Advice needed, re: Sunday working

Undervalued

custardy wrote: »

I don't really understand the legislation at all. What is so unique about shop workers & Sundays?

It was all part of a wishy washy compromise when limited Sunday trading was legalised in England and Wales (it wasn't restricted by law in Scotland).

Likewise I wonder what would happen if there was similar rules for hospital staff, firefighters, etc etc!

Another_not_new_user

custardy wrote: »

I don't really understand the legislation at all. What is so unique about shop workers & Sundays?

Nothing at all. The reasons for the legislation are (a) When Sunday trading was introduced the concern was that making people work on Sunday in a "Christian country" was unacceptable, and this was the only area of work that was by law closed on a Sunday (including betting shops, of course); and (b) there were no working time regulations, so technically this protected a day off work. The second reason is now archaic, and probably always was given that anyone else could be forced to work on a Sunday; the first, in my view, contravenes the Equality Act in that if we were to talk about being fair, anyone with a regular day of worship should be entitled to the same consideration and be able to opt out of working.


Plus, I really doubt the OP will be legging it to the nearest church...

Podge52

Undervalued wrote: »

Likewise I wonder what would happen if there was similar rules for hospital staff, firefighters, etc etc!

Why would there be similar rules for hospital workers firefighters etc etc.

When they took the job they knew Sunday working was included.

jobbingmusician

Another_not_new_user wrote: »

Plus, I really doubt the OP will be legging it to the nearest church...

What basis have you for saying this? As far as I can see, the OP has given no reason for wanting Sundays off, and could in fact be a devoted church member.

Another_not_new_user

jobbingmusician wrote: »

What basis have you for saying this? As far as I can see, the OP has given no reason for wanting Sundays off, and could in fact be a devoted church member.

Generally because (a) the OP hasn't said so and people normally do when they have a reason of faith - because it also makes the request more understandable to others, and (b) the OP said that the only reason they wanted to do this was because they could - which doesn't sound terribly devout to me.

worried_jim

Sounds like a team player- he's going to go far.

Southend1

bluenoseam wrote: »

Because the subtle hint is it will make you unpopular to the point of it having potential to have an adverse effect on overall morale & thus make YOU a target for micromanagement. What people have been subtly trying to say to you is it will make you a jerk & for something so minor they're trying to get you to evaluate if it's really worth it. Sometimes it's about seeing the bigger picture & ultimately if one guy is unpopular it's a no brainer as to who's going to be singled out with all the negative opinions.

It's your call in the end, but I'd be thinking about the overall effect of you wanting 1 Sunday in 4 off.

This is nonsense. On your logic perhaps we should also think twice about exercising our other rights in the workplace lest it make us "unpopular". Maternity leave, holiday entitlement, safe working practises for example????

Takeaway_Addict

Southend1 wrote: »

This is nonsense. On your logic perhaps we should also think twice about exercising our other rights in the workplace lest it make us "unpopular". Maternity leave, holiday entitlement, safe working practices for example????

Working Sundays pales into comparison compared to your more extreme examples. I would expect the majority of people working would think the Sunday Opt out as unnecessary compared to the examples you made.

It will make the OP unpopular, there is no debate on this point.

Southend1

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Working Sundays pales into comparison compared to your more extreme examples. I would expect the majority of people working would think the Sunday Opt out as unnecessary compared to the examples you made.

It will make the OP unpopular, there is no debate on this point.

Having worked in retail myself in the past I know how working Sundays on top of a regular five or six day week plus all bank holidays can have a devastating impact on family life. It's important that families can spend time together whether this is going to church or not. Yes, there are occupations where Sunday working is expected but paramedics for examole are providing an essential service whereas retail working on a Sunday is just fuelling unnecessary consumer greed.

It may make OP unpopular (though it may not) if he asserts his rights at work but they are his rights and of he wants to assert them he should be able to do so without fear.

Takeaway_Addict

Southend1 wrote: »

Having worked in retail myself in the past I know how working Sundays on top of a regular five or six day week plus all bank holidays can have a devastating impact on family life. It's important that families can spend time together whether this is going to church or not. Yes, there are occupations where Sunday working is expected but paramedics for examole are providing an essential service whereas retail working on a Sunday is just fuelling unnecessary consumer greed.

It may make OP unpopular (though it may not) if he asserts his rights at work but they are his rights and of he wants to assert them he should be able to do so without fear.

I don't disagree about the asserting of rights, I do disagree with the opt out law on Sundays but that's by the by but I think you also realise that realistically whilst they might be about asserting the right's there is a high chance it will make them unpopular and whilst nothing might come from this there has to be a bit of realism that it could and the OP would find it very difficult to prove that this was the reason.

That's the choice the OP seems willing to take and that's upto him, as someone pointed out (Ohreally?) they might just employ someone to work this day and actually it could improve the employers flexibility.