My overtime was suspended for abscence

Cameron1357

Hi all,

In the job i work you must work at least 1 weekend every month, the Sunday is treated as overtime but is still a scheduled day once a month. Every other weekend you will usually get the chance for overtime.

My problem is that recently I was off sick on the Sunday & Monday. I came back in and was informed that I cannot go for overtime anymore. I feel like this is unjust as the absence was for normal illness and it wasn't like i didn't turn up to overtime. I have had a few sickness in the past but my Bradford factor is not above unacceptable limits.

Can my manager do this or is this unfair treatment to me?

MovingForwards

What does company policy say?

Perhaps your repeated absences are leading to your manager being concerned you are pushing yourself too much?

[Deleted User]

In an old workplace of mine you were issued with a overtime ban for a specified period of time if there was a welfare concern regarding the absences.

Cameron1357

But my last absence was almost 6 months ago and only for 1 day so surely that can't be the reason, no one else has had overtime suspended despite repeated abscenses.

z1a

Cameron1357 wrote: »

Hi all,

In the job i work you must work at least 1 weekend every month, the Sunday is treated as overtime but is still a scheduled day once a month. Every other weekend you will usually get the chance for overtime.

My problem is that recently I was off sick on the Sunday & Monday. I came back in and was informed that I cannot go for overtime anymore. I feel like this is unjust as the absence was for normal illness and it wasn't like i didn't turn up to overtime. I have had a few sickness in the past but my Bradford factor is not above unacceptable limits.

Can my manager do this or is this unfair treatment to me?

I assume you mean "acceptable limits".

I would think they can offer, or not, overtime to whoever they want.

jonnygee2

Can my manager do this or is this unfair treatment to me?

Basically;

- It's unfair treatment of you
- Your manager can do it anyway.

Unfair or not, your employer doesn't have to offer you anything over your contracted hours.

JReacher1

So does this mean you never have to work at the weekend again? Obviously you’ll miss the money but it sounds like a good punishment to be given!

Les79

Depends on what your contract states about it.

Have you thought about asking for a shift swap? Mind you, there might be an idle concern about whether you'll show up etc.

It sucks, but that's how it goes in some places.

Probably not the advice you were looking for, but if you are relying on overtime each money then maybe look into money-management or a different job?

Cameron1357

I understand what you are saying but there are plenty of staff members which have had days off at work, I am the only one which has been penalised in this way.

Surely it's discrimination?

[Deleted User]

No. At least, not in the way you think.

TBagpuss

Cameron1357 wrote: »

I understand what you are saying but there are plenty of staff members which have had days off at work, I am the only one which has been penalised in this way.

Surely it's discrimination?

The thing is, discrimination isn't illegal. Discrimination based on protected characteristics is.
So if the reason that you are being treated this way and others were not is because of a characteristic of yours such as gender, race, disability etc then it would be unlawful.

If it is because the manager has decided they don't like you, or that they think (whether correctly or not) that you were not sick but just wanted those days off, or some other reason, then it is legal.

You could, of course, ask your manager whether there is a set policy and whether the lack of overtime is permanent or temporary.

You can also consider whether there might be reasons why you were treated differently. How is your performance generally?
Many managers will be more flexible with workers who they see as generally higher performers or more more flexible.

Or it may be that management have told them to be stricter about these things and you are simply the first person to be affected.