i work as a receptionist for the evenings and weekends only. there is a woman who works the day shifts permanently, as it's a completely different job from the evenings and weekends.

she's a wonderful lady but since we're short on staff that a) have been trained to do the day shift and b) can work during the day hours (i'm not in school and this is my only job so it's not like i have anything else to do during the day) she occasionally needs the day off... and she always asks me to cover.

this time it's because her husband needs surgery. i feel REALLY bad, but i am absolutely not comfortable doing this job. i have not been trained to do so. the hours are not my regular hours. when they hired me they informed me i would be worked weekends and evenings only.

i'm just wondering, does this make me selfish? i have worked the day shift for her before, and it is hectic, stressful and i find i have absolutely no idea what to do. they have not trained me to do this job. is it selfish of me to decline because i have never been TRAINED to do this job properly? i just

idk my mom makes me feel like i'm being the worst person in the world by saying no every time she asks for time off (which, by the way, i have only said twice; every other time i have agreed because she pressures me into it) so i just want some other people's opinions

You're definitely not selfish, I'm sure that would piss a lot of people off, especially if she keeps asking for days off.

I don't think that's being selfish at all. You don't know what you're going to do and being in a different enviroment with different hours can offset your usual balance. Maybe you could ask the people in the dayshift to train you a couple days before you have to go in. I'm not sure about what you could do, but good luck!

Well, I can't side with you completely. Sure it's annoying but since you've said no before...this time seems pretty importante. I mean, her husband is having surgery...

Just be like, "OK, but can we go over what you do first...." Have her help you out. I'm sure she would be willing to make you a chart or list of stuff to do.

Well...you've said yes a bunch of times before and it's stressed you out so much you said no now. It's understandable. There's only so much stress a person can take.

You shouldn't feel obligated to take over for her. I think it's kinda selfish for her to assume that you'll take her shift whenever she asks, or pressure you into it.

I think you should suck it up.

Hopefully, you'll learn how to work your job and make a little extra cash too. At least you know this time she actually needs your help instead of just 'taking time off'. If you need help yourself.. just ask.

edit.

You are definitely not the worst person in the world, promise. :]

work my job? it's not my job. i said multiple times that the job i work and the job she is asking me to do are two different jobs entirely. /: i have 'sucked it up' before and worked for her, and it is stressful, hectic, and makes me look like a complete ass.

thanks for your comments guys. i'm not really sure if there's much i can do, it's just frustrating that i specifically asked to work weekends and evenings only and my employer agreed, yet it seems like i'm expected to do this job as well.

All I can say is that life isn't fair. I work at a day camp at the Ropes course and I always get sucked into things I don't wanna do, but I know that it's the right thing and that I'll hopefully get more money.

There are plenty of people that go to college for a certain degree and end up working a job they hate or is low level, but they just have to take it.

If it's hectic, maybe you can take something from that. It may teach you a whole level of patience or could be good on your a job application if you've been in stressful situations and dealt with them.

that's beside the point. this was not a job i wanted, considering i have anxiety problems, but i work it anyway, and the job i do work i do well. the thing that pisses me off is that i REQUESTED that i only work weekends and evenings and my employer agreed, then turned around and told me i needed to do this as well. also, as i have mentioned, i have not been trained to do this job. basically they have shoved me into a situation and said, 'here! do a wonderful job!' without any training whatsoever.

i realize life isn't fair, but i don't think it's unreasonable i decline to work these extra hours.

But didn't you state before that the COWORKER wanted to have you taker her shift? I'm sure your boss doesn't ask her to do it on purpose. It just seems as if s/he is simply not rejecting the idea, which I'm not surprised. People in lots of jobs switch shifts/ rotation all the time.

Can I ask what the two jobs entail?

Yeah, I think it's selfish to say no. Her husband is having surgery, it's not like she's asking for the day off because she needs her roots touched up and couldn't grab another appointment.

Complain if you want but do it anyway; you're going to have to deal with stress and anxiety and doing shit you don't want, it's part of life.

he's having surgery on his finger. it isn't life threatening by any means. i've covered the job for her before because her dog was sick; i've covered it for her because relatives are in town; i've covered it for her because she wants the day off. this is the only time i've ever said no, so i don't see why it's selfish. but okay.

(maybe the timing is bad, but selfish idk.)

i don't know, i mean, i'm working part of the shift for her, noon until four.

i don't really want to list all the things different with the two jobs here because it would make this post long as hell. however there are a lot of jobs in the day shift that the evening/weekend staff haven't been trained to do, simply because there are more people around at that time.