Colleague comments about my hours

I work similar because I'm disabled if anyone says a comment about my hours i say things like i know its great isn't it il think of you slogging away when I'm at home with my feet up having a cuppa.

I think it’s an odd thing to focus on and continuously comment about but I couldn’t get agitated about this. Ignore it or if it is really bothering you then tell her to foxtrot oscar.

'I'm paid for the hours I work so I get less money than you. I am not able to work any other hours. If you don't like your own shifts speak to the boss.'
I'd imagine at best it's light-hearted. I remember saying jokey things like 'you lucky git/I'm stuck here for another X hours' to a colleague leaving early. But not every day if that was just their contracted hours.

It is rude, of course - but I guess the point she may be trying to make is that there is often an (unwritten) expectation that FT workers work more than their basic hours by default - yet PT workers always get to finish at their designated time.

She is presumably jealous. Next time she raises it you could suggest she applies for part time hours too. I work 2.5 days a week as I have two disabled DC and have to fit my unpaid caring responsibilities around work as does my DH. One person at work once commented on how lucky I was to have this and when I explained why they soon shut up.

What an idiot. Or is she jealous? I’d love part time hours, but can’t afford it, although from what you write you might well love to work full time but can’t due to health reasons. A colleague got a part time job this week, I told him I’d kill for that, but it’s not a good idea for my circumstances.

I used to finish at 3pm and a colleague would comment he was jealous (kind of jokingly) and I would point out, I’m sure he could work pt but the pay would significantly reduce from what he’s used to. Idiot! I manage a team which includes 3 part time members and they’ve had all the comments too previously. They said I’m the first manager to stand up for them and stop the comments from others by closing them down. Having previously worked part time, I get it.

I used to get this when I was part-time and worked in the office and used to leave early to pick up my kids.
Started saying yes but I only get part-time pay! They shut up after that.

well colleague, if you want to get by on part time wages you could to!

Just ask her if she realises that you only get paid part time and email her the link from the ACAS website to apply for flexible working so she knows how to get the same if she is fancies a 50% reduction on wage.

I'd smile and say yes, it's great.

"Do you realise you've been saying the same thing for weeks now. Are you feeling ok?"

You don't need to justify your hours to colleagues. Tell her she needs to re-evaluate her budget if she wants those same cushy hours. That will shut her up.

Your employer was happy to make adjustment and keep you on, its no one else's business. Its time to escalate to HR or your manager, her behaviour is bullying and its affecting you.

'You concentrate on your hours. I'll concentrate on mine'

You could ask her why she doesn't apply for a part-time role too, but then she'll complain she doesn't have the luxury to get a part-time wage.

"Oh do fuck off Deborah" is my favourite answer

but realistically, you can just smile snuggly, nod and agree that it's bliss. That will wind her up enough and will keep you out of HR.

It IS lucky you can work PT, why should you feel any shame in it?

Are you me? 🤣🤣

I'm in the exact same position working 3 day 6hr shifts. One of my colleagues is always making snide remarks. She's clearly resentful of me and doesn't even try to hide it. She knows I work these hours as I am a single mother with a disabled child but is always making comments on how easy I have it 🙄

I told her to request part time hours and she said she couldn't afford it. I've learned to ignore her. She's clearly not happy in her own life and is projecting on me.

I’d just say “why don’t you ask to do the same if it’s so cushy?”

This is bullying.
Contact HR and ask for them to have a word as her repeatedly making digs at you about your reduced working hours due to illness is causing you distress.

Start a paper trail.
She's a bitch that needs to be told to STFU and mind her own business.

@user987897

I'd say ALL of these!! 😂 ⬆️

I work 4 days per.wk in my job - my choice, no-one else's business & obviously get 4/5 of the salary of my colleagues. I work my ass off in those 4 days & am quite confident I pull my weight.

Most of my team are delightful but 1 person obviously has a real problem with my day off & it's become 'sport' for me to clap-back when she makes snarky comments! It must REALLY bother her, because her other half makes 'jokes' about it, too, whenever we cross paths, so she clearly moans about it at home!

Makes me laugh!!

It doesn’t make her a bad person. She’s right, it is very nice to only work 18 hours a week - BUT maybe it isn’t for you as you really wish you could work 35 or 40 hours like she does - in which case have a conversation, and tell her that!

And remind her your pay is commensurate.

Try to give her the benefit of the doubt, it will make your workplace a nicer one for you.

They are obviously jealous as they would probably like to work part time/ preferably not at all. As others have said just say yes they are great hours. Won’t be so great when I get my pension at the end. I’m really worried about it but due to my health I can’t work any more hours so what can I do. It’s not so cheery then. They may well be struggling with full time hrs and can’t afford to reduce them but they will eventually get a better pension.

response: Is it my illness or my reduced wage you envy?

What an asshole. I imagine it's not all your co-workers, you'd have to be supremely unlucky to be surrounded by quite so many assholes.

It's their problem if they can't afford to work fewer hours. They're also lucky they don't have health conditions meaning their hours are capped.

I might be going down to 3 days soon because of my health too OP. I've already gone from full time down to 4 days... And my health is still declining and I'm continuing to struggle. Losing the full time pay felt awful but at the end of the day, if you can't do it, you can't bloody do it. People who can work full time without it impacting their health or wellbeing need to count their lucky stars.

They don't mean anything by it. It's just banal workplace chit chat that acknowledges they'd rather not be coming in to work tomorrow too.

A few of my colleagues have dropped to three days a week over the past 2 years.

One through ill health and the other two are for a better work life balance and they are lucky to be in the financial position to do so.

No one resents them or talks badly about them, though. It doesnt impact on anyone elses workload and no one cares, tbh.