Job Advice

[MichaelPAGuy]

I currently work for Walmart. I have been an employee with the company since October 2009. The company hired me knowing that I would not work on Sundays. I had that put into my availability when I put my application in. Six months later the company made me full time. This weekend my area is receiving a new assistant manager. Earlier today our new assistant manager came to my department and said since we are short handed he wantgs all employees to open up what they can work or be forced to lose hours. This means I have to open up what I will work on Sundays which is the only restriction I have or my hours will be cut every other day I work. I feel this is not fair because I do not want to miss church for work. I feel this is religious discrimination. My department manager says it is not because it is happening to everyone. They both know I am a member of the church and how deeply involved I am in my religion. As I said, the company hired me with this restriction and also made me full time knowing this restriction. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Mahone]

Did you get it in writing when they employed you, that they would not ask you to work on Sundays? A vocal agreement is worth nothing in the legal world - merely your word against theirs. If you have any stipulations like that at the beginning of employment, you -need- to get it in writing.

[FunkyTown]

Did you get it in writing when they employed you, that they would not ask you to work on Sundays? A vocal agreement is worth nothing in the legal world - merely your word against theirs. If you have any stipulations like that at the beginning of employment, you -need- to get it in writing.

Too true! And Walmart is an enormous company. You could always apply to work elsewhere that won't force you to work Sundays.

[Guest]

Asking an employee to work on Sunday is not religious descrimination. The outlying concept is that - the place of business is open on Sundays. Therefore, when you filled in an application, you know that the business requires personnel on Sunday. The checkbox you filled out in your application is not your contract of work conditions. That is your preference that Wal-mart may or may not fulfill according to business needs. To actually draw a no-work-on-Sunday clause in your employment, you would need a written contract between you and Wal-mart with these specific requirements outlined.

Sometimes we have to weigh the decision on whether you can continue to support your family or risk losing a job when refusing to work on Sunday.

Even Jesus Christ healed the sick on the Sabbath.

My advice is this: If you can't negotiate (nicely and professionally) with your manager on being off on Sundays, and you can't risk losing the job because of family obligations, then work on Sunday while pounding the streets for another job that fits your religious practices.

Hope this helps.

[Wingnut]

I agree with everyone else's comments on the legal ramifications, but if you're already regularly working six days a week, it's hardly fair for them to ask you to work on your only day off.

[NeuroTypical]

Yep - my wife had the same thing happen to her when she worked at PetSmart. She didn't work on sunday. They scheduled her to work on Sunday. She didn't show up. They cut her hours and tried to give guilt trips about 'not being reliable' and whatnot. She refused the guilt trips, but couldn't really refuse the cut hours.

Chick-fil-a respects the Sabbath, but they're one of the very few who do.

[MichaelPAGuy]

This is my availability. I put it on my application when they hired me. Walmart knew this when they hired me and made me full time. Now we get a new assistant manager and he tells me to either open up my only restriction or lose hours. I just think it is unfair when it is in my availability with the store and they knew this when they hired me and made me full time.

[Madriglace]

Not surprising considering Wally World's track record with treating employees lousy ...

[Backroads]

I've worked Sundays before. It's hard not to in Utah because EVERYONE wants Sundays off. However, my place would try to rotate those who preferred not to work Sundays so they weren't exactly overworking.

[Iggy]

What time do you start at Church? Is it possible to compromise and either work after you go to Church or before and get off in time to go to Church.

I worked for a small, family owned Grocery store. When I hired on, I told them no to Sunday hours. They were agreeable and happy that I would work Saturdays as well as week days.

4 months down the road they want me to work Sundays. I said what about you agreeing to me NOT working Sundays, got the blank Deer In The Headlight look from the Boss. So, okay, I get out of Church at 1pm, have to go home, eat, change clothes, can be here to work by 3 pm. Will that work? - Boss said, make it 5 pm and you close and be out of here by 10 pm. BUT I did get Friday & Saturdays off, and I got 1 hour more on three of my days to make up for the short shift on Sunday.

By compromising, and doing it graciously, willingly and offering it before the asst. manager does, you will score more points, then if you dig in you heels and are whiney, but-you-agreed-blah-blah-blah. Having an employee record of being gracious, willing to work things out with the management, being agreeable goes far when it comes time for pay raises, promotions, in having time off and vacation requests given.

Give the compromise a shot- you have nothing to lose.

[prophetofdoom]

It is an issue that so many people have to deal with in today's world. If the hours are going to prevent you from going to church... you have to ask yourself... Is this the life I want to live?

Try compromising on hours first, so you can try to at least attend church too.

[MichaelPAGuy]

Thank you everybosy for the terrific advice. I believe I am going to meet on Monday with my new asst. manager and see if a compromise can be made. My ward meets at 9 am. Unfortunately, this is the only day that I actually get to spend with my wife for the whole day, but I cannot afford to go start somewhere else. If a compromise means I get to keep my job and still go to church then I will do what is best for my family.