Colleague paid for early start

[TheChineseChicken]

I work in a relatively stressful, pressured job in an office. My contracted working hours are 9-5 but everyone starts early or works late (or both) pretty much every day. That's fine, that's the nature of the job.

I've just discovered a new recruit is working 4 days, 8-5 and being paid for those hours. So she's getting paid for the overtime that the rest of us do for free.

AIBU to be annoyed by this? I know you're all going to say that I should ask for the same thing but how to do so without sounding petty?

[dementedpixie]

Are you only going to work 4 days too? You have your contract and she has hers, she is not being paid any more than you in total

[TheChineseChicken]

Actually I already work 4 days so she is getting paid for more hours than me despite working the same hours

[Mysterycat23]

Start doing your contracted hours then

[Travis1]

I'm assuming that's the contract she has negotiated? Either take it up with management or stop coming in early. YABU it's not her fault.

[PlainSpeakingStraightTalking]

It's called condensed hours, she will have negotiated that contract.

You choose to work unpaid overtime, withdraw your good will.

[adulthumanwolf]

Get in at 9 and leave at 5 then.

[TheChineseChicken]

If I do that I won't keep up with work load. Hence we all do overtime but don't get paid for it.

Just me who thinks this is unfair?

[dementedpixie]

Stop coming in early then or ask to get paid. It's not her fault she gets paid for that extra hour

[purplemunkey]

Stop coming in early.

[Jackyjill6]

Yep, what Mysterycat said.

[TheChineseChicken]

I'm not annoyed with her - clearly she has negotiated a good package, which is good for her!

Maybe I do need to take it up with management then.

[sirfredfredgeorge]

"I'm being exploited, other people should be exploited too, or it's not fair"

The correct response is for you not to be exploited, it's not fine, it's foolish to work extra hours for free.

Why would it be "petty" to ask for the extra hours?

[suziedoozy]

I think it’s unfair that you are working extra hours without being paid unless you are in a salaried job where this is normal.

It’s not about her versus you it’s about talking to management about your overtime and either being paid for it or not doing it.

[Nicknacky]

It’s condensed hours, not overtime.

[goodwinter]

If you can't keep up with your workload in your contracted hours then your team is understaffed and/or badly managed. This is not your colleague's fault and it's unfair for you to resent her for it.

[TheChineseChicken]

Where did I say I resented or blamed her?!

[Cornettoninja]

She’s obviously negotiated doing longer days instead of full time over five days (obviously not quite the full time hours).

You could try and negotiate the same but it’d be difficult given that you’ve already bought into the existing culture.

Sorry, but the only answer really is to work the hours you’re paid for. If the work doesn’t get done then it’s not really your problem and they can pay you for the time it takes to do properly.

[flowery]

This is why allowing condensed hours in a culture where people don’t usually work only their contracted hours anyway is a bad idea.

In a workplace where people generally get in around 8.30, take half an hour for lunch and stay til around 6.00, allowing one person to ‘condense’ their hours by being paid to start at 8, finish at 6 and take 30 minutes for lunch rather than the notional ‘hour’ everyone else (doesn’t) take is a recipe for resentment. They aren’t actually ‘condensing’ their hours, they are reducing them and getting paid the same.

[Blueroses99]

I think it’s unfair if she is being paid more for the extra hour each day 8-9am, if she is being paid on an hourly basis. If salaried, isn’t she just doing 4 more hours per week for the same money as you?

[TheChineseChicken]

It's not as simple as saying you should be able to work contacted hours. At senior level in this kind of job it's a given that you work beyond 9-5 and that applies to many industries and roles.

Anyway, clearly IABU so I will get back in my box!

[Jackyjill6]

Ask if you can work 8-4.
There will be no incentive for management to pay for more staff to deal with your heavy workload if all the work gets done by taking advantage of goodwill permanently.
Also, you don't know how many of the others that come in early may have an early start as part of their contract, and are being paid.

[chestylarue52]

You're being very very unreasonable.

If you can't manage your workload that's your business.

[TheChineseChicken]

Thanks for understanding @flowery

@Blueroses99 I get paid a pro-rated salary 4/5 of an FTE. If I got paid for extra hours I could get 4.5/5 FTE for example would get paid more

[TheChineseChicken]

@chestylarue52 it's not about managing workload as I have described before. It's how it goes in the majority of senior roles...

[Cornettoninja]

Depends on the job though surely? Theres a difference between low level jobs that are under resourced with an average or below wage compared to high level jobs that require the job completed no matter how long it takes and the salary reflects that. It’s like comparing an accounts assistant to an accountant.