Can I Refuse To Work More Than My Contracted Hours if I Need Occasional Days Off?

kimwp

Sorry to hear about your issues, it's legal that a company can refuse holiday but it's not reasonable unless it is business critical that you are in on those days. If you are only working seven hours a week, why don't you try to launch your self-employment/freelancing, thre's nothing to lose?

74jax

ushjr said:

Mehitabel said:

Jude57 said:

I think unfortunately with supermarkets it seems to come down to how good the actual store management is. Two of my friends are early retired and work part time for the same national supermarket chain, in different branches and the difference between them seems like night and day. I can't even say that the friend having a nightmare time of it is prone to whinging!

This has been very much my impression. The manager of the branch where I work never replies to emails, never reviews Holiday or Day Off requests, refuses even to look me in the eye when we pass ... and is abusive on the phone. My own grievances aside, the store is incredibly badly run. But in fairness, I've no reason to think that's the case throughout the company.

I seem to have come across as a spoilt madam, from some of the responses on here. And maybe I am. Spoilt, that is, by always having worked for employers where you are informed of your working pattern at least three or four weeks ahead; have some say in the dates of your Holidays;  are able, as a part-timer, to request specific days off and get a Yes or No in response, not vague evasions until it's too late...  and have a clear idea which member of the management team to contact with which query, knowing you will receive a response. 

TELLIT01 said:

The OP has said they have two jobs.  What do they do if the shift times clash?

I gave the supermarket a spreadsheet, showing the times I'm committed to the other job, which is summer-seasonal.

Some people on here have an I'm alright Jack sort of attitude. I think that the unsociable hours for rubbish pay at a supermarket is bad enough but having to make yourself available 24/7 just for 7 hours a week is ridiculous. 

I agree, but I would have made it clear I only work 7hrs in December, when I first started. If it happened again in January I'd have left. 

Jude57

ushjr said:

Mehitabel said:

Jude57 said:

I think unfortunately with supermarkets it seems to come down to how good the actual store management is. Two of my friends are early retired and work part time for the same national supermarket chain, in different branches and the difference between them seems like night and day. I can't even say that the friend having a nightmare time of it is prone to whinging!

This has been very much my impression. The manager of the branch where I work never replies to emails, never reviews Holiday or Day Off requests, refuses even to look me in the eye when we pass ... and is abusive on the phone. My own grievances aside, the store is incredibly badly run. But in fairness, I've no reason to think that's the case throughout the company.

I seem to have come across as a spoilt madam, from some of the responses on here. And maybe I am. Spoilt, that is, by always having worked for employers where you are informed of your working pattern at least three or four weeks ahead; have some say in the dates of your Holidays;  are able, as a part-timer, to request specific days off and get a Yes or No in response, not vague evasions until it's too late...  and have a clear idea which member of the management team to contact with which query, knowing you will receive a response. 

TELLIT01 said:

The OP has said they have two jobs.  What do they do if the shift times clash?

I gave the supermarket a spreadsheet, showing the times I'm committed to the other job, which is summer-seasonal.

Some people on here have an I'm alright Jack sort of attitude. I think that the unsociable hours for rubbish pay at a supermarket is bad enough but having to make yourself available 24/7 just for 7 hours a week is ridiculous. 

Given the amount of sound advice, help and support you've had from people here, I'm not sure you're being fair in your description of 'some people'. I don't recognise the attitude you refer to in the responses given on this, or indeed any of your threads.  You may not like the advice you're given but please remember that posters are giving free advice based, it seems to me, on their own experience and observations at work.

What we should all bear in mind is that we are all responsible for our own actions, behaviour, development and learning, at work most of all. The OP has been very gracious in their responses here and I do feel that although they're trying their best, their employer is letting them down. I wish them well in their search for a solution, whatever that may be.

Undervalued

ushjr said:

Mehitabel said:

Jude57 said:

I think unfortunately with supermarkets it seems to come down to how good the actual store management is. Two of my friends are early retired and work part time for the same national supermarket chain, in different branches and the difference between them seems like night and day. I can't even say that the friend having a nightmare time of it is prone to whinging!

This has been very much my impression. The manager of the branch where I work never replies to emails, never reviews Holiday or Day Off requests, refuses even to look me in the eye when we pass ... and is abusive on the phone. My own grievances aside, the store is incredibly badly run. But in fairness, I've no reason to think that's the case throughout the company.

