USA Bus Lines

New Job Crisis?

I've just started a new job at a hotel. During my interview I told them that I rely completely on public transit (the bus) - and I know common hotel shifts are 7am-3pm for mornings and 3-11pm. I told them that the earliest I can get there for is 7:30am and the latest I can stay on any given shift is 10:30pm. They understood, and despite this offered me the job, which I took because I do need the money. I had my first shift today and looked at the schedule to see that they have me on two shifts this week starting at 7 - which I can't get there for! It already costs me $60 for the bus pass so I cannot afford an extra $20 cab fare EACH time I need to get a ride to work. There is noone I can car pool with and we can't afford a car being recent college graduates. How do I tell this new job they can't give me those shifts (which I specifically told them in the interview) or how do I say this position isn't working out for me.

Public Comments

1. Just politely remind them of your transportation situation. Then ask them if this schedule is temporary or just for a training period. If they say it is temporary (like a week or two) then cough up the money for a cab. If they say it isn't then ask them if they will be willing to provide time accomodations. Be sure you let them know that you are grateful for the opportunity but the schedule is not conducive to your current situation and you really want to be with the company. Truthfully they probably just forgot. Even tell them you'd be willing to shave off thirty minutes of your break or stay an extra 30 minutes in the afternoon. Show them you are trying to be flexible. On a personal note, I had a job as a bank teller a long time ago. There was no public transportation near its location and I had to pay a cab to go to work. Those fees killed me but I did it anyway. It paid off because I moved up so quickly with them and was able to transfer a few months later to a closer location to my house. By that time I was making enough to finally buy my first car. Good luck!