JulieAloha

March 27, 2017

Sometimes, when it’s slow at the Zoo and there’s more than enough people to cover the gates, they’ll ask us if anyone would like to leave a little early. It’s the policy that they only ask for volunteers as we are scheduled for a certain number of hours and they won’t infringe on our right to work the hours we’ve been given, though I know plenty of other employers who are not so considerate. It’s not something that’s offered every day or something we expect or abuse, in fact we often defer to other coworkers if they aren’t feeling well or have evening plans or just have a bigger need. By agreeing to voluntarily cut your hours short you also benefit the department budget, and those of us who are full-time employees are always aware that cost savings can translate to upgrades or increases in equipment or materials or even to the ability to bring on more full-time staffers.

I was grateful today to get to leave a little early, have time to run to the store, time to finish listening to an audiobook, and time to go through some things at home, which I’ve been putting off for awhile. A rare privilege I truly appreciate.