What do you think of this arrangement

[Cranleighbud]

I was speaking to a friend last week about a job going at her work which would really suit me, closer to home than current role, possible career opportunities but this next bit has really put me off. It’s meant to be flexi time working (which to me means build up hours and take the time at a later date) however, she has explained it doesn’t work like that here. If you get there at 8:02 and clock in at that time (which you can do, latest start time is 11am) then you lose 28 minutes and the clock in switches to 8:30. I find this very bizarre, you’re basically working for free? Even if you worked 8:02 to 5:02, apparently you have only worked 8:30 till 5 and must make the 28 minutes up at a later date. Does anybody else find this arrangement strange? I’ve just done some research and some companies do do this; seems very harsh!

[GreenandBlueButterfly]

But you could arrive at 8:30. Right?

I've worked in a place like that. Flexi time was only between certain hours. Basically they didn't want someone there at 6am, for example, as there would have been less to do at that time, but also more cost for the company in electricity, heating, etc

So there was an earliest time you could start

[Cranleighbud]

I get your point, but say you got stuck at a traffic light which delayed you by 2 minutes. Your clock in time would be 8:02 but your still expected to work for 28 minutes.

[Romanov]

I would wait in my car until 26 mins and then clock in
I wouldn't like it at all

[Sugarhunnyicedtea]

Surely you wouldn't then go in before 8.30?

[Teaandtoastie]

Does it mean flex time starts at 8.30? So you can arrive at 8.32 and it will be counted from then? Or do you mean flexi time is rounded up to the next half hour, so if you clocked in at 8.32 it would be rounded to 9.00?

[Cranleighbud]

It’s rounded up to the next half an hour. Early start time is 7:30am, lastest is 6pm

[Ohgoon]

It'll be to stop people taking the piss. It's a clever idea

[Ohgoon]

It would also slow down the flow of people arriving and leaving too. This can be very disruptive

[GreenandBlueButterfly]

I would ask your friend for the exact wording of the policy. What Teaandtoasty says makes sense

[Teaandtoastie]

Personally then I would clock in at 8.24 then turn my computer on, make a cup of tea and start actually working at 8.30.

[GreenandBlueButterfly]

Cross posted. Sorry. I'm sure you'll get used to arriving just before the hour or half hour.

If the job is good, it won't be a big deal

[Vedette89]

This is fairly common? Just make sure you arrive at 25 past / 5 to.

[HeddaGarbled]

It’ll just be because whatever system they are using uses half hour blocks of time rather than recording every minute. Not very sophisticated but I doubt it will be difficult to work out how to use it so that you aren’t penalised. If I were clocking in at 8.02 regularly, I’d re-time my journey. If it was occasional, I’d just get on with my job and not fret about it. Or walk in very slowly.

[Ncobvs]

Yeah really odd. Just makes the flexi time not work well for employees

[SuziQ10]

I haven't experienced this. Yet.
What kind of job is this for?

In my job I get paid from 9am but in order to 'open up' we have to arrive by 8.45am. If we are late more than a couple of times we get a 'lateness meeting' with the manager. Even though we aren't actually PAID until 9, and contracted from 9.

In exchange for the 15 mins extra work we are able to take a 15 min tea break (that we are entitled to by law anyway..) so none of it makes any sense. It's just unpaid work time basically.

[GB54]

I used to work somewhere like this. If I arrived just after 8 then I’d go have breakfast in the staff room and clock in just before 8.30.

[DoJo]

In my job I get paid from 9am but in order to 'open up' we have to arrive by 8.45am. If we are late more than a couple of times we get a 'lateness meeting' with the manager. Even though we aren't actually PAID until 9, and contracted from 9.

In exchange for the 15 mins extra work we are able to take a 15 min tea break (that we are entitled to by law anyway..) so none of it makes any sense. It's just unpaid work time basically.

But your legal entitlement is to an unpaid break, so if they are paying you for your tea break then you are getting that time back. Not sure if the way they are going about it is ideal, and I thought it was supposed to be a 20-minute break, but you aren't really losing any paid time.