Equal Opps issue, advice appreciated

Mabbs_2

This might sound a bit pathetic compared to some people's problems but it is getting to me and I want to know if I have any grounds to do anything about it.

I work for a council and there are 3 people in my little section and about 12 of us in the office. One of my team members works till 4 which is basically what I wanted to do. There are issues getting in after 8am with parking and it's also a lot easier for me getting in then, can drop the other half off at the station, beating the traffic and getting paperwork done before the phone start ringing.

Last week I was told the woman I worked with had complained I wasn't here till 5 and my boss said I have to write down my hours and take toil which I was fine with.

Gets to today and the woman I work with has obviously complained about this too because I get called down by my boss and told I can't do toil it's against HR policy and she can make me do 9-5 if she wants to basically and the woman I work with can do what she wants because she always has done hours like that for years.

Keep in mind I know for a fact the rest of the office take toil, work from home when the mood takes them. people don't take lunch and leave early, others always rining up on the same day taking annual leave etc. I'm sure all these things are probably against 'HR Policy too'!

Do I have any action I can take or do I just have to put up with it?

Conor_3

Well not taking lunch and working through means that the people who are doing it are breaching employment law and the working time directive.

At the end of the day though, what are the contracted hours?

floss2

I take it your council do not have flexi-time.....and your office is providing a public service, otherwise there should be no problem with flexible working.

It sounds as though the boss needs to be sure that the office is staffed between 9-5.

Re your comment about phones ringing - why not do any urgent work after 5pm.....and start later the next day - assuming your boss agrees to this?

Js_Other_Half

Tough one - on the one hand you don't want to be seen as being a troublemaker, but on the other you want what you are entitled to.

I know different managers can decide how they want things to work, but they have to follow the guidelines for their council.
Do you have a copy of your employment agreement/terms and conditions?

How approachable is your HR dept for advice/info?

Mabbs_2

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I'll have to contact HR but didn't want them to alert my boss.

The contracted hours are 36 hours, I need to check but I'm pretty sure everyone's contract is the same 8.45-5 and 8.45-4.45 on a Friday.

My main problem with it all is everyone else comes and goes as they please, you got people arriving at 8 some at 9 some at 9.30 and lots leaving at 4 but I an forced to do 9-5. The boss has her favs and lets them do more or less as they please. They will argue we are all doing slightly different jobs but when someone else doing exactly the same job as me is doing 8-4 there must be some grounds for complaint. I've also found out she refused to sign her contract when this job came about 4 years ago because it wasn't worded to her liking!

dmg24

This is not an equal opportunities complaint, unless you feel that you are being discriminated against for reason of sex/ race/ disability etc?

If someone has done certain hours for a long time, then this may now form part of their contractual terms, by custom and practice. Also, there is no way that you can check what another person's contract states.

TBH I can't see why you have grounds for complaint at all. Many people have to work hours that are inconvenient due to traffic etc, but that is life. If we all got to dictate what hours we worked, industry would pretty much grind to a halt!

nomoneytoday

As an employee paid for by my council tax I would expect all of you to work 24/7 lol

Mabbs_2

I feel I'm being discriminated against because I'm not a trouble maker like the old dragon I work with and normally keep my head down, get on with my work and go home whereas she is always complaining and is allowed to dictate her own terms on pretty much everything.

I take your point dgm but why are people that have worked here a lot less time than me allowed to do exactly that?!

Tozer

Mabbs wrote: »

I feel I'm being discriminated against because I'm not a trouble maker like the old dragon I work with and normally keep my head down, get on with my work and go home whereas she is always complaining and is allowed to dictate her own terms on pretty much everything.

Sadly the Non-Trouble Maker Discrimination Act has not been passed just yet!

I can understand your situation but think that DMG is correct. If someone has done somethign for a number of years it develops into custom and practise within their employment contract thus displacing anything which the contract of employment actually says.

dmg24

Mabbs wrote: »

I feel I'm being discriminated against because I'm not a trouble maker like the old dragon I work with and normally keep my head down, get on with my work and go home whereas she is always complaining and is allowed to dictate her own terms on pretty much everything.

I take your point dgm but why are people that have worked here a lot less time than me allowed to do exactly that?!

That is not discrimination, it just means that you do not like your colleague. You really need to look up the meaning of discrimination!

It appears that they changed their hours at a time when it was possible. It is not possible now, so you have to stick with the hours given in order to fulfil the needs of the business. It is just unfortunate that they asked before you.

Savvy_Sue

It IS worth phoning HR and asking for a copy of the staff handbook or whatever documentation they have about TOIL etc, you could say you've mislaid your copy and wanted to check something (which would be perfectly true).

There will probably be a disclaimer in there about "needs of the service" or "manager's agreement", but if your section isn't open to the public set hours then you could point out that staff should be treated fairly.