Working Moms Working in a Job That Has a Shift

As a former recruiter, I would be really irritated if I was very clear with a candidate about the shifts, she agreed to it, and then asked for something different once she was hired. If the company then has to go with their second choice candidate, it creates a lot of problems.

She needs to be honest and up front. If the job isn't something that works with her schedule, she should look for something else.

Why is she so inflexible with her day care? If she can get the company to guarantee 7 a.m. - 2 p.m., I would think that could work out well for a single mom. She would still have the afternoon and evening with her child. Yes, it is early in the morning for day care, but it's certainly not unheard of.

I think not being honest about her availability in this situation is a terrible idea.

She's a scammer. She knows she cannot get the job by being honest so she is hoping they 'fire' her so she can collect unemployment or sue. Very dishonest friend of yours.

Tell her that at your place of business, if they say they have "open availability", but after being hired, they say they aren't available certain hours, that is pretty much grounds for immediate termination, no matter how well they are qualified.

I don't get why she's wasting her & their time by lying. Even if she does get hired, she won't be able to fulfill their shift requirements. I am sure there are plenty of qualified people who CAN do the shift work.

Also, you can't exactly get prime shifts right off the bat, you have to put in time, show you're a good worker, and then the good shifts MIGHT come your way.

Why wouldn't she just apply to jobs she CAN do? I'm not really understanding what she's doing. It sounds kind of stupid, honestly.

If she is hired for a specific shift that they need covered, and she can't actually even work it, they're not going to keep her around very long, are they? She'll be fired before she even starts.

she needs to be up front with them. Why isn't she applying to jobs that fit her schedule? They will not keep her there if she can't work the shift she was hired to do

She is never going to get a job this way. They will hire her and fire her in one shot. What does she think she's gonna do......get hired, mention her schedule needs and not get fired? Those chances are mighty slim to none. She also has to tell them her schedule needs right off the bat because she is not willing to change her daycare. I really don't know what she's thinking there.

She will be let go. The chances of them making an exception for her is slim to none. In fact they will not even have to pay unemployment to her if she doesn't make it 90all days or if they figure out she was dishonest from the beginning. She needs to look for a job the fits her needs.

They will just fire her. I have a specific shift I work. If I can't make it, I get attendance points. After 3 (1 point per late start, leaving early, or calling in that day) I'm gone.

You are right, she is wrong. It's not worth fighting over. If she puts you down as a reference for any of these jobs you can always tell the truth if you're asked if there is anything you want to add to your answers.

But she will need that daytime child care no matter what shift she works because she will need to sleep every day she is working nights during her child care hours. It is fact that people need to sleep. If she has her child home with her during those hours she will not get to sleep.

So her child will be going to child care those hours no matter what schedule she is working.

I think that if she has a good support group that will help her to become employed and earning an good income she will be able to have a better life and more able to provide for her child.

My oldest grandson's father worked shift work and my grandson went to school every morning when dad picked him up and dad's mom's house where he spent the night. Then dad took him to school, then he went home and went to bed for his "night time". When son got out of school dad was there to pick him up, they had their evening together and dad dropped him off at his mom's at bedtime. He even did the bedtime routine with him and got him asleep. If there was time he'd go take a nap before going to work.

This plan worked very well. When my grandson was out of school he knew dad was there but he was sleeping. If he had an emergency he could wake dad up but dad's mom was a few houses away and he'd call her then go over there most every day so dad could sleep.

If your friend has anyone that will help her during the nights with her child then she actually has a good idea about child care during the day though.

Yeah...totally crappy of her to do this. I don't know of many full time jobs that allow between 8:30 and 3. If this place opens at 7, then that is when they would need her there. They cannot bring a new person on and start making exceptions just for her. That will cause holy hell with the people already working there and impact morale over all.

For a single Mom, she must have other income...she sure isn't acting like she really needs a job.