Work party

My workplace is very woke and none of our trainings have ever said this.
Good thing too, as once you start down the slippery slope of accomodations, you'll never get anything done in a workplace that's actually diverse. Ironically.
It's OK if you only have one group, whose needs you can clearly accommodate over others. But then it descends into conflict.
Hindus for example have multiple prayer days and religious observances. Tuesday and Thursday, Muslims on Friday, that only leaves less than half the working week to schedule something.

Another example
Few people know or care, that Sikhs can't eat any sort of ritually slaughtered meat. Probably because they're such a small minority. So places try to be inclusive by making everything halal.
Of course Sikhs can eat the vegetarian food instead, but if it's good enough for them it's good enough for Muslims surely? And therefore, no need for halal in the first place?

However in this case OP I don't think you're U! If a day that everyone can attend exists they should have chosen that.

I work 0.8 FTE. We had a departmental get together/celebration thing a few months ago. It was on a day I normally work - yay! But it was also a day my dd had a music exam and dh was away, so I had to take her. That's life sometimes.

Abd it's not really like everyone is being given 5 hours off. It's not like they can go and do their own thing.

Don't be ridiculous. I missed the work party last year because DH was having an operation. I should have kicked a fuss they didn't rearrange it to a date that suited me, right?

Are you that desperate to go to a work party? In my experience they're normally a bit shit at best.

Sorry but you are being ridiculous.

Firstly you say it's about...
I can't change my days around due to childcare.

Everyone will be given 5 hours out of work to attend.

How is this fair to employees that work part time?!

I feel like women are punished for being part time due to having children!

Then you say you can't make the date anyway due to an appointment with your child.

Could your child's father take child to appointment and then you could attend?

Maybe there’s a reason they couldn’t do it on a day everyone was in. I don’t see your problem. You work part time and you’re paid part time.

I agree with you. When we organise stuff it is always on the day everyone is in work. If people can’t make it because they are on a/l then we might try to change it but probably not. The majority are part-time but everyone has to work on a Tuesday as part of their pattern so all work meetings/get togethers/lunches are organised for Tuesdays.

just to add it’s not about women being treated unfairly as we have men in the team who work part-time. It’s that we are a team and so we want to include the whole team!

Its just tough shit

I feel like women are punished for being part time due to having children!

Are you aware that men can be parents too? DH has missed things for the same reason (scheduled on the day he has off with DS), I haven't because I work full time!

I have worked PT for the last 15 years. It's a two way street in terms of flexibility and things don't always work out. You have been invited, ordinarily you might have switched days to go but on this occasion you can't because your child has a commitment. That's just how it goes sometimes.

“I feel like women are punished for being part time due to having children!”

Yabu, you’re not being punished for having children. Yes it’s a shame you can’t attend it, you had an invite but obviously other commitments stop that. Plenty of parents unfortunately have to miss things whether it’s work or social due to being a parent. It’s seems like your problem is more the fact that your colleagues get 5 hours out of work to attend (is that paid?) and you don’t get anything?

Maybe your H could take time off to take your child to their commitment?

It's annoying but that is what being part time is like. It's just a party. As a part time teacher I never benefit from the may bank hol if I'm not working Mondays. Just be an adult and say it sounds lovely but sadly you can't make it.

There are many things women are punished for but this is not an example OP.

You've been invited to a party, you can't go due to a commitment.

Do you think men don't have commitments that mean they might have to miss a party?

What are you most annoyed about?

Have you ever tried organising these things?

You've been given plenty of notice, I don't sit there and think "can x come, or should we do it on a day she is in". I go by when my boss (and I) can do it and fits in with other things happening, things that most people don't realise are happening (leave dates,meetings etc).

They can't accommodate everyone unfortunately, what about people who have booked holidays then too?
I used to work PT and things like this are frustrating but it's not personal.
If there's a few months notice can't you change your days around? I occasionally did when PT, being a little flexible means they're going to be more flexible with you when you want to request something

If it's just everyone getting together in the office then I think you're not being unreasonable. They should've picked the one day of the week when everyone works to include you all.

If there are any other external factors, such as going off site to another venue, doing an activity, catering etc, then I think you need to realise these things don't always have constant availability and are hard to accommodate everyone. Chances are one of these external factors was only bookable on your non-working day.

I am part time
Honestly, I hate when stuff like this crops up because it makes us all look difficult.
you can’t please everyone all of the time. Next time, get involved with doing the organising.

You win some, you lose some. I'm sure loads of the full time workers wish they worked part time. You sound entitled expecting the world to bend around you.

As a woman and a mother my priority would always be the commitment with my child.

If it's a medical appointment (absolute nightmare to rearrange) then that far outweighs some 'work party'. In all honesty you sound like a petulant child. Your child is your priority not a party and as your child and your prior commitment are nothing to do with work you are not suffering from any form of discrimination....

Shit happens.

People who work full time still have other commitments, children or otherwise. Would you rather someone else missed out on the party so you can go?

They have given you months of notice and are letting you change days if you are able so I don't see the issue. I'm sure every day has at least one pt person off