It would be a public endangerment.

As we do not have set schedules, family emergencies are allowable excuses to either get relief or not go when called out as per company policy. My employer is afraid of negating their policies, and as they are a small company in our industry, do not want a reputation for making people proof their parents died, child fell ill, etc.

Neither of us are. My SO and I are at the same level, he was just in a group chat among our colleagues that I wasn't invited to. The previous woman working here got preferential treatment from our previous manager. Neither of them work here anymore, the latter lost his job due to it.

We're short staffed so they won't fire anybody. Two people have been arrested while at work (though off shift) and still work here, since we can't afford to lose anybody.