Feel like a jerk. Coworker keeps asking everyday to cover her shifts

[pheonixhart]

So I work at night and graveyards at my uni. Everyday she asks me to cover her shifts. Her boyfriend of a year cheated on her and she caught him in the act now she does counseling mon-fri and she works from 4pm to 8pm. Now I can understand how sucky that would be and counseling would be warranted but I am tired in the morning and she's asks me on my days off. But I feel like a jerk.

[Darkfairie17]

Don't feel like a jerk, balancing university and work is a tough thing. I have many friends who do that and it's tough. We have many days where we have 8am classes, you just can't do that to your body. Let her know that you understand her situation, but that you can't take all of her shifts. There has to be someone else who can do the shifts. Even if you only did it ocasionally, but not all the time.

She should really be talking to who does the scheduling and let them know what's up, change her schedule so that she doesn't have to keep giving people her shifts all the time.

[Anonymous]

It's really not your problem and I'd always feel bad when I said 'no' to covering someone's shift but that's not your responsibility and if you honestly have better things to do (like balance work and university) then she needs to deal with it. On the other hand, I always appreciated the extra hours if I was low on money.

[pr3ttybr0wn]

It's not your responsibility to cover her shift. That's unfortunate for her, but what's that got to do with u?

[AltTech]

You are entitled to your own time, you can say no. If she pitches a fit, tell her you have a life too and it doesn't revolve around her regardless of whether she is a victim.

[Alanaaa]

Just help her out like 1/5 times ?

[Anonymous]

Mighty gracious and big of you