I Refused to Go to Work on the Weekend, Even If It’s an Emergency

So I’ve been a manager for the last seven years and I would’ve fired you so fast your head could spin. It Is completely ridiculous that she would think you are above a job that puts food on your table. If it was something that was happening over and over again I could understand but if this was a true emergency and they called you into help and you chose to ditch your job well then yep your job is gonna ditch you you need to grow up the world don’t revolve around you. They had every right to fire you. You’re not a team player you thought you were above the team, so you got cut from the team. I bet you don’t do that again. I don’t know how many people I interviewed that would come in. I don’t work the weekends? Absolutely stupid immature and ridiculous. You work whenever it’s gonna put food on your table you work one hours or given cause that’s what pays. And you were at a law firm and thought you could get away with that. How stupid you got everything you deserved.

There are exceptions to every rule and this is one situation where an exception should have been made and you should have gone in since this was a true emergency.

100% wrong..my grandma told me many decades ago, the best way to go thru life is to be flexible, treat people how you want to be treated, and find something to smile about every day..
Every place I worked over my lifetime, they knew they were getting 99% of my capabilities..I cross trained, I worked weekends, overnight shifts, and at one point in time, I worked three part time jobs as there were no full time jobs in the mid 1980's..the Reagan years..
I never once would have ever dared to act in such a way, ever! That is subordination, which is a legal reason to terminate anywhere you go..
You need to grow up

It was an emergency for Pete's sake! If you were out of town and unavailable that would be different. But your response that you don't work on the weekend even for an emergency shows you are inflexible and not a team player. You messed up. Hopefully you learn from this.

I wonder how many of these arrogant, negative replies would be the same if a man did this? Few...that's how many. In today's environment, no one should be forced, coerced, or quilted into working on their day off. Maybe she has children or an aging parent at home and doesn't have weekend help? So much bs...

Big deal, 10 months and you couldn't go in for an office emergency to remove important files. Files I'm sure keep you employed in the first place.
Exactly the reason you were fired, it wasn't asked every weekend, it's the same emergency you would hope someone in the office might help you out and take your case load while you have an emergency

Hope you find a job that doesn't require any extra effort

As this was a one time emergency and the actual work requested was on confidential files that you had been working on, Id have agreed. If you were somewhere that made attending impossible, I d have politely said this and asked if there was anything I could do remotely if possible. Obviously, if circumstances made this impossible I would have stated that, too. "Sorry, I'm in Vegas for a friends birthday. My flight isn't for 2 hours. Can I do anything to help by phone?" Or " I'm at the hospital. I tripped playing baseball and probably fractured my ankle. I'm pretty woozy from pain meds and can't really walk, so I don't think that I can help. Sorry. " if it was like most of the places I've worked that seem to think that I should be honored to come work some unpaid overtime because " Sandra called in sick " or" Joey never showed up ", I wouldn't even answer my phone.

So Where was the company emergency plan and was it communicated out to staff at onboarding. The company does not own you 24/7 because they pay you a wage! What if you were out of town, in hospital or other wise indisposed? Would they have paid you? Is it in your job description? What if you got hurt doing this clean up work?

Wow. They were having an emergency and you couldn't help out? I would fire you also!

In times of emergency we all go above. YES you should have gone into the office and secured YOUR files. They were CONFIDENTIAL files. Your clients trusted you to keep their information CONFIDENTIAL.

Given that this was an emergency and they asked that everyone, not just you, show up to help, you should've stepped up without hesitation. I know I would've rushed over to do what I can, not to get praise from anyone but to lessen the burden on everyone there.

Yes. Setting boundaries can be important, especially if your boss was always trying this. But this was an emergency situation with confidential client files that could cause the firm to be sued. So I would have fired you too. You may sit at your desk and do your work, but when they really needed you, you did not help pull your weight.

In the 10 months you have worked there how many times have they called you on the weekend. What would you do if a client had a major legal issue that had to dealt w RIGHT now. You deserved to be fired.

