Overreacting? A Workplace Problem

OakTree2007a

Hi guys,I'm currently working on a temp-to-perm office job, and I am having a couple of problems with the manager there. There was firstly a problem with my start times, as the agency I am currently with quoted one start time, and after turning up each day on time, I find out one week into the job that my start time was actually later. With that, he refused to sign my timesheet for the extra time (15 mins per day). I am nearly 100% sure that the manager said himself the same time as the agency too the week beforehand, so not very happy with that.The second one is worse. There was another temp at the office who left this past week. Everyone (bar me) went out to lunch, and were gone for 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile I couldn't take my lunch whilst they were out, so had to wait until 3.30pm before they got back, and I was starving. When I said that I was going to lunch now, I was told that I could only have a 10/15 min break as there would be more work to do. I'm not paid for the hour's lunchbreak each day, so that's another 45 mins of unpaid work I've done, plus those days I went in 'on time'.I've tried to contact the agency who have yet to respond (despite my first e-mail being last Tuesday) so have e-mailed someone else there, and if I don't hear back I'll give them a call.My question is, in your opinion, do you think I'm being taken for a ride there?

LittleVoice

Hi

No you are not over-reacting in thinking you are being taken for a ride.

If the agency/employer can't get the start time right between them, can you be certain there is actually a permanent job at the end of it? Seems they are trying to get work out of you at minimum cost, relying on your wanting a permanent job. Do you really want to work for them (either the organisation or the agency for that matter)?

Find a better agency. Look for a permanent job through another one. That is use different agencies for temp and perm - it helps keep them on their toes in my view. And obviously use more than one agency for permanent job seeking as well as other means of jobsearch.

LV

ohreally

t.swain wrote: »

do you think I'm being taken for a ride there?

In a word, yes. I have concerns re you being left for 2½ hours alone.Your health and safety may have been compromised, does your employer have a lone workers policy? What would have happened should you have become ill,an unwanted visitor got access, a fire broke out etc etc etc. There are issues of equality, consistency and fairness to discuss as well as health and safety.....good luck,

OakTree2007a

Hi,Thanks for replying.Well there certainly seems to be a job at the end of it. Work-wise, apparently I've been doing well. I don't know of any problems there, and the whole 'talk' when he discusses work is that I have a future there, so I don't think that's an issue.With that said, he's one of those who offers you help and says about if I have any questions then it's better to ask, but then when I do ask, he seems 'hassled' by the fact I'm asking a question. He can also say quite funny things such as be quite patronising about my position there.I've never had a problem with the agency. It's just that it's pretty poor practice to not even reply to someone isn't it? After all, I'm sure I'm easily replaced but I'm making them money!As for the company, it's only a small place. The work is pretty standard (just admin) and nothing too bad. I don't know if the work is for me, but it's ok for now. However, it's the manager who the problem seems to be with. My view is that if they are like this now, then what will they be like if I did become perm?Leaving seems logical in a sense, but I have bills to pay and I worry that finding something else could be a struggle.

OakTree2007a

ohreally wrote: »

In a word, yes. I have concerns re you being left for 2½ hours alone.Your health and safety may have been compromised, does your employer have a lone workers policy? What would have happened should you have become ill,an unwanted visitor got access, a fire broke out etc etc etc. There are issues of equality, consistency and fairness to discuss as well as health and safety.....good luck,

There was an accountant also in the building (but not in any way involved with what I was doing, nor in the same room) so maybe that's that base covered, but they certainly weren't overseeing things so to speak. I was left alone as far as my work was concerned.It seems minor, but if I'm new, it seems a bit bad that they didn't even invite me to go with them? Not very welcoming is it?Also, insult to injury is the other temp would have been paid 1 1/2 hours wages while out with them. I actually ended up working for free. I wouldn't have even minded much if I had still got my hour, but to be told I'm only to have 10/15 mins is just wrong.
-Forgot To Mention-Another point is the manager keeps saying things about how the staff love it there and how people want their jobs back after they leave there. When asking a basic question the other day, his first words in his reply was "I think you're getting a bit too clever for your own good there". I didn't quite know what he meant by this as I was only asking a question as I didn't know the answer. What sort of a reply is that?!

LittleVoice

I think your timesheet should record the actual hours that you worked.

If they refuse to pay - and adjust the timesheet - then you can take it up with your agency.

Has the agency paid you anything yet? Most ones that deal with office vacancies pay weekly on the Friday of the week following the one in which you have worked, so you should have received your first week's pay by now.

OakTree2007a

LittleVoice wrote: »

I think your timesheet should record the actual hours that you worked.

If they refuse to pay - and adjust the timesheet - then you can take it up with your agency.

Has the agency paid you anything yet? Most ones that deal with office vacancies pay weekly on the Friday of the week following the one in which you have worked, so you should have received your first week's pay by now.

He refused to pay the extra time as if it was somehow cheeky of me to put that down. I tried to explain what I'd been told, but he just spoke over me and didn't listen, so he signed it for the less hours than what I had actually worked.I've received the first week's pay now, and it's just the same, not with the additional time.

LittleVoice

I think agencies are required to tell you about the assignment in writing. I work through three and all of them do this. They give place of work, start time and rate of pay. And the office ones mention who you report to and one includes how much (unpaid) break time is allowed.

The workplace and manager sound awful but I am also concerned about how the agency is treating you. Are they a member of the REC? They don't seem to be acting very professionally.

OakTree2007a

I have the original document that says the wrong time, and a separate e-mail saying the same. Funnily enough, they originally told me a completely different start time, which I had to query before being told the correct time (well, not correct, obviously!). Also I was told the wrong day to start as well.This isn't a small, independent agency. This is a big one, with branches nationwide. They weren't this sloppy before, but even forgetting the actual mistakes, not replying to an e-mail is bad enough.It's just difficult to know what to do. I can't really afford not to be working, not for long anyway, and am even considering going into some other type of work as I'm not finding office work particularly rewarding! Even if all the pay, breaks, agency mistakes hadn't happened, there's still the issue of the manager. There only seems to be one logical answer doesn't there? I know of people that work beyond their hours unpaid and don't get proper breaks, so am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Is this accepted as standard nowadays?

Sagaris

t.swain wrote: »

I know of people that work beyond their hours unpaid and don't get proper breaks, so am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Is this accepted as standard nowadays?

Well, I'd like to see your boss' reaction if you came in late for a few days by the amount of time you were coming in early, and take an extended lunch break, the same length as the one that was denied you (less the 15 minutes you did take, of course).
Then I think you'd see some serious over reaction! :rotfl:
No, I think you are absolutely right - and they are taking the Michael.

LittleVoice

t.swain wrote: »

I know of people that work beyond their hours unpaid and don't get proper breaks, so am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Is this accepted as standard nowadays?

Those people are most likely in permanent work, not an agency temp - even one hoping it is a temp to perm position.