Does work have to pay me?

H4xXxIsH

Hi all, I'll start by saying that I hate my job. I hate the company, i hate the management and i hate the "national living wage" that they pay me. Perhaps this is what's fuelling my sense of injustice.

We were given Christmas Day off work because the shop was shut but then forced to use a day's holiday to cover it. I had an argument with them about this last year and apparently they are well within their rights to do so. It sucks but there it is.

As a result I then had to work Boxing Day. They'd spent weeks co.ing up with Christmas rotas which were checked and double checked then posted on the board for us. I took a photo of mine when they went up and that's what I consulted when planning my working week. Unfortunately there was a mistake on my rota which let to me arriving at work for 8am sharp when in actual fact there was nobody there to let me in because everyone else was starting at 9. My choice was simple, sit outside for an hour in the freezing cold or walk home, sit down for ten minutes, then walk back to work. As you can imagine by this point i was rather furious. This is far from the first time poor work by our leadership team has led to disappointment for the staff.

So my question is, do work have to pay me for the time they wasted? I arrived for work at the time dictated by the rota and I was ready to do my job but was unable to do so thanks to their mistake. I feel like the right thing to do would be to pay me for the hour I wasted. I imagine the answer to my question is a no, but I'd like clarification before I go and confront my boss this afternoon.

Thanks

nicechap

If you’d stayed for the hour you might have an argument together with the photo proof, but as you went home and have not said whether you were told of the mistake I’d say no.

stator

If they told you to be there at 8 and you were there at 8, they have to pay you.

H4xXxIsH

I was not told about the mistake. I told them when I arrived at work for the second time that morning. I do have the photo of the rota which they "checked" and then posted for us to work off. I went home because it was Boxing Day, it was freezing and therefore the walk home and back would keep me warmer than sitting outside fuelled on rage alone.

Comms69

H4xXxIsH wrote: »

Hi all, I'll start by saying that I hate my job. I hate the company, i hate the management and i hate the "national living wage" that they pay me. Perhaps this is what's fuelling my sense of injustice. - You're free to leave if you don't like it

We were given Christmas Day off work because the shop was shut but then forced to use a day's holiday to cover it. I had an argument with them about this last year and apparently they are well within their rights to do so. - absolutely, and with-in their rights to tell you when to take any other leave. Including making you take one day a week until it's used up It sucks but there it is.

As a result I then had to work Boxing Day. - and? They'd spent weeks co.ing up with Christmas rotas which were checked and double checked then posted on the board for us. I took a photo of mine when they went up and that's what I consulted when planning my working week. Unfortunately there was a mistake on my rota which let to me arriving at work for 8am sharp when in actual fact there was nobody there to let me in because everyone else was starting at 9. My choice was simple, sit outside for an hour in the freezing cold or walk home, sit down for ten minutes, then walk back to work. - or find a caf! or such to sit in? As you can imagine by this point i was rather furious. - if you had a photo, did it not seem strange everyone else was scheduled to start at 9? This is far from the first time poor work by our leadership team has led to disappointment for the staff.

So my question is, do work have to pay me for the time they wasted? - no I arrived for work at the time dictated by the rota and I was ready to do my job but was unable to do so thanks to their mistake. - they can pay as a gesture of goodwill I feel like the right thing to do would be to pay me for the hour I wasted. I imagine the answer to my question is a no, but I'd like clarification before I go and confront my boss this afternoon.

Thanks

I'd do less confronting, otherwise you may get a poor reference when you do leave

TELLIT01

It's not unreasonable to expect to be paid as you were there at the time your rota said you should be there. But, if the attitude you have towards the company, as expressed here, is how you deal with people at work they are unlikely to be sympathetic.
If you hate everything thing about the place you need to look for another job.

Ala956

I think the guys have already answered your question. But I would like to ask you another question. Why haven't you quit yet? Why work at work that you do not like so much.

Takeaway_Addict

H4xXxIsH wrote: »

Hi all, I'll start by saying that I hate my job. I hate the company, i hate the management and i hate the "national living wage" that they pay me. Perhaps this is what's fuelling my sense of injustice.

We were given Christmas Day off work because the shop was shut but then forced to use a day's holiday to cover it. I had an argument with them about this last year and apparently they are well within their rights to do so. It sucks but there it is.

As a result I then had to work Boxing Day. They'd spent weeks co.ing up with Christmas rotas which were checked and double checked then posted on the board for us. I took a photo of mine when they went up and that's what I consulted when planning my working week. Unfortunately there was a mistake on my rota which let to me arriving at work for 8am sharp when in actual fact there was nobody there to let me in because everyone else was starting at 9. My choice was simple, sit outside for an hour in the freezing cold or walk home, sit down for ten minutes, then walk back to work. As you can imagine by this point i was rather furious. This is far from the first time poor work by our leadership team has led to disappointment for the staff.

