how to handle this

poppyjay

my oh and myself work for the same person over the last month or two we have both been dreading going to work.Our boss has become very off with the way he talks to us really hard to explain but its coming to the point where i get in the car to come home crying.
we have been told for months now we have been finishing at dinner christmas eve now today we have been told were working all day doing jobs that can wait.We also work all over christmas too not sure how to handle this .Can anyone help please?

epsilondraconis

What type of job are you doing?

Perhaps it would be prudent for one of you to begin looking around for alternative employment just in case the worst happens with your organisation and you are both made redundant?

poppyjay

thank you for fast reply
we are both farm workers and there is that much work for us at min fingers crossed there is no porblems on that front
Ive only been working there for about 8month oh 3 years and its the first job ive managed and enjoy until now as i suffered very bad from depression but its really not helping that at min.

SomeBozo

Can you explain a little more?

You normally go early but you are busy and now it might be later?

I know if I was employed I would rather be busy than leave early?

Elaborate a little......

Bozo

Blackpool_Saver

I know it's upsetting but more details would help, was there a catalyst?

LittleVoice

poppyjay and her OH have been led to expect that they would finish around mid-day on Christmas Eve. They have been told this for some months. Then, the day before Christmas Eve (at very short notice), they are told they have to work for the whole of their normal working days - even though they believe the tasks are not urgent.

Because they work on a farm, there are also tasks to be done over Christmas. (If there are animals involved then this would definitely include Christmas Day and Boxing Day and those days may be included any way even if the farm is arable.) There is, as we know, no right to bank holidays - unless it says so in their contracts.

Added to that disappointment (about Christmas Eve) is the longer-term problem with an employer who has begun to speak to them differently.

Poppyjay -

I suspect that nothing was put in writing about an earlier finish on Christmas Eve and it would therefore be difficult to prove that this very short notice was going against an earlier agreement.

Regarding the change in behaviour of your employer - there could be a number of reasons which have brought this about - and possibly nothing to do with either you or your OH. It may be a personal problem or worry which may be making him behave badly to a number of people, maybe not just you two. It doesn't mean it's OK for him to behave like this but it may be behind it.

If you have suffered from depression in the past and you are worried that this may affect your health now, do go and see your GP and talk it over with him/her. You might be able to explain more about the situation at work and get another opinion about what is happening.

poppyjay

thank you for all your replys .We have over 500 cattle on the farm so its a twice a day job feeding.Im finding it really hard to put into words how im made to feel when im there and i have been blaming it on my depression but with my oh noticing it it cant be that.The jobs we are doing can be done in two time or evan a month silly things .A lots of money is being spent on the farm that would not be spent if there is money worries and to be honest i dont know why its being done.
thank you and merry christmas