Being asked to work on my day off 20 October 2022 at 1:16PM in Employment, jobseeking & training 5 replies 666 views

watermelonblackberry

Hi folks! I work on a part-time basis for an employer Tuesday-Friday each week. I only went part-time this year, and upon doing so, was issued a variation in contract letter by my employer. Within the letter it does clearly state the days I'm contracted to work (Tuesday-Friday). My company has an upcoming work event which is being held on a Monday. As this event falls on a day that I'm not contracted to work, can they force me to attend? TIA.

DE_612183

No, they can't "force" you to attend - but they can ask you to attend and either give you a day off in lieu or offer to pay you additionally for that.

You of course can refuse, but depending on the employer you have work out how that helps your relationship with that employer.

Do you do something every Monday that you cannot get out of or don't want to?

74jax

If it was me, I'd offer to work the Monday and have the Friday off (long weekend) but you could have the day another time or payment, just discuss with them. 
They can't force you to attend just as if I worked Monday to Friday I couldn't be forced to work a Sunday say, but if it was an event I fancied if take the day off another time. 

theoretica

Whether they can force you to attend/penalise you formally for not doing so may depend on whether your contract says anything about other times/days.  Check your original contract as well as the part time letter.

TELLIT01

It's not a case of 'forced to attend', it's a case of considering what effect it may have with your working relationship if this is an event that they have good reason for wanting everybody to attend.  If you have a genuine reason for not being able to attend e.g. child care and nobody who can help, it's different to taking the attitude of "It's not my working day"

Savvy_Sue

Agree with all the above.

For various reasons there's one workday which is best for 'all staff' meetings where I work. I and several others don't work that day. No-one compels us to attend, but those who can will generally try to do so, and take a different day off. It's called 'showing willing'. 

One of my colleagues even swapped their days at their other job to be there.

Is there a problem for you to do this?

Of course if you already know that these events are frequent, and if your employer isn't prepared to be flexible, and youve got somewhere else to be on Mondays, our answers might be slightly different, but the compulsion question is answered in your contract.