Dear Queenie,
I have a job where I work 6 days a week. I’m supposed to have one full weekend off every month but somehow it never seems to happen. Someone always seems to get sick or have a family emergency or something and it’s always good old me that they call on to fill in.
I get paid overtime for working on my weekend off and my boss seems to think that is enough and I shouldn’t complain, but I don’t want the money as much as I want the time off to rest up or do things with my family and friends.
Queenie, how can I get my days off?—Worn out worker
Dear Worn out worker,
First of all, remember that no one can take advantage of you unless you let them. You will have to learn to say, “No!” and make it stick.
Have you talked this over with your boss? He (or she) may be under the impression that you are happy to get the extra money. Explain clearly that you would prefer to have the time off and, if necessary, ask him/her to set down on paper exactly what weekend you will have off each month.
When you are asked to give up a free weekend, make sure to establish what weekend you will be given off instead. Again, it would be a good idea to have it set down in writing.
Of course, you will want to cooperate in a real emergency, but your boss and/or your co-workers should not impose on your good nature too often, and you should not let them do so. As I have said before, sometimes you can “just say no.”
