you wouldn’t be there can schedule someone else.

It is up to you to make this sound polite enough, but fact is that you go to Japan, and that you won’t find anyone to replace you.

Answer 2

"cover all your shifts including the lessons and the one shift that is during approved vacation time 😊"

Hi boss - As you know, I have had this vacation time scheduled and approved for 5 months. I have tried to find people to cover the shifts, but at this point, I need to focus on preparing for my trip, and let management adjust the schedule as needed. Good luck, and I look forward to helping out my co-workers on their vacations when I return.

And then, go, enjoy your vacation. Let it be their problem and responsibility. Yes, there is a chance they might fire you, but it's a small chance: if they're already having difficulty getting people to cover, they won't want to get rid of someone who is a good worker and reliable. And if they fire you after a response like that, they'll look especially bad.

(I removed the part that implies that management is not doing their job. They aren't, but for best results, it's better to not point that out.)

Answer 3

Other answers cover the advice, I'll just cover the guilt you are feeling and help you to see it should not exist.

I don't think my managers should have scheduled me during a time where they knew I wouldn't be there, but they did and now it's "my responsibility"

Whether it's you or them asserting this, it's not correct.

Shift scheduling / planning adequate staffing is one of the responsibilities of the manager job. They have failed in that responsibility, period. Moreover, after you've done everything required and expected to help them not fail in it.

This error is completely outside of your control. You have zero responsibility for it. The managers have full responsibility for it.

If I don't show up for the shifts I would feel really bad for the kids in the lessons.

Reframe. You are not "not showing up for the shifts". These shifts for you do not exist, because creating them is and was invalid and cannot be done.

The managers have still not created valid shifts for someone who is available. They'll have to do this if the lessons are to go ahead. This is a problem for them to solve as part of their job.

If the kids get let down because they don't do this, well, perhaps you'll feel bad for them generally because you're a good person, but you should not feel responsible or involved in any way because you are not.

Enjoy your vacation!

Answer 4

Someone said you might like a response for your supervisor from you so here's an example:

Dear (Supervisor),

I need to confirm that you are handling staffing in my absence before I leave for my youth cultural exchange trip to Japan from (insert date) to (insert date). My only concern is that when I reminded you of my upcoming trip a few days ago, you mentioned that I should cover shifts that were incorrectly scheduled with my name last week, when the appropriate course of action is for you to work with the scheduler to manage staffing, given that the scheduling error was made by the scheduler 5 months after your approval of my vacation. As you know, the YMCA employee handbook states that a supervisor may require an employee to bear initial responsibility to locate a substitute, in instances of unscheduled absence provided on short notice. However, the requirement of an employee for vacation is obtaining supervisory approval well in advance. Again, as you know I obtained approval from you five months ago.

Optional: I can imagine as a supervisor you need to juggle a lot and staffing is tight. Please know that if I were in town while on vacation, I would make every effort to help you cover shifts made in error by the scheduler. However, being that I will be on the other side of the world, it is just not physically possible. It’s important that the Y acknowledges vacation is an essential contributor to both personal well-being and productivity on the job and you know that this trip has been planned for a long time. Please let me know I can count on you as my supervisor to rectify the situation and I’ll be sure to let Human Resources and your boss know how much I appreciate the support. In fact, I’d be happy to take a picture from Japan with a Y t-shirt for display at the Y to show my appreciation for your support of multi-cultural exchange and development programs empowering youth, worldwide. – which is part of the mission of the Y International!

Although I bear no responsibility for scheduling mistakes made several months after my vacation was approved by you, I very much appreciate you handling the problem with the responsible party as is appropriate and fair. If you could confirm you are handling scheduling yourself, I would appreciate it, as I cannot given the circumstances.

Best regards, (name, date)

Note: if you do not get written confirmation within 2 days of leaving be sure to send the copy again to HR and the supervisor’s boss.

References: https://www.ymcasenc.org/clientuploads/Employment/Employee_Handbook_YMCA_of_SENC_-_2022.pdf https://www.ymca.int/about-us/

Answer 5

You requested time off well in advance, in writing, got it approved.

You've fulfilled all your responsibilities as an employee.

I'd be telling your boss where to stick it.

Either that, or get a quote from a travel agent for the cost to fly back to cover the shift then back to Japan and advise you will happily work those shifts after they provide a valid PO for the flights...

Answer 6

If I don't show up for the shifts I would feel really bad for the kids in the lessons.

This feeling is understandable, but it enables employers to get away with poor working conditions. In a broader sense, it applies to any job that people love to do, but it applies especially to jobs involving people, and when jobs involve children, it probably applies more than anywhere else. I believe that is one reason why care jobs don't pay as well as I believe they should. Do not think that way!

Remember:

• If lessons get cancelled due to staffing shortages, this is not your fault. If your employer needs more staff, they need to create better working conditions — that may include pay, but it certainly includes allowing staff to take time off.
• Making time for yourself is important for your mental health. If you never take sufficient time off for yourself, you may risk burn-out. Focussing too much on work and having too much stress is a risk factor for depression, and worrying about disappointed children/parents due to cancelled lessons is stressful. You can only properly help others if you help yourself first. If you get a burn-out and are out for six months, everybody — you, children, parents, employer — is worse off.

Answer 7

You did not tag the country but since you mention YMCA I guess this is for the US. You therefore have the "I can be fired for that" part to manage (which I do not know what well, being in France)

We have that part covered by the law: once your vacation is approved, you are done. Only extraordinary events can change that and then you would be reimbursed etc.

What happens when you are away is formally not your problem, but depending on your seniority there may be informal requirements regarding backups. I imagine i could refuse to provide a backup and that I would still force my vacation to be accepted but this is something I do not even imagine. I know I need to provide my backup because of th deposition I have.

Down the hierarchy in my team, people need (and feel the need) to do this less and less, and then they simply don't. Which is OK because their management will make sure that tasks are done by someone else.

In your case, someone who works as a lifeguard, I cannot imagine a universe where you would even be expected to do that. This could even be legally challenging and the job you are doing can be done by someone else (with the same qualifications). A pool has lifeguards so it is not that you have a function/knowledge that is hardly replaceable.

In other words this is absolutely not your problem.

But then you can get fired.

Answer 8

I can't tell you what to do. But I can show you what your options are:

• Cancel your trip. Thereby establish precedent that the job is more important than vacation and that it's normal in your workplace to trample on employee rights like the contractual right to personal time off. Best outcome for your workplace and your managers but worst outcome for you personally and for your colleagues.
• Find a substitute, if necessary by finding someone external. No, acquiring new employees isn't part of your job description. But when you are working under managers who are incompetent or lazy, then you sometimes have to go out of your comfort zone and do their job for them.
• Contact the parents and tell them that the swimming lessons will not take place due to a shortage of instructors. Tell your managers that you solved the problem that way. Then leave and have fun in Japan. They will probably consider if they should fire you for this. Whether or not they will depends on circumstances you know much better than we do.