Part time working

[MissPL]

I work part time 9.00am to 2.00am Mon to Fri to fit in with school hrs. My kids just go to kids club before school. My boss has just put my name down for a 2 day training course without telling me and the course runs from 9.00 till 5.00pm. She has just emailed me and said I should make the necessary childcare arrangements so I can go on this course. (she doesn't has kids herself which says it all doesn't it). I don't have any childcare for after school which is why i work these hrs. Are part time workers expected to do training course outside of their hrs? This is not the first time she has done this and Im just really pissed off that I kept getting asked to do this kind of thing and the stress it causes me.

[harleyd]

you should contact the citizens advice bureau and see what they say

[flowerybeanbag]

Hi Miss PL
Has she given you lots of notice, are you being paid for the extra hours it would be, is it training you need to do your job and is it available as a 9-2 course?

[NomDePlumeIsOffWorkToday]

I work in the NHS and have had to do training outside of my contracted hours. I know how annoying it is, I have no family help with childcare, it is all paid.

[NomDePlumeIsOffWorkToday]

I didn't get paid for the extra hours but I did get time in lieu.

Most employment contracts have it written in that employees may be expected to work over and above their contracted hours.

[ThursdayNext]

Excellent questions from flowerybeanbag
Wouldn't go rushing off to citizens advice at this stage

[MissPL]

No I wouldn't be paid for the additional hrs just time of in lieu. That what annoys me too, I wont get paid overtime but they expect me to pay for additonal childcare out of my part time wages! They have given me 4 weeks notice but that doesn't make any differnece when I dont have anyone to have the kids.

I did this training course 3 yrs ago and this is supposed to be a refresher. I have suggested just leaving the course at 2.00pm and reading through the course notes etc at home on my own but have been told I am being difficult. Dont know what they expect me to do!

[Furzella]

I work PT Monday to Wednesdays and am quite often expected to do things on Thursdays and Fridays and had a client for a long time who kept organising meetings for Saturday mornings! I can't say I like it, but I think it's acceptable of my employers to ask it. It's much less convenient for them that I work PT and it seems unreasonable that it should always be them who is flexible. I don't have any childcare outside Mon-Wed so end up begging favours, my dh taking holiday, panicing a bit, etc. Bummer, but I think it goes with the turf.

[eleanorsmum]

where are you? i'm not registered yet but could maybe help out with childminding as it's a one off thing and i could use the experience! i'm in bracknell, berks.

[ThursdayNext]

If it's considered that you need the training to do your job, and there's a condition in your contract that you may be expected to work additional / different hours (which I think is pretty much standard), then I don't think you have much choice.
Do you have a DP/DH who could leave work early to pick the children up? Do you work term time only, or what are your child care arrangements in the school holidays?

[flowerybeanbag]

Sounds as though your boss is not being particularly understanding, however the actual fact of being asked to attend training which is not available to match your exact hours is not unreasonable and there probably is a caveat in your contract as NomDePlume mentions.
If there are part timers doing all sorts of different hours and days, it is impossible to organise training which fits in with everyone, particularly if it's an external training course which comes in one size fits all, these are the hours/days, take it or leave it format.

4 weeks isn't a lot of notice, though and time of in lieu doesn't help you with childcare costs.

I would go back to them and explain that paid childcare is your only option, you can't get money back for the hours in lieu you would get and wouldn't need childcare, so would it be possible in those circumstances to be paid for the extra time rather than having time off in lieu. I think that's a reasonable request and I would hope your boss would be open to it.
If you approach it as follows -
'I am keen to maintain my skills and attend the training however as I am sure you will appreciate, I need to pay for childcare to enable me to do so, and although I understand I will be able to take time off in lieu, I do not have that flexibility with my childcare arrangements, so I would be seriously out of pocket. Is there any chance it would be possible to arrange payment for the extra hours rather than extra time off, as I really would like to attend but can't afford the additional outlay it would entail.'
rather than storming in and talking about it's outrageous, my 'rights', etc etc, your boss might be more likely to feel hugely guilty about being a bit inconsiderate and do her best to help.

Give it a try!

[titchy]

I think you'd have to check the wording on your contract. if you used to work for them full time but reduced your hours what concessions were made in writing? Or were the terms and conditions what was on your original contract? If your contracted hours are 9-2 then I don't think they have any right to demand you work over those hours. In reality though you would have towork with your boss. Is she liekly to make your life unlivable if you put your foot down? If you started off saying you are unable to work over and above your contracted hours, if your boss got the arse you could offer a very generous concession and say you'd be willing but onlyif the company stumpued up the cost of childcare plus the tax you'd pay on their reimbursement of your childcare costs (assuming they paid into your salary rather than that childminder direct).

[RibenaBerry]

I totally agree with Flowerybeanbag (as I usually do, I have noticed!). I would say that it is probably a reasonable request, so your best approach is to be very positive and upbeat but explain your problem.

Although you say that your boss does not have kids, most people can relate to explaining a situation in terms of not being able to handle the financial cost. That's the main reason I would explain it that way. Even if your boss cannot relate to childcare issues, I am sure that she can relate to an experience of being a financially tight at some stage in her life!

[ThursdayNext]

Flowerybeanbag, that's very well said.
That approach sound really good, MissPL
Think I would need to print it out and read it like a speech, which might take the edge off a bit!

[ruddynorah]

do you have a dh/dp who could rearrange his work to cover it? otherwise how old are the children? could they go to a friend's house for tea those 2 days?

[flowerybeanbag]

MisPL just popped back to say exactly what ruddynorah said - have you tried asking your dcs friends' mums if they could go round for tea for a couple of days, you could return the favour another time?

[MissPL]

Thanks ladies for all your responses. Ive calmed down a bit now. I was really annoyed the way they just signed me up for this thing without even mentioning to me, in fact the whole way they have gone about it annoyed me. I will see if I can get a friend to hep me out those 2 days but if I can;t I wont be doing the course. They employ me to work 9.00 to 2.00pm and I wont feel quilty if i can't work unpaid overtime!!!