Sunday Work, how should I re-notify my employer this is not for me?

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colliric

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Hi,

I have previously approached my employer to notify them that I can’t work on Sunday, but recently I noticed they have really been bugging me to do a fill-in shift for someone who can’t make it sometimes and i’m finding it hard to turn them down. By that I mean I may have to leave If asked again.

When I told them last time it was about April(Just before easter and before my RCIA started), and I had said that I was “a Christian, I go to church all day on Sundays”(which of cause is true), but should I have said specifically that I was “a Catholic Christian” and emphasized my church’s teaching on Sunday? i think they may have forgetting what i said to them.

Also I am wondering about this “filler” thing because the place where I work is a restaurant and I looked this up in the Catechism before coming here and noticed the Catechism specifically says “Sports and restaurants” are fine on occasion so long as one can find time to rest. If my employer really can’t find anyone to fill in my job, is this ok to help on occasion?

They have asked me today(Sunday) and I could not physically actually say no. They promised to me it was a once off thing, but I am worried it may become not so and need to know about this issue more.

My problem really is instead with the fact that working on Sunday oft gives me no time for rest, even in such manner… which is a sin.
 
perhaps this really should be put to an apologist in the questions forum instead.
 
Is there a Mass available to you on Saturday evening, and are you generally scheduled on both days of a weekend? If you are unable to get out of working on Sundays, it is my understanding that it isn’t a sin as long as you still make it to Mass. As Saturday evening counts as the Sunday vigil, that might solve your problem. Then on the weeks where you are scheduled for a Sunday, perhaps on a day off during the week you could take time for rest and prayer, and maybe a Mass if it is available.

If it is common for you to be scheduled on both days of a weekend, then yes, you need to sit down with your employer and tell him or her that this is not acceptable. Perhaps you could arrange not to work on Saturday evening if you have to work Sunday morning, or to work a later shift on Sunday. I used to work on weekends when I was an undergrad student, and my employers never had a problem with scheduling me later in the day on Sundays.
 
SeekerJen said:
Is there a Mass available to you on Saturday evening, and are you generally scheduled on both days of a weekend? If you are unable to get out of working on Sundays, it is my understanding that it isn’t a sin as long as you still make it to Mass. As Saturday evening counts as the Sunday vigil, that might solve your problem. Then on the weeks where you are scheduled for a Sunday, perhaps on a day off during the week you could take time for rest and prayer, and maybe a Mass if it is available.

If it is common for you to be scheduled on both days of a weekend, then yes, you need to sit down with your employer and tell him or her that this is not acceptable. Perhaps you could arrange not to work on Saturday evening if you have to work Sunday morning, or to work a later shift on Sunday. I used to work on weekends when I was an undergrad student, and my employers never had a problem with scheduling me later in the day on Sundays.
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I work on saturday evening(sometimes end after 12AM, but before 1AM), and the shift they are asking me to do on Sunday is from 5pm to 11pm. so the satuday mass is not an option, plus my RCIA is on sunday afternoon anyway.

I wake up at 7AM and get in to church at 10AM and stay to 1:00pm(RCIA). Do not get much sleep if they ask me to do work sunday.
 
As a nurse, I avoided scheduling myself on a Sunday, but would go in if they were short and called me in, or if I was scheduled. That way it was out of my hands.

I tell my son not to schedule himself on a Sunday, (at Wendy’s), but to go in if they call him as long as he’s been to Mass.I think it’s okay to go in the evening.
 
I work most sundays at my job. i usually go to the saturday vigil mass, but there are also two sunday morning masses i could make it to before work. i always ask God to help me be patient and helpful to people. I work in retail.
 
colliric said:
thanks guys for your responses… I’ll keep them in mind.
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I actually quit my job over the scheduling of Sunday work. Now I understand that most people can’t leave a job because they need the money to live. But, there are times that we need to take a stand on things that matter.

No matter how I explained the need to go to Mass to my bosses they would schedule me to work the majority of my hours Saturday evening and Sunday early till after all the Masses were ended. The other workers tended to “need” the time off to date, drink and party. When they were scheduled to work they called off or came in late. So the bosses would not schedule them. I liked my job. But, God is much more important.😃
 
I’m a Retired State Police Officer, and often had to work on Sunday’s/Holy Days of obligation. A few years prior to retirement, I was fortunate in that my parish offered ample opportunity for me to hear, either a Vigil Mass (Saturday) or on the day prior to the Holy Day. Each situation can have it’s own way of being unique. I would suggest you discuss your situation with a Priest or Deacon, and see what they advise.There are going to be times, when in spite of your best efforts, you can’t make it to Mass. These instances have to be judged on a case by case basis. Were you to accept a shift or work assignment with the intention of missing Mass, or being indifferent to missing Mass, then yeah, that’s a problem. It’s a whole lot different than being called in to cover a shift, or a personel shortage. Again, speak to your Priest or Deacon.
 
Give your employer a letter with a copy to your bishop.
  1. Say simply that, for religious reasons protected by your human rights code, you can work either on Sunday or Saturday, but not both and that he may chose which day, once and for all.
  2. Then for all further requests to work on your day off simply say no. If it gets onerous, then send a cease and desist letter to the offending party and tell them that you have clarified your rights under the law with your employer and that any further requests for you to work instead of fulfilling your religious obligations will be considered harrassment.
Hopefully it won’t get to (2).

It is too easy for this to turn into a slippery slope. And then when you start missing Mass everything else starts going to hek in a handbasket. I know. I’ve been there. I ended up sending an email to one of my employers and simply said that I would not be returning to work next season.

I just find that as soon as they find out I am Catholic, the pressure starts. My art professor scheduled a make up class on Good Friday which is more than a religious holiday, it is protected as a statutory holiday. Another boss wanted me to work on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Another boss wanted me to work on Sunday. And so it went until I put my foot down.
 
Is there a Catholic college nearby or a church with Sunday evening masses?
 
NewUlm1976_2000 said:
Is there a Catholic college nearby or a church with Sunday evening masses?
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it’s Not an option considering I am sitting my RCIA program on Sunday afternoon after mass.

Ani Ibi’s suggestion sounds like the right thing to do I think.

From Richard.
 
colliric said:
it’s Not an option considering I am sitting my RCIA program on Sunday afternoon after mass.

Ani Ibi’s suggestion sounds like the right thing to do I think.

From Richard.
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I am a little leary of Ani Ibi’s suggestion. It seems to me that with the Sunday schedule you described with work starting at 5 pm, that you would get pretty tired, but you are young and if that occurs only occasionally I can’t see where it would harm you. Having to do some work on Sunday is not always prohibited as sinful. My concern would be,do they work you regularly seven days a week. In the US we have wage and hour laws. I would be surprised if they don’t have something similar in Australia. Is it a business where wage and hour laws do not apply? If they do apply and you work more than 40 hours per week and are a non-exempt employee you have a right to some kind of overtime pay at least under US laws…
 
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