I've been working for Kroger for over a year now. I always worked during the day and never closed, as I can't work after 7pm. (I'm available anytime between 5AM-7pm). My old supervisor knew this and respected it, and it seemed like all the other managers understood this too. A week before my old supervisor got transferred, he asked me to close and I was able to make an exception - and this was the slippery slope. Mind you, we got a new store manager a couple months prior, so maybe he's part of this. I suddenly got scheduled to only close for an entire week later on, I sucked it up and did it anyways, but I did let my new supervisor as well as my store manager know my availability. It took a week or two for things to change, and then finally I started opening again and working in the mornings and I was happy again. Then, the next week came and I only worked 2 days "1pm-9pm". I didn't complain yet because I knew the schedule can't change unless it's 2 weeks in advance so I had to cancel my appointments and do it. My supervisor told me he fixed the issue a few days ago - but I look at the schedule online, they have me working 1pm-9pm almost everyday next week. It's really getting to me. I'm asking/begging them to let me work the busiest time of the day in my department and there's other people willing to close. I don't know what to do besides come off as hostile. I had a coworker recently quit because they kept moving him to other departments and I'm thinking about doing the same. Has anyone dealt with this? How did you go about it/fix it?
Your first mistake was doing them the favor. Your second mistake was not nipping the issue the first time it happened, before you worked against your availability for an entire week. Now they're probably thinking you don't have anything important to do during that time and that you don't REALLY need to be unavailable.
You need to put your foot down immediately. Take your schedule to your supervisor and say "I noticed you scheduled me outside of my availability. Unfortunately I cannot work these hours and will not be able to come in during this time." They may ask you why you're not available to work at that time, but you don't have to disclose why. Tell them you have prior arrangements and repeat that it's outside of your availability.
I have a very restricted availability, and from time to time my supervisor tries to push it by scheduling me an hour past my availability. I always make sure to inform her in no uncertain terms that I will be not staying past when I'm available. If she keeps whining about it, I either just come in at my regular time and go home at my regular time or I call off. It sucks having to be hostile, but if you give them even a little bit of leniency they will take advantage of that.
Definitely say something, and contact your union if need be. Also make sure your availability online is what you state it's supposed to be. For years mine was certain hours, and then, somehow, management changed it. I went back in and changed it again. They have to schedule you when you're available. They do not (normally anyways) have to guarentee you a set amount of hours if you have restricted availability. So it's a slippery slope. They could turn around and only give you the minimum hours they have to (if that's a thing where you're at.. my store has to give part timers a minimum of 16 hours a week). If you're fine with the minimum hours that wouldn't effect you obviously.
I've been working for Kroger for over a year now. I always worked during the day and never closed, as I can't work after 7pm. (I'm available anytime between 5AM-7pm). My old supervisor knew this and respected it, and it seemed like all the other managers understood this too. A week before my old supervisor got transferred, he asked me to close and I was able to make an exception - and this was the slippery slope. Mind you, we got a new store manager a couple months prior, so maybe he's part of this. I suddenly got scheduled to only close for an entire week later on, I sucked it up and did it anyways, but I did let my new supervisor as well as my store manager know my availability. It took a week or two for things to change, and then finally I started opening again and working in the mornings and I was happy again. Then, the next week came and I only worked 2 days "1pm-9pm". I didn't complain yet because I knew the schedule can't change unless it's 2 weeks in advance so I had to cancel my appointments and do it. My supervisor told me he fixed the issue a few days ago - but I look at the schedule online, they have me working 1pm-9pm almost everyday next week. It's really getting to me. I'm asking/begging them to let me work the busiest time of the day in my department and there's other people willing to close. I don't know what to do besides come off as hostile. I had a coworker recently quit because they kept moving him to other departments and I'm thinking about doing the same. Has anyone dealt with this? How did you go about it/fix it?
Talk to your managers and ask what can be done. Most things can be settled at this level.
Other options:
Take school leave and come back during breaks and summer.
Transfer stores.
Transfer to another department.
Talk to your union rep and make sure they assist you.
