making up time due to lateness

51235

Hi,

Just wondering what others views are on this -

I work for a large outsourcing company, who do not offer temporary staff parking and so we have to rely on the bus. On Saturday morning I waited 25 minutes for a bus that is supposed to come every 10 minutes, and as such, was 1 minute late for work. They have told me that I must make up 15 minutes for this 1 minute of lateness.

I am not a regular offender-I have been late twice in 15 months, both times due to unreliable buses. I am happy to make up time that I have missed (1 minute in this case!) but I do not feel I owe them the other 14, so why should I make them up? I am frequently stuck here 5-30 minutes after my finishing time, and am not paid overtime for this, nor is it acknowledged in any way at all. I am only a temp, so not keen on rocking the boat too much - I am probably being petty worrying about this 14 minutes, but I am not well at the moment and it's like this is the straw that broke the camels back, as it were.

What do you think? Is it unreasonable of me to argue this, or is it unreasonable of them to expect me to "donate" 14 minutes of my own time? It's really infuriated me, although I can't put my finger on why!

TIA

goggle

chances are that they measure working hours in 15 mins chunks - next time go & grab a coffee first & be 14 mins late!

51235

you're probably right - don't know why but it's really touched a nerve i will do if it happens again, although as I said, i'm not a regular offender, in fact i'm usually 20-30 mins early!

they keep telling me i've signed somethign that agrees to this, but the only thing i've signed is my contract which has no mention of it - only that "those who are regularly late will face disciplinary action"

it's really angered me! it's not their time to claim back and managers are frequently coming in an hour after their shift starts! thanks though!

DVardysShadow

51235 wrote: »

you're probably right - don't know why but it's really touched a nerve i will do if it happens again, although as I said, i'm not a regular offender, in fact i'm usually 20-30 mins early!

they keep telling me i've signed somethign that agrees to this, but the only thing i've signed is my contract which has no mention of it - only that "those who are regularly late will face disciplinary action"

it's really angered me! it's not their time to claim back and managers are frequently coming in an hour after their shift starts! thanks though!

Well, if you did sign, they could show you. I would take great pleasure in saying today, that I would work the extra 15 minutes today if they could show me where I had signed, and I would gladly spend 14 minutes haranguing them to get it. And if they didn't I would work the minute and go home.

ceh209

51235 wrote: »

I am frequently stuck here 5-30 minutes after my finishing time, and am not paid overtime for this, nor is it acknowledged in any way at all.

Is there any way that the next time you have to do this, you could claim that this time is 'you making up 15 minutes for being late'?? I mean if you're having to do that time anyway, then it's no extra time for you...

lucylucky

It may not be in your specific contract but is there a staff handbook as such?


Do you clock on?

How did they measure that you were 1 minute late?

Premier_2

It would be unusual for the employment contract to detail each and every working practise, especially within a large company. The employment contract will usually make reference to an employees handbook where such terms are explained.

It would be somewhat strange that a large company, they do not detail somewhere how pay is calculated according to time recorded as worked.

One day, you too may be able to progress to a position that doesn't require you to clock in, allows you to turn up 1.5h late for your shift (though you probably won't work shifts at that point) .... and no doubt take a 3 hour lunch break. But then again, if you really think that's how it is for those, you might not ever get to that position.

51235

DVardysShadow - I would love to do that but in all honesty I'm so bloomin tired from being poorly that I can't really even be bothered to argue with them - I was mainly intrigued to find out whether anybody else felt it was unreasonable of me or them


ceh209 - they've asked me to make it up tomorrow morning so I'm tempted to get "stuck doing something" this evening and show up as usual tomorrow and just wait for a telling off


lucylucky - there is a staff handbook, and it is not mentioned here either! I (foolishly!) emailed them saying I had been a minute late, apologising, and so would begin my shift a minute early today. Won't bother next time

Premier - My point was that I thoroughly believe that if you lead by example, those you are leading will be much happier about you doing so, and as such you have happier staff, who in turn will work better for you. I would not expect somebody less senior than myself to do something if I had not been willing to do it as well. I do like the fact that you seem to presume I have not ever been a senior myself? I actually took this job as a stepping stone into the industry I wanted to get into, to get myself some experience, and was a manager previously - I may only have managed 6 people, but I managed them well and most importantly, fairly.

patman99

If the handbook makes no mention of it, then check you contract of employment. If that makes no mention of lateness, then tell them to get stuffed next time.

51235

Premier - I don't know what's up your backside, but can I suggest if you have nothing of importance to say, that you don't bother at all? Not that it's any of your business, but I started my previous job as a school leaver and did move up, yes. But because i took that as a "stop-gap" job, after I had been there not far short of 5 years, I had a think about what I wanted to do, and decided to start at the bottom again in order to be doing something I enjoyed. Is that OK?

I have not said that I do not like the job - but I think the company can be unreasonable, and this is not the first thing that they have done to make me think this. as i said, I have not been very well, and I think that that is why this has particularly annoyed me.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could keep your nose out if you're just going to be a ****** - I have asked for opinions, not for a lesson in life, thanks.

Thanks to the others though

lucylucky

I assume that you are not the only person ever to have been late.

What are your colleague's views?