I seem to have come across as a spoilt madam, from some of the responses on here. And maybe I am. Spoilt, that is, by always having worked for employers where you are informed of your working pattern at least three or four weeks ahead; have some say in the dates of your Holidays;  are able, as a part-timer, to request specific days off and get a Yes or No in response, not vague evasions until it's too late...  and have a clear idea which member of the management team to contact with which query, knowing you will receive a response. 

TELLIT01 said:

The OP has said they have two jobs.  What do they do if the shift times clash?

I gave the supermarket a spreadsheet, showing the times I'm committed to the other job, which is summer-seasonal.

Some people on here have an I'm alright Jack sort of attitude. I think that the unsociable hours for rubbish pay at a supermarket is bad enough but having to make yourself available 24/7 just for 7 hours a week is ridiculous. 

You may think that and some people will probably agree. However that is not the same as having realistically enforceable legal rights that will address the situation.

Saying "There, there you poor hard done by thing" doesn't actually solve anything.

Also, this is a discussion forum in which anybody can post. They are not restricted just to giving specific soothing advice in response to questions asked!

Thrugelmir

ushjr said:

Mehitabel said:

Jude57 said:

I think unfortunately with supermarkets it seems to come down to how good the actual store management is. Two of my friends are early retired and work part time for the same national supermarket chain, in different branches and the difference between them seems like night and day. I can't even say that the friend having a nightmare time of it is prone to whinging!

This has been very much my impression. The manager of the branch where I work never replies to emails, never reviews Holiday or Day Off requests, refuses even to look me in the eye when we pass ... and is abusive on the phone. My own grievances aside, the store is incredibly badly run. But in fairness, I've no reason to think that's the case throughout the company.

I seem to have come across as a spoilt madam, from some of the responses on here. And maybe I am. Spoilt, that is, by always having worked for employers where you are informed of your working pattern at least three or four weeks ahead; have some say in the dates of your Holidays;  are able, as a part-timer, to request specific days off and get a Yes or No in response, not vague evasions until it's too late...  and have a clear idea which member of the management team to contact with which query, knowing you will receive a response. 

TELLIT01 said:

The OP has said they have two jobs.  What do they do if the shift times clash?

I gave the supermarket a spreadsheet, showing the times I'm committed to the other job, which is summer-seasonal.

Some people on here have an I'm alright Jack sort of attitude. I think that the unsociable hours for rubbish pay at a supermarket is bad enough but having to make yourself available 24/7 just for 7 hours a week is ridiculous. 

There'll always be someone more than happy to perform the role. Nothing worse than a team member with attitude. 

TELLIT01

Many of the responses are simply a reflection of those people's experience of real world work situations.  Is what the OP is experiencing fair or good business practice?  Absolutely not.  Is there anything the OP can do about it?  Very little apart from seeking another job elsewhere.

kimwp

Thrugelmir said:

ushjr said:

Mehitabel said:

Jude57 said:

I think unfortunately with supermarkets it seems to come down to how good the actual store management is. Two of my friends are early retired and work part time for the same national supermarket chain, in different branches and the difference between them seems like night and day. I can't even say that the friend having a nightmare time of it is prone to whinging!

This has been very much my impression. The manager of the branch where I work never replies to emails, never reviews Holiday or Day Off requests, refuses even to look me in the eye when we pass ... and is abusive on the phone. My own grievances aside, the store is incredibly badly run. But in fairness, I've no reason to think that's the case throughout the company.

I seem to have come across as a spoilt madam, from some of the responses on here. And maybe I am. Spoilt, that is, by always having worked for employers where you are informed of your working pattern at least three or four weeks ahead; have some say in the dates of your Holidays;  are able, as a part-timer, to request specific days off and get a Yes or No in response, not vague evasions until it's too late...  and have a clear idea which member of the management team to contact with which query, knowing you will receive a response. 

TELLIT01 said:

The OP has said they have two jobs.  What do they do if the shift times clash?

I gave the supermarket a spreadsheet, showing the times I'm committed to the other job, which is summer-seasonal.

Some people on here have an I'm alright Jack sort of attitude. I think that the unsociable hours for rubbish pay at a supermarket is bad enough but having to make yourself available 24/7 just for 7 hours a week is ridiculous. 

There'll always be someone more than happy to perform the role. Nothing worse than a team member with attitude. 

A team member who expects fair treatment, follows process and tries to understand the law in relation to their employment is not one "with attitude".