Why can my employer refuse a work availability change?

[crom]

I see so many people saying an employer has the right to refuse a work availability change... and he can even fire the employee if they. Can't work the hours, how is this possible? There are labor laws put in place to protect both employee and employer, as well as. Ethical standard laws to my knowledge.. to say an employer can say you have to work these hours even though you have given me advanced notice that you can't work 4 hours twice a week is unethical l... is it not()?

[gustav]

Depends on the state. A lot of them (my own included) are at-will employment, and can terminate you for any reason. From an employer's viewpoint, it's reasonable. If they need an employee who can work certain hours, and you can't, then letting you go for someone who can is perfectly reasonable and doable. Especially if you're in an occupation that has a lot of applicants.

[archy]

You can thank the unsavory worker out there.

If employers bent every time an employee wanted a schedule change they would get nothing done. The nature of the business decides the number of people needed for the work schedule.

It is not unethical it is nothing personal. It is strictly business.

[wardell]

IT is a balance between how bad you need a job and how much your employer needs you.

[banys]

Let's say I own a business that is open 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, from 10-8. I need three people there each day, from 9-5, 11-7, and 1-9 to cover opening and closing the business each day. That's 21 shifts. Basically, that's 5 full time employees.

Now, being my business, I have to cover any uncovered shifts.

My first employee cant work Tuesdays or Thursdays because of school and must have the opening shift Fridays for family dinmer. My second can only work opening, Monday thru Friday. So I give my first employee Fridays off since my second is taking their opening shift. But, I have two people who can only work weekends because this is their second job. So they are only part time, not full time. My first employee can cover the extra weekend shifts because they have three days off suring the week. I'm the fifth employee, and cover everything else.

Monday, my second employee takes the first shift, my first employee takes the second, I take the third. Ok, fine. Tuesday, my second employee takes the first, I cover the extra two hours of the second shift when I close. Not ok. I have two employees who only work weekends, one who has Tuesday, Thursday, and, now, Friday off. This means, I'm working Monday thru Friday, with two extra hours and not enough staff on three of them unless I am able to afford the time to find, hire, and train a new employee. And that employee would HAVE to he available for the few open shifts I have, plus I would have to be able to count on them not to change their availability. But where am I going to find that time when I'm working so much?

This is why it's legal and reasonable to say if you're not available when I need you, I don't need you.