Employment issues

meluvnext

I have been working as a recruitment consultant a job which I never thought I could do but I love it! I work and get paid for 40 hours a week but I get 5 hours free basically because I agreed to work on call (taking the work phone and laptop home prepared to answer calls at any time of day or night and book workers on to jobs). I get the benefit of a 10am start rather than a 9 am with view to increase this when it gets busier. I was told I would benefit from the 10 am start at the minute when it is quiet but when it picks up I will basically have to take the rough with the smooth. I work 3 weeks on call and 1 week off.

There has never been a quiet period, tonight I have worked 2 hours trying to deal with bookings, in total this week I have done approx 7 hours. I have not done anyless than 5 hours work on call per week.

I asked for it to be reviewed I am only earning minimum wage and think I am being taken for a ride. it was never discussed about bank holidays etc, but I am expected to work bank holidays for nothing other than the same pay the other staff get who will be having a day off, and I will be dealing with bookings.

The manager came into the office after I had queried about the situation over the bank holidays he started shouting and swearing in front of all the staff in our office including the bus driver and a trainee who we had in, how he is !!!!!! off at how people just change their mind all the time and we are ungrateful etc etc.

This is the first time I have asked for anything, I really do think for what I do I am being unfairly paid, I found it disgraceful the way he dealt with the matter.

I had the oncall over christmas, I was laid off after christmas as the company was in financial difficulty but they took me back 2 weeks later as someone left and they knew I was the only one really ok with doing on call.

I have the same contract as everyone else, we all have the same standard contract. I am basically doing around 50 hours per week and only getting paid for 40 hours. I have took days holidays and they expect me to go in to drop off the phone and laptop. Surely if they are expecting me to go in on a days holiday then they cannot class it as a full day holiday.

I am just at such a loss as to what to do short of leaving. Which is a crying shame as I know I am good at that job and do it well.

Googlewhacker

the manager was bang out of order but tbf if the company is in the crap its not going to have changed that much in 2 months is it so for you to go in asking for more money will have tipped him over the edge.

Bad timing on your behalf I'm afraid

meluvnext

I wasnt asking for more money, that wont benefit me, I was asking for more time off in lieu of working on call, it is quiet in the day during office hours so it is manageable to have a member of staff not there at times.

Googlewhacker

still going to cost the company though as you wouldn't be there to do that work...

meluvnext

but thats just it, there is no work, the majority of the bookings at present are coming in out of office hours, just last week the manager was saying he cant justify the amount of staff in there for the work thats coming in at present. I am only being kept on because they will be up the crap without me doing the on call cos noone else likes it

Googlewhacker

why not offer to change your hours so you start late and finish late? Depends if you wanted to do that mind though

meluvnext

we all finish at the same time supposed to be till 5 but they always send us home early as they have to lock up.


I am basically working for free!

Googlewhacker

yeah but what if you asked to change your business hours to say finish at 7 and you locked up, obviously you don't go in till 11....

I don't know, if your boss is a git then start looking for another job I'm afraid.

dark_lady

If the OP is on minimum wage and doing all the extra unpaid then surely that is illegal.

meluvnext

Dark lady that is my point exactly and acas have said that normally in situations like this you are offered time off in lieu for the hours worked or offered a bonus, while I get an hour later start I am in fact doing alot more than this every day, especially if you include the weekend work. But they are not prepared to reason the language and the shouting and the banging on desks today proved that.