Employment contract advice

Liz65

Hi, can anyone advise me, I am on an 8 hr contract for a clothing shop and we returned from furlough about about 6/7 weeks ago.
When I had the interview for the position I stressed to my employer that I did not want to work every weekend, but didn't mind doing a couple every month and it was agreed.
Since we have been back I have worked every weekend and when I asked if I have to work every weekend as it was not what I agreed to she replied that "no-one signed up for covid-19, so everyone needs to be flexible."  I feel I am and have been flexible throughout but I have a husband who works all week and if I work every weekend, we spend no family time together.  Is this fair?

Comms69

Irrelevant if it's fair, what does your contract say and how long have you worked there?

Liz65

Hi, thanks, its not a weekend contract and I have been there since last September.

Comms69

Liz65 said:

Hi, thanks, its not a weekend contract and I have been there since last September.

Sorry but you have effectively no employment rights. I mean it's unlikely your contract has set hours, but even if it hypothetically did - they can still just dismiss you; which is in effect the same as telling you you must work weekends.

Whilst morally i understand your predicament, legally the result is the same

Liz65

Time to look for another position, not going to be easy!

Dox

Two choices: go along with what your employer needs (keeping the business afloat isn't easy, so 'fairness' isn't really the priority for the person running it - getting another employee will be easy enough for them if you don't want to play), or look for another job.

Your call entirely.

Liz65

I have been going along with it, but even i am entitled to a weekend free surely!!

Annisele

Liz65 said:

I have been going along with it, but even i am entitled to a weekend free surely!!

I see why you say that, but sadly that's not something your employer has to facilitate.

Your employer can't make you work on a weekend - in the sense that they can't physically force you. But your employer can say "if you won't work every weekend, I won't let you work here at all".

You are entitled to a certain amount of holiday, but your employer can dictate when you take that - and they can say that none of the holiday can be on a weekend.

Brynsam

Liz65 said:

I have been going along with it, but even i am entitled to a weekend free surely!!

What gives you that entitlement? Not your current job, by the sound of things, but if you want to look elsewhere, then go ahead and look. 

[Deleted User]

Liz65 said:

I have been going along with it, but even i am entitled to a weekend free surely!!

Could you inquire if weekends worked are to be done on a rota basis? eg. when I worked in a hotel after a good 5 weekends worked in a row and started feeling this way, it would always be someone's turn for the weekend off.

Undervalued

Liz65 said:

I have been going along with it, but even i am entitled to a weekend free surely!!

Morally entitled maybe. Legally entitled, no.