So my question is, do work have to pay me for the time they wasted? I arrived for work at the time dictated by the rota and I was ready to do my job but was unable to do so thanks to their mistake. I feel like the right thing to do would be to pay me for the hour I wasted. I imagine the answer to my question is a no, but I'd like clarification before I go and confront my boss this afternoon.

Thanks

YesI think you'd be entitled to that pay and any decent company would pay it if they had made the mistake.


However, practically you can do very little about it because if they don't what are you going to do? Nothing.


Maybe ask for the time back in lieu instead as a compromise?

H4xXxIsH

Clearly I need a new job. That's a separate issue. I am, however, diligent In my work and respectful to my colleagues at all times because we're all in the same crappy boat. Unfortunately there is nothing else in my area which offers 30 hours a week (the minimum I need to survive). I live in a small town (therefore no cafe open to sit in at 8am on Boxing Day - not that I could afford a cup of tea if i wanted one).

The photo I have of my rota only has me and a couple of other staff on it as the whole thing is is alphabetical order. None of the duty managers are near me on the list so I couldn't see their start times.

As for the comment about a poor reference, in most situations you'd be right but my employer doesn't give references. Instead they just have a series of boxes to tick which basically verify that you were employed there. No matter how hard you work or how much success you achieve that's all you get when you leave.

I made it clear to my manager before Christmas that I was really struggling for money and that I couldn't afford to do less hours or take holiday in place of actual shifts. He was totally unsympathetic. Now it just feels like they're taking the mick.

For various reasons, not all (but most) of them work related, I've been really depressed recently. I spend Christmas day on my own feeling miserable because I couldn't face pretending to be happy all day. Now I'd like to make it clear that dont want or expect any sympathy from anyone here. I'm simply trying to add some context to show why I'm feeling so angry about this. One hours work at the national living wage rate amounts to almost nothing, but I'm skint and now have to wait the best part of 5 weeks until I'm paid again and every little extra will help when that day finally comes. I feel totally let down by their attitude towards me and my situation and this isn't the first time they've been less than supportive of staff members who could really use a boost.

nicechap

H4xXxIsH wrote: »

I was not told about the mistake. I told them when I arrived at work for the second time that morning. I do have the photo of the rota which they "checked" and then posted for us to work off. I went home because it was Boxing Day, it was freezing and therefore the walk home and back would keep me warmer than sitting outside fuelled on rage alone.

So if the manager was there at 8.15, s/ he didn’t see you till 9.

Were you the only one scheduled to start at 8 in the photo? If so, did you not think to ask why? If others were, why were they not there at 8 too?

Comms69

H4xXxIsH wrote: »

Clearly I need a new job. That's a separate issue. I am, however, diligent In my work and respectful to my colleagues at all times because we're all in the same crappy boat. - I would suggest that is the bare minimum requirement for any employment Unfortunately there is nothing else in my area which offers 30 hours a week (the minimum I need to survive). - well unless you are held in that town for reasons beyond your control, you need to look for alternate employment further afield. I live in a small town (therefore no cafe open to sit in at 8am on Boxing Day - not that I could afford a cup of tea if i wanted one). - fair enough on the caf! front, again you need to look for new work further afield if £1 isn't spare a week

The photo I have of my rota only has me and a couple of other staff on it as the whole thing is is alphabetical order. None of the duty managers are near me on the list so I couldn't see their start times. - even so, this sounds like a obvious admin error and I would expect anyone who is diligent to see the obvious mistake fairly quickly

As for the comment about a poor reference, in most situations you'd be right but my employer doesn't give references. Instead they just have a series of boxes to tick which basically verify that you were employed there. No matter how hard you work or how much success you achieve that's all you get when you leave. - You're incorrect. They might not give good references, but if you annoy someone enough, they'll definitely give a bad one.

I made it clear to my manager before Christmas that I was really struggling for money and that I couldn't afford to do less hours or take holiday in place of actual shifts. He was totally unsympathetic. Now it just feels like they're taking the mick. - maybe they are. Though why you 'cant afford' to take holiday is a mystery, holiday is paid. But even then, your personal circumstances are not your employers problem.

For various reasons, not all (but most) of them work related, I've been really depressed recently. I spend Christmas day on my own feeling miserable because I couldn't face pretending to be happy all day. - Go speak to your GP Now I'd like to make it clear that dont want or expect any sympathy from anyone here. I'm simply trying to add some context to show why I'm feeling so angry about this. - you can be angry all you want, and many people will sympathise with you, but that wont change your situation. Only you can do that; perhaps with help from professionals. One hours work at the national living wage rate amounts to almost nothing - £7.83 is far from nothing. , but I'm skint and now have to wait the best part of 5 weeks until I'm paid again and every little extra will help when that day finally comes. - But why are you skint, you must've just been paid if you're waiting 5 weeks I feel totally let down by their attitude towards me and my situation and this isn't the first time they've been less than supportive of staff members who could really use a boost.

They're your employer; not your friend, family member, counsellor etc.


I'm not saying they're good employers. But you continue to work there, knowing all this.


The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome.