Manager has asked me to "make arrangements" as I have to work till 5pm

m33r4

I started work in my department in 2008 on a 16 hour basis. However, I topped up those hours with overtime working from 8.30am to 2.30pm on a 4 day basis as I had the school run.

I live 12 miles away from the high school and run my kids to and from daily and go to work from there. To get to school by bus would take 3 bus changes and about 1.5 hours to get home for the kids plus at a cost of about £3 daily.

During school holidays I work three long 8 hour days (instead of 4 shorter ones of term time) as I don't have the school run to do. I don't take lunch as I eat at my desk so I don't have to take lunch time out of my working hours. While others go to lunch for 45 minutes, I am behind taking their work phone calls. When people go on leave, I cover their work (as others cover mine too). Tomorrow we are short staffed and although it's not my working day, I have offered to cover.

2 weeks ago, my manager has informed us all that whoever is on phone duty (we each have a day assigned) has to work 9 - 5 to which I replied in the meeting, that I had school runs, as always. She said "you have to make arrangements then". Her "reasoning" is that it should be fair for everyone and that I shouldn't expect someone else to take my phone when I leave at 2.30pm for the school run. I have spoken to my other colleagues and they are happy and willing to take my phone calls after I leave at 2.30pm as I have offered to take their calls on their phone days for 2.5 hours (the hours they cover me from 2.30pm to 5pm). My manager has also said during the school holidays I can no longer compress my 4 working days into 3 longer days as "it would be unfair to the others" who may want the 4th day I am not in off.

I know for a fact that my manager, who also manages another department, has asked the other workers there to also work till 5pm and they have refused on the grounds that they too have school runs.

With the August holidays and leave etc, my manager has said she will come back to this issue after the holidays.

This has been playing on my mind so much so that I am looking to move to a £2000 per year less paid job, if I can get one, just so that I can carry on with my priority to my children.

The reason I took up the post was for the part time and flexibility. I am very flexible as you can see but nobody seems to count the phone cover I do over lunch and when others are absent. I don't wish to cause unhappiness at work as I spend most of my day at work with those same people.

Any input please?

Thanks.

Judith_W

As a parent you have a legal right to ask for flexible working, which the company does not have to approve provided there is a valid business reason why not. As you have been sucessfully working in this way, I would suggest getting others onside to confirm they are happy if you continue as before and push with your manager that the business needs have not changed therefore the contract for flexible working should remain.

pjcox2005

You've set out your thoughts to the Manager (as have others) as to why it's not practical in that way, you've discussed proposed cover so that it won't be an issue, and your Manager has put it on hold.

I would suggest that your Manager may be looking for a graceful way to back out of the suggestion by going cold on the idea and then not picking it up post holidays.

I'd suggest best approach would be to leave taking any further action till later and carry on as normal.


Should it come back up again then you'll have to have a rethink but I wouldn't worry about it for now.

DVardysShadow

Judith_W wrote: »

As a parent you have a legal right to ask for flexible working, which the company does not have to approve provided there is a valid business reason why not. As you have been sucessfully working in this way, I would suggest getting others onside to confirm they are happy if you continue as before and push with your manager that the business needs have not changed therefore the contract for flexible working should remain.

This is not even flexible working. It is agreed hours of 0830 to 1430 including overtime.

OP, think through your position of what your working hours are and you have to tell the manager that you cannot and will not work to 1730. If necessary, you may need to reduce to your core 16 hours.

Savvy_Sue

How much of what you are doing is 'contracted' and in writing, and how much is just what happens?

CFC

You might need to only work your core contractual hours. You have no right to work overtime at times of your own convenience - which effectively is what is happening right now.
I can see many reasons the manager may want to regularise all these strange hours across departments, and I wouldn't necessarily take the view that it will be forgotten about after the school holidays. You can request flexible working, the company does not have to agree this, but this will only cover your contractual hours anyway so that wont really help you.
If you can change jobs to times that suit you you may well be better to do that.

m33r4

CFC wrote: »

...If you can change jobs to times that suit you you may well be better to do that.

I applied for a lower paid post in the same establishment. I was offered interview but around the same week of this, my manager called me in and informed me that as I was providing so much support already and since I work so hard, she no longer expected me to work till 5pm:D

Disenchanted

Glad you got it sorted

t0rt0ise

Hehe.. good result.