When should you do the right thing?

I work for a Financial Services firm, processing paperwork. It's a job of which college dreams/degrees are made, but in this current economy I'll take it. I like having a reason to get up in the morning, something to occupy my time, and like everyone else, I enjoy receiving my paycheck every 2 weeks.

All that said, it is a temp job. When I was hired, I was asked not to take any time off during the 5 week training class. I have not been late and usually arrive early. Work has been slow and I haven't had a paycheck for 75 hours since my first month there. But that's fine, a paycheck is a paycheck.

On Wednesday, my boyfriend and I were discussing President's Day weekend. We want to go to Charleston (where we met) and Savannah. I suggested we both take Friday, 2/18 off from work so we could drive. I immediately emailed the people in charge of such requests.

Fast forward to yesterday, when all of us were tired and looking forward to our long holiday weekend. I received the following email:

I have been asked by Financial Service Company management to reach out to you to inform you that you will be required to work from home this coming Monday (1/17/11). Here are the specifics about working:

Insert Random facts about work here.

ONLY THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THIS EMAIL ARE BEING ASKED TO WORK FROM HOME.

Have a great weekend!

OK, that's fine, I guess. I had plans to go to the mall with my friend Katie, but I could move that to Sunday. But then it dawned on me: if they could require me to work on MLK Day, I might be required to work on President's Day. I called my boss, who had no idea and said he could find out for me on Tuesday (irony, anyone?), but when I got home, I had an email saying my request for the 18th (over a month from now) had been denied due to projected volumes.

I cried. We have meetings sometimes and the way we are addressed, it seems like we should be looking for new jobs now. We have never been told how long our assignment will last. It's so frustrating, doing everything as we are asked to do, just to be told no. I guess I could have waited and called out sick. It probably would have gotten me farther.

That brings me to my question: Do you do what's right? Or do you do what will benefit you?