Do I have to work for free?

liam92_2

Hi

I've already created a thread which was initially to discuss travelling expenses among other things, however the topic shifted to unpaid overtime (which seems to be an issue for quite a few people.)

So I've decided to create a new thread purely to discuss this issue.
Apparently, 25 February is the date at which the average worker starts being paid for the work they do, i.e. accounting for all of the unpaid overtime they've (chosen to or been forced to) carry out in their job.

In my case, I work as a bank clerk and am contracted to work Saturdays 9.00 to 17.00 (the hours the bank is open.) We are expected to arrive at 8.45 so we can open up our tills and have to clear up at the end of the day, cash-up, log off and then set the alarm which usually takes us up until 5.10 or 5.15pm. So hence for 25-30 minutes per day I (and all my colleagues) work for nothing.

My hourly pay rate is c. £7.30 and I am aged 18 (as you'll probably be able to deduce from my username,) so the National Minimum Wage for my age is £4.92. Accounting for the unpaid 30 mins per day, my average hourly rate becomes c. £6.80, so there's no legal issue of my pay being below the NMW.

But my question is do I really have to arrive at 8.45am as the manager tells us to to log-on to my till? Surely, I shouldn't have to do this in my own time and I can just arrive promptly at 9am. Likewise, if I'm paid to work until 5.00pm, I should be leaving my workplace at 5pm.

In my contract, after the paragraph stating my remuneration, it's stated that I may be required to work alternative / additional hours in order to properly carry out my duties.

I plan to leave this job soon, and am not bothered about impressing, as it is not in the field I wish to work in later in life and plus HR only ever issue standard references.

Any views??

generaloneill

just work your hours. It says your hours in your rota or your contract.

DCFC79

As you open up at 9 you have to be ready for work at 9 and not 9 05 or 9 10

liam92_2

DCFC79 wrote: »

As you open up at 9 you have to be ready for work at 9 and not 9 05 or 9 10

Yes, but surely the act of getting 'ready for work,' is working.

ILW

Is your chosen career some type of union activist or something similar?

DCFC79

liam92 wrote: »

Yes, but surely the act of getting 'ready for work,' is working.

ive no experience of banking culture but it might be considered ok to start work early and finish 15 minutes later

Mistral001

liam92 wrote: »

Hi

I plan to leave this job soon, and am not bothered about impressing, as it is not in the field I wish to work in later in life and plus HR only ever issue standard references.

Any views??

So what is your problem? In a little while you will probably working in a job where you clock on and clock off. Then you will not have to work a minute more than you need to and you will be perfectly happy won't you.

liam92_2

ILW wrote: »

Is your chosen career some type of union activist or something similar?

Lol, no...I'm staunchly anti-TU and am grateful to Mrs Thatcher for breaking them up in the 80s!

I'm much more in favour of 'rocking the boat' on a small-scale without the bureacracy of TUs and the need to involve useless 'fat-cat' union bosses, such as Bob Crow.

IMO, unions were a great asset to a large number of employees when working conditions were truly appauling and wages did little to appease poverty (such as Victorian Times.) However in recent years, as working safety conditions are now regulated and the NMW exists, many unions' sole ambitions have been to push wages up above their equilibrium, and hence by the laws of labour economics, cause a rise in unemployment!

Kaybenson

You win some! You lose some!!

Even as a bank clerk, you probably have 'illegal' break as well. I mean some minutes you were paid for but you dont really do anything.

liam92_2

Mistral001 wrote: »

So what is your problem? In a little while you will probably working in a job where you clock on and clock off. Then you will not have to work a minute more than you need to and you will be perfectly happy won't you.

No thanks, I'm not aiming for a 'clock-on and clock-off career,' I'm aiming to become a barrister and hence be salaried and work as cases require.

However the job I'm in now (just a stop-gap before uni,) I don't enjoy and don't want to progress, so why should I work unpaid?

KiKi

I can't think of anyone, in any job, who doesn't do at least 10-15 minutes extra per day, whether it be walking into the building and switching their computer on, or arriving and getting changed or whatever.

I can't think of any job where you literally turn up and start and walk out when you finish every single day. (I'd be happy to hear of some!) Whether it's sitting down at your desk and getting ready, or being briefed by a previous team member, or setting up the warehouse / store / shop / whatever. You may get a shock when you start working in other organisations, especially if you plan to make a career for yourself and climb the ladder where extra time is the norm.

I'd also warn about being very careful in burning your bridges before you get another job. It can be mightily uncomfortable!

KiKi

p.s. I'm impressed with your correct use of apostrophes, though (even if you can't spell 'appalling').