I look at it like this. If it was a lack of planning, nope I am not available. Sounds like pipes bursting is both unplanned and an emergency. I picked a career where I am willing to come in for a real emergency and I am compensated for it in one form or another.

Many people especially management think their employees and others managers or supervisors should be committed to the job. No because management will get rid of anyone at any time they want to. You could be hardworking, never called out or come in late. Who do you put first? God, your family or your job. Do you want to be that person who worked all their life and later find out that job you devoted all your time with will get rid of you and not support you when you need them. That happens to so many people. Besides you don't know that individual circumstances or why they need to be home on the weekends.

My friend here is the truth. You did nothing wrong. The company should had made an offer to you so it would be a one time thing. This way once you came in for that emergency your company would not do it again. Taking advantage of you. Because once you do come in they will always bring up why you don't work on weekends had no weight .Believe me I have seen this happen to many times working in management. Not all upper management will honor their employees request or their availability when it comes to their circumstances. Know this first hand . You need to find another employment. Most employer will make demand on you they would not do. Know this first hand. Jobs come and go. And most will get rid of you for anything even if you are a good employee. I always put my family first and when one of my employees needed time off and I know they cannot work on weekends or a certain day of the week. I honor it .

No you where not wrong. It was management job to secure the files until Monday. That's why they get paid the big bucks. What if you were out of town or had a hangover. Would they still have wanted you to come in ??? And would you have been paid overtime for coming in on a weekend ??? The company is just mad because they now know you have strict boundaries and can't make you come in on your days off. Because what could have actually been done that couldn't have waited until Monday.

Annnd this is why you need to work in some other industry. Pipe bursting in an office is Management's problem. Did they not image all their files? When was this, 1996??

Absolutely wrong. It was an emergency and I would imagine there were many people there on their time off helping to rescue important things. If you believe one years worth of service to your job means your entitled to say no when something like that happens, I don't know what planet you've been employed on previously.

You should have said "I'll come in but if i have an emergency on my end in the future, i expect equal understanding when i need to leave work early or skip a day." This puts the ball back in their court and if they turn out to be assholes about it then that's on them, not you.

Hindsight is 20/20. Your decision did cost you your job but you are the only one that could make that decision. When I was much younger I would jump every time my employer said to. Now at 65 and a few life lessons, I would have said I am out of town on a family emergency. I will be back late Sunday. Should I check with you then? Of course the answer would be no but you offered anyway. See how you saved your job and your weekend.

Call a plumber for broken water pipes

Lmao only 10 months, never go in on your day off but calls yourself devoted. Probably spends a lot of time at the start of your shift just settling in and from the lack of effort and laziness you probably never worked a single minute past your shifts scheduled time in your life. What is wrong with this generation. YTA

You were wrong, period.

Yes. Saying " What? Ph my goodness,.a pipe burst? Yes, of course I'll come in and secure the folders and help out! On my way!" would have bought you their courtesy and understanding when you have an emergency on a weekday.

Your time is yours those company's will bleed you dry if you let them if you go in once on the weekend they will expect and consume your life. That's why its called a weekend files are always backed up nothing is ever lost next time get a separate work phone and leave it in the drawer under the keys on silent

Yta. They said the pipes burst and they needed to recover sensitive client docs. Those clients had faith in you and it was an emergency

YTA...not a team player, I guess. This was an emergency. The same company you were stuffing in an emergency was the same company you would expect to allow you preferential treatment in YOUR emergency, ie. time off due to medical emergency, flooding in your home, death in the family. Your next employer should be made aware by you that you do not deviate from your hours or job description. Should make interviews pretty interesting.

Yes as a matter of fact you were. Emergencies happen. Especially in the workplace on weekends. You should have gone into the office to assist anyway. The fact that you didn't go shows that you don't really care about helping others out when the situation calls for it. That's very irresponsible on your part and yes if I worked in management and you had that attitude I wouldn't hire you either.

