Thank you for the advice, I came here because I had nowhere else to turn. I was in shock at what happened, I still am. I still haven’t arranged the time I need off for my children and now I’m too scared to and I know that sounds pretty pathetic. I was told not to dictate when I couldn’t work, but they were aware I needed this time off and all this happened when I approached them to book it. I didn’t see it coming, I was told I was selfish when I’ve been juggling work/kids for years trying to make everyone happy. I feel I’ve always done my best but to be told I’m just not good enough, to work side by side knowing they feel this way about me feels awful. I’m sorry if I wasted anyone’s time even looking at this

I have thought about this, it’s not a well paid job, just in retail, I have savings to tide me over if I was to try for benefits or even while I looked for other jobs. My job has never really been about the money, I was there because I absolutely loved it, but now I just feel heartbroken, I’ve always worked, even when it would’ve been so much easier to give up. This argument was also had while there were customers in the shop and I feel mortified.

The manner in which I was spoken to has made me feel as though I can’t work there any more, both my children have operations coming up, which I made my employer aware of and this barrage of abuse was released on me as I tried to book time off to deal with it. I’ve tried so hard to hold things together since becoming a single parent (7 years) and I just feel like it’s the last straw. I really don’t feel I’ve any choice but to leave, I can’t see an alternative as I can’t commit to what they want from me not to mention I actually feel betrayed after all the years I’ve worked there

No I’m not a member of a trade union. This all came as a shock to me as nothing has been mentioned about my performance until now, if it had I would’ve tried to improve, I can’t work the extra hours at the times they are wanting me to. I’ve been made to feel I can’t go back now anyway

Hi, long first post sorry bit of background This is my first post here and I found this forum after having a really bad day at work. I’m a single parent to 2 children one of which has autism and I’ve worked for the same employer for 14 years. I went in today to try and book time off for an operation my son has to have and my boss went off at me saying I had to take a full day when I only needed part of it off, which was fine until she let lose on me on all the ways I’ve disappointed her since I came back from furlough in April, when I changed my hours to suit her business. It wasn’t easy but I’ve made it work. I currently do 16 hours which I know isn’t much to some but it’s all I can do in my situation and these are the things she said to me. “There is no 16 hour a week job here anymore, it has to be 24, extending my working day hours which I can’t do due to childcare issues, it isn’t available and she suggested I leave my autistic son at home on his own while I worked more. I have a younger son who has childcare but as my older son Is 11 there isn’t any available, I have no support network. I was told that I should offer to work more than my hours, even though I’ve tried to do more when asked over the years and got personal and it turned into a character assassination, even referring to furlough as a holiday for me (it really wasn’t ). I was told if I can’t do what they want I was surplus to requirements. I said I try to find a way but I feel the only I have is to resign. I guess what I’m asking is if it’s me or them being unreasonable? Any advice would be appreciated Thanks