Can I Be Fired for Attending Pope's Mass?

What is the name of your state?GA

I work for a large retail dept. store. Been at this location a year, previous location 2 years. Excellent attendance record, always willing to arrange my schedule to accomodate manager or others, etc.

I'm Catholic and my local bishop has arranged a Memorial Mass tonight for local Catholics to come together and remember the Holy Father's life. The Pope died late Saturday and this Mass was scheduled late Sunday to take place tonight (Monday). Problem is, I was scheduled to work 1-9 tonight at the store. Schedules were made up weeks in advance.

I've been a member of the church 32 years, so in my mind, there was no question which choice to make. This morning, I followed proper store procedure for calling out of a shift (my first time doing so!). I left a message on the appropriate answering machine at 9 a.m., stating I was calling out and would not be in for my 1 p.m. shift. I did not state a reason. I wanted to do it as early as possible so they could get a replacement.

My supervisor called me an hour later and asked why I was calling out. She asked if I could work a modified shift, and I told her no, because the Mass was at 7 p.m.

Although I'm unhappy with my job, I would not have called out today if the circumstances were different.

Will I be fired over this?? Thanks for your time

You asked two different questions:

"Can I be fired?" Without question, yes. Legally, there's no question.

"Will I be fired?" Not unless the boss is a pinhead. You sound like an excellent employee. Just curious, is there any reason you couldn't have worked 1-4 or 1-5?

CheeseBlotto said:

"Will I be fired?" Not unless the boss is a pinhead. You sound like an excellent employee. Just curious, is there and reason you couldn't have worked 1-4 or 1-5?

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Or unless the boss is a Pagen

There is no possible way anyone here can tell you whether or not you WILL be fired. If you are asking whether or not it would be legal to fire you, the answer is yes, it would.

If your shift starts at 1pm and church services aren't until 7pm, why couldn't you tell your supervisor you could work until 6pm or so? That would have been a very reasonable thing for you to do.

Anyway, as cbg said, no one here can predict what action your employer will take, if any.

BelizeBreeze said:

Or unless the boss is a Pagen

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Are they anything like the Pagans? (The religious ones, not the biker gang).

Thanks for the advice. Working 1-6, or a modified shift thereof, was not an option. They had plenty of coverage for the department until 6. It was the night shift that they needed. I hated to call out too. But I wanted to say goodbye with other Catholics.

No, my boss is not a pagan. That I know of.



I know I COULD theoretically be fired, for anything, at anytime. Anybody could.

Thanks!