Can you be sacked for not doing overtime?

falko89

I have not signed anything as yet, the contract doesn't mention anything about this 48hr thing anyway.

LittleVoice

falko89 wrote: »

I have not signed anything as yet, the contract doesn't mention anything about this 48hr thing anyway.

So that's good insofar as it supports a refusal to do more than the 48 hours on average.

The original intention was that any opt-out should be a definite separate statement but I have certainly seen that it is now included in standard contractual terms and, if it is signed, there can be a notice period of up to 3 months for an employee to withdraw their consent. It is something that does require a signature and should not be implied by an employer providing a standard T&C document which includes the opt-out.

jfh7gwa

dktreesea wrote: »

When you consider that you probably have to be up and about by 6.30am/7am to get into work on time, and then are not back in through the door until after 6, say, that is quite a long day already.

That's not a "long day" for most people in full-time jobs that I know. In all honesty, that's a pretty normal day.

It's certainly less than I work now (in a job with a not-bad commute compared to some I've done - I have to leave for 6.40am to get there on time, a half hour for lunch if I can fit one in (admittedly my contract states an hour), and I generally walk through the door anywhere between 6.30pm and 7.30pm at night. This is much better than some jobs I've done, and it's also not the easiest I've done.

[shrugs]

Not commenting on the OP, but I did want to point out that 11 or 12 hours out of the house isn't working a particularly long day, by any stretch of the imagination. (Yes, manual jobs too.)

falko89

jfh7gwa wrote: »

That's not a "long day" for most people in full-time jobs that I know. In all honesty, that's a pretty normal day.

It's certainly less than I work now (in a job with a not-bad commute compared to some I've done - I have to leave for 6.40am to get there on time, a half hour for lunch if I can fit one in (admittedly my contract states an hour), and I generally walk through the door anywhere between 6.30pm and 7.30pm at night. This is much better than some jobs I've done, and it's also not the easiest I've done.

[shrugs]

Not commenting on the OP, but I did want to point out that 11 or 12 hours out of the house isn't working a particularly long day, by any stretch of the imagination. (Yes, manual jobs too.)

I bet your not earning £6.30 per hour though?

TrickyWicky

jfh7gwa wrote: »

Not commenting on the OP, but I did want to point out that 11 or 12 hours out of the house isn't working a particularly long day, by any stretch of the imagination. (Yes, manual jobs too.)

There is a difference between manual jobs and exhausting jobs. You'd be wise to remember that before making comments like that.

ILW

falko89 wrote: »

I bet your not earning £6.30 per hour though?

I hate to say it, but I fear your attitude is limiting you to £6.30 per hour jobs.

falko89

ILW wrote: »

I hate to say it, but I fear your attitude is limiting you to £6.30 per hour jobs.

Go on explain? Not sure what you mean, that's all that seems to be on offer at the moment. I was thinking earlier, in 2002 I had a job in a factory making metal garden sheds, It was a crappy job, on a production line etc, however I earned £7.70 ph which was pretty usual for that type of work in a factory etc with time and a half over time and the rest, then we had the influx from Europe, employers discovered these guys would do the same work for min wage and that's where we are at now, people in general are supposed to earn more than they did 10 years ago not less. any job I've taken since has been a gradual step down in pay.

TrickyWicky

ILW wrote: »

I hate to say it, but I fear your attitude is limiting you to £6.30 per hour jobs.

More like the recession, the government, not enough money to go round, bankers etc... but no, you go ahead and blame falko and millions of others like falko for being unable to earn a decent wage.

I think you need to get off your pedestal. You still dump brown stuff down the toilet just like the rest of us.

ILW

TrickyWicky wrote: »

More like the recession, the government, not enough money to go round, bankers etc... but no, you go ahead and blame falko and millions of others like falko for being unable to earn a decent wage.

I think you need to get off your pedestal. You still dump brown stuff down the toilet just like the rest of us.

No pedestal at all.

I have earned less than NMW and am likely to again.

But I have always found that getting stuck in, taking every bit of work that is going and trying to act positively is more likely to produce good results than constantly complaining.

OP did hint that he would like to be let go so he could go back to claiming without his benefits being threatened.

princessdon

There are many (myself included) who worked and do work for far less than minimum wage - after childcare costs are discounted and do OT for free.

I admit if someone would pay for me not to work that is the route I may have taken but as no one helps those "just above the limit" then we have no choice but to work whatever hours asked and for whatever wage. 3 years ago I was on under £3 an hour after childcare was paid, so to some of us £7 an hour or thereabouts is a lot of money and work longer hour days than been suggested.

That said I do feel for OP as he clearly isn't enjoying his work and that can be soul destroying but as I say many people do longer hours and for less pay.