Yes you were definitely wrong made yourself look like a bitch that cares nothing for the business I would of let you go too

Yes you were. It was an emergency. Be a team player!! You showed you are not committed to your employer. It was an emergency and they needed help

Yea you were wrong not to go in, only because it was an emergency. If a pipe burst in your house, would you accept a plumbers excuse of “ I don’t work weekends”? You should have gone in to assist. That just made you look like an uncaring, disconnected part of the team. If I were management, I would have let you go too

Wow. Yeah. You done messed up. BIG!

You were wrong. It was your job and your company called on you in a crisis. What sort of employee are you?

Lawyers are kinda essential. Those folders are ride or die some more literal depending on your cases. You can't walk into court and go sorry your honor, all that information was destroyed but a flood but I swear my client should get everything he wants, honest!!

Some careers? Sure, don’t work weekends.

A Law Firm? Honey, never work in Law again. I personally wouldn’t hire you.

Well obviously... You were dead wrong.
1. It was an unforseen circumstance
2. Emergency
3. Your clients confidential files...

What did you expect???

I would hate to be your client... Jeez.

"Was I wrong to go in and help with an emergency?" You got fired. What do you think?

I bet if you had a personal emergency during work hours you would have expected them to give you the time off but when they need a favor you declined.

Yeah, you messed up big time. Not a team player. Good luck finding another job especially when they check your references.

Idiot. It was an emergency. I worked weekends, holidays etc. How would you feel if the payroll system was down on a holiday or a weekend and IT refused to come in and fix it and your direct deposit didn't post to your account?

You messed up. I get if it was a every week thing but it was an emergency. Now you look like a jerk and you have proven you are not a team player. I would have fired you as well.

Yes. You were wrong. This was a one time event. You won't have a flood every day. You are not someone they can count on in an emergency. It's called a surge and you were a no show.

Okay, if they were calling you I'm because they wanted you to work a full 8 hr normal shift on your day off. If say fuck em too. But this isn't an ordinary call in. This isnt so.ething they'll take advantage of week after week because you gave them an inch one time. It's an unforseen catastrophic event that is important for the company to function. In which case it's perfectly reasonable to expect an all hands on deck attitude from HR. The quicker shit gets done the less likely sensitive data will be damaged and less likely for clients to be concerned or turned away. This a career, not a summer job at Walmart where they're constantly taking advantage of their employees. OP had an opportunity to prove herself and bot only squandered it but outright proved she was unreliable. Yet she acts like they interrupted her weekend so she could fetch the boss' coffee for him. And while I'd be willing to say not showing up is appropriate if say, you were at a funeral or a wedding in which making your excuses would rather strongly impact your personal life I'd at least explain, give them a time where you'd be available, and try to cut out asap. Or if you were taking a weekend away in another city. In which case you already likely spent hundreds to get there why should you be expected to spend hundreds or thousands to go back for a few hours without even doing what you came to do. Especially if it's hours away drive or requires a ferry/plane to return. Money don't grow on trees and as it's a new job it's unlikely OP could easily afford that. Unless the company offered to reimburse.

What an idiot. This is why no one wants to hire “Gen Z”. It’s because of this mindset. Never willing to do extra. Glad she got her contract terminated. Serves her right. Maybe next time she’ll think twice. “I just believe that my weekends are not meant to be spent in the office, even in an emergency.” That says it all. This was a one time thing and she couldn’t even go help out. Then the way she answered the phone, “not coming in. Sorry.” It should have been, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Honestly, she wasn’t wrong at all. It’s not her responsibility to show up on her day off just because the company failed to prepare for an emergency. The firm should’ve had protocols in place for that. Her job is to do her work during her scheduled hours — not to sacrifice her personal time to save them from their own lack of planning. Firing her just shows how toxic that ‘devotion culture’ really is.”

You should have gone in to secure your own case files. Those are your responsibility.

You work at a LAW FIRM, so yes you should have gone to help, if only so that your clients don't have confidential information exposed. Did you really expect to still have a job when you flaked at a most unexpected but CRUCIAL TIME? EMERGENCIES are called that for a REASON. They didn't ask you to rewrite a motion or take a deposition, they asked you to help PROTECT CLIENT INFORMATION. The client is what pays your (non-existent now) salary. I hope you get smarter by the time you get another job.