Can I be told to come in early?

happyandcontented

It is one day, one day. Over the next year, you may need to have some flexibility that you can't foresee now, so it is always useful to have demonstrated your own willingness to be flexible.

pmduk

OP, you mentioned in your other thread that you were looking for other work. I'd increase your efforts as I get the impression you're going to be unhappy with anything you're asked to do.

suki1964

I kind of guessed you were new to working

You are really making battles where there are none

Its common for most businesses to shut down early on the QT on Christmas Eve. Even when I worked for the NHS, most office staff had left by 1pm, and the person who stayed on to answer the phones would have called it a day by 3pm. Christmas Eve and half or 3/4 of our outpatients never even showed up, booking the appointment to get out of work, and heading Christmas shopping. Even when I worked in shops, staff were let of early slowly but surely through the afternoon, just keeping the bare minimum to man the checkouts

Who do you think are going to be ringing your phones after
lunch on Christmas Eve?

You, as in most places will be sat their twiddling your thumbs from 12 onwards

I myself will be going in at 7am and if anything like last year, will be away again by 9am. And in those two hours Ill have a 20 min tea break and probably busy myself washing walls down

SandraX

Dear OP

As always, some of the responses to every thread are uncalled for, so ignore them, please.

I can relate to what you are saying. But, a big but, it's only one day, please put up with it and then after xmas, if there was anything you are not happy about, politely run it across your employer. If he/she is negative and I doubt this, then question them next time this is asked for.

Trust me, you are lucky to be working for someone like that. You want to see what happens where I work, hours all of the place, they talk down to you, talk behind people's back and in front of them to belittle them/etc/etc. I put up with it as local work ie I work as home help/carer, a few hours a day plit over 2 sessions that suit me.

Enjoy your xmas and happy new year to you.

xx

getmore4less

SummerSunshine2 wrote: »

@getmore4less yes that’s what I did. I just don’t know how to act on Monday when/if he brings it up. I am also new to working so I’m not sure what the laws/status quo is

Simple, you go in when you can/want, if it were me I would go in earlier than normal but maybe not super early, but then I would be happy finishing early to get to the pub.

if asked just say I though this was early enough, next time I will try to get in a bit earlier.

The other thing you need to do is make sure that anyone that expects workout put from you is aware that you are leaving early and they need to do their bits to you earlier if you are to get it done before you go.

SummerSunshine2

@sandra thanks. Yes a lot of comments on this thread and others are not called for.... I think a lot of people spend their lives giving advice on this forum and not doing much else lol.

Agh your workplace sounds awful. Mine is ok, apart from I average <1 of work daily, the rest of my time I twiddle my thumbs so I’m not that attached to the job and I’m looking elsewhere.

I just wish my boss was a bit more direct and clear in what he wanted. I spoke to another member of staff (saw her in the supermarket) who said he means that if I come in earlier I can go home earlier because it’s Xmas eve. He doesn’t have the authority to send people home and this is a go between.

Had I have known this I would have just said I’m not interested in going home early and quite happy to work the full day, usual hours, and later if needs be. Explained that it would suit the business and other staff to have me on the phones. But he literally bombarded me on a Friday afternoon saying “come in as early as you can” and I was pulling teeth trying to work out what time he expected early to be - he’s expecting 7am from memory.

SummerSunshine2

@getmore4less thanks I think that’s a good idea but I will probably only manage to get in 30 minutes earlier. I’m not sleeping well and if I go to bed and have to be up earlier than my routine it means I don’t sleep well, I find it hard to fall asleep and also keep on waking up to check the time. I know that sounds like really petty to some people but it’s just me. Winter is hard enough on me.

The thing is I don’t have any work to do..... our suppliers finished work and because 50% of my team are of, I won’t have anything to do.... my presence affects none lol.

It’s actually really pathetic the whole situation of not having anything to do at work and having a boss that is constantly changing the goal posts about times and what’s expected. Or making passive aggressive remarks. He never owns decisions either.

Savvy_Sue

suki1964 wrote: »

Its common for most businesses to shut down early on the QT on Christmas Eve.

I know: when I worked for a university if you worked Christmas Eve you'd be sent home early but your full hours credited. Which was a bit unfair to those who booked a full day for Christmas Eve ...

My current boss says I can book it as leave, or work it as normal. If I leave early, I'll just record my actual hours (we work flexitime).

No real help for the OP, probably need to get used to getting clarification if you feel the manager is vague.

trailingspouse

SummerSunshine2 wrote: »

The thing is I don’t have any work to do..... our suppliers finished work and because 50% of my team are of, I won’t have anything to do.... my presence affects none lol.

If the 'boss' (or whatever he is, I can't keep up), had told the OP to stay on when everyone else had gone home, I think there would have been a post on here asking 'Can I be told to stay late?'

SummerSunshine2

Thank you Sue.

My business has a phone line open 9-5 - it’s non negotiable.

I have no problem working my full hours for the day and I purposely put myself on the rota to assist those who wanted the day of.

I’m just a bit inclear as he said “I can send you home early” but does he also expect me to work my full hours for the day... that’s what I don’t understand.

I assume he will get the phone diverted to the company mobile if he leaves the building earlier.

I think I’m a bit clearer what I need to say when this arises again as now I now what other companies do. I won’t be comparing myself to those other companies but it just gives “reasonable expectations”.