Work changing shifts at short notice

GlasweJen

I was wondering if anyone could help. I work for a local compay, not huge but by no means small. When I accepted the job I was told that rotas were made up 4 weeks in advance and rarely changed after that except in an emergency.

A few months ago I got a phone call from my assistant manager saying that I was meant to start early but I had a copy of the rota saying that I was a late start, even though I showed her the rota she still swore blind that she hadn't changed it (rotas are her responsibility). I let it slide then. Another day I came into work and was the only one there, I called the manager who went mental on the phone because colleague M was on the rota to be in but it turned out that M hadn't been informed the day before that the rota had changed so didn't know.

I've been on holiday and I'm due to go back tomorrow afternoon. I got a text there saying that I am now starting at 10. Trouble is I'm looking after my niece today and she's being collected tomorrow half an hour before work. I said to her that I have the niece (who I have on a regular basis) and she's not replied.

I also get access 2 work help and the taxi company require 48 hours notice so I'm !!!!!!ed for tomorrow.

Can work change my rota like this at no notice?

SarEl

I think you might find that two incidents of changing the rota at short notice might be what they mean by "in an emergency". What does it say about your hours of work in your written statement of main particulars? Have you explained to them about the notice required by the taxi company?

GlasweJen

They know all about the taxi hours. In both cases the circumstances haven't been emergencies and neither was the incident involving colleagues M and R. The shift change for tomorrow is because my manager has decided to go out tonight, wants to drink and doesn't think she'll be fit to work at 10am. Now if that was me I would either reschedule to a non-work night or not drink to the point of oblivion. This is normally the reason for rota changes.

The 2 incidents I've mentioned aren't the only changes I've had, just the ones with less than 1 days notice. Another incident involved me being told on a Thursday that I wasn't getting Saturday off and as a result I'd have to do it as over time and take the hours back at some point. This was so that the assistant manager could go away for the weekend to get cosmetic surgery.
I wouldn't mind if the incidents really were emergencies but they never are.

J_i_m

Unfortunately that doesn't sound too far out of the ordinary. I know I get messed around something chronic with my shifts. I'd like 4 hours notice let alone 4 weeks

Still, if this is a recurring problem for you, consider mentioning it during supervision/appraisal (should you be lucky enough to actually have this). Explain that the impact of short notice change of shifts impacts on your day to day life, which obviously causes you stress, otherwise you wouldn't have cause to complain, and knock on effect of stress is that you many not be performing as well at work as you would otherwise be.

Savvy_Sue

If you have an HR dept, I'd be asking them what's 'reasonable', however you might not be Miss Popular, because presumably your manager and the asst manager are supposed to give more notice than this when booking leave? Or do they just re-arrange shifts to avoid booking leave?

You may also need to be slightly diplomatic about why (you believe) shifts are being changed. If the manager says to all and sundry "I need to take Friday morning off because I'm going out on Thursday, I'll get plastered and I won't be fit for work on Friday" I'd say that was fine to repeat. If she told a colleague who told you, it's slightly less reliable. And if the manager is slightly more measured in her choice of words and you've assumed (from past experience or some other means) that it's because she'll be hungover after her night out, but nothing has been said, then tread carefully before you accuse her of binge drinking or whatever.

I would say that you are on stronger ground than many, because your disability means you have to pre-book taxis, so it's not 'reasonable' to change shifts at short notice.

t0rt0ise

You shouldn't have answered the text and denied receipt of it.

Forwandert

t0rt0ise wrote: »

You shouldn't have answered the text and denied receipt of it.

Texting is a totally unsuitable means of letting you know of the shift change, do they allow you to text if you are ill and can't come in to work? Usually most places have some sort of timescale in which they can change the rota which is mentioned on the rota or you are made aware of ie This rota subject to change with a minium 24hrs notice.

ifonlyitwaseasier

if they know about the taxi situation then when they text you just say, sorry i'm unable to change as i can't change my transport, as previously discussed with you i need minimum of 48 hours notice to arrange it.

GothicStirling

Most employers say 24 hours, but I've had shifts change within hours because of illness etc.

My policy has always been to suck it up.

GlasweJen

The manager did actually tell everyone that she was changing the rota because she planned on getting plastered the night before.

I wouldn't mind if it wasn't for the taxis, she seems to think that because I get a taxi to work I'm available at 2 mins notice to cover shifts, cover other stores etc.

Savvy_Sue

GlasweJen wrote: »

The manager did actually tell everyone that she was changing the rota because she planned on getting plastered the night before.

I wouldn't mind if it wasn't for the taxis, she seems to think that because I get a taxi to work I'm available at 2 mins notice to cover shifts, cover other stores etc.

In that case, I think it's absolutely fair enough to tell her that you CANNOT change shifts at less than 48 hours notice, and if it happens again, raise a grievance.

Actually if you have a way of alerting HR to this without them knowing it's you, I'd do that now. I'm thinking if it is a company with multiple branches then there should be a central part of the organisation where you can raise things like this.

Are you in a union? Given your disabilities, I would think it money well spent ...