School run and TOIL

Sounds a bit like you are taking advantage then if you are technically taking 30 mins off everyday you do the school run (roughly 3 x a week) then want too claim 4 hours TOIL on an odd 1 off occasion.

You also mention this position is a step up? Is it more of management level position because if so, then often part of that is being paid to get a job done (hence manager giving you the school run flexibility) rather than per hour although of course you typically have contracted hours and there is a limit to the unpaid overtime but sounds like of you hadn't done the school run for 2 or 3 weeks you would have got the work done is usual contracted hours.

So basically you get well over an hour a day ‘off’ so do you make that extra time up at all, start earlier? If not then you are being a real CF to expect 4 hours in toil

Personally if I was your manager I would stop the30 mins and tell you to collect your child in your lunch hour and eat your lunch on the way

I have a lot of colleagues like OP. They really the value the flexibility of the job.

But only when it benefits them. Take time out for school runs and domestic chores and personal appointment as they feel like it.
If they are needed to work the odd extra hour it's suddenly impossible, and unreasonable.

OP - your job sounds great. You are obviously at a level where you are trusted to do what needs doing to get the job done. Up to you whether you want to behave like a trusted employee or one who is going to be awkward.

You don’t want to encourage them to count your hours … you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

Slightly curious … if you do the school run at lunch, where do the kids go once school has ended then? Are they dropped off somewhere?

Dp does the school run while working from home once a week and he takes his full hour lunch break at 3pm to do it. Expecting a 30 min lunch and another hour is taking the piss, let alone toil as well

I had a job that was flexible.

If I had an appointment or needed to do the school run it was great because I could do so - but it meant making those hours.
They weren’t going to pay me to do the school run - if that was the case they’d just reduce my hours.

What it also meant was that some weeks I would do extra hours unpaid but then I could also have that flexibility and some days were quiet, so it was definitely give and take.

I do think you were cheeky to ask for 4 hours extra - you admit you take more than this by just doing the school run.
If it was more than what you are taking for the school run then I would have asked for the difference.

I found that wfh and flexible is not all it’s cracked up to be (I think it works better if you’re SE).

I thought I’d hit the jackpot at first until I realised I was expected to give more than I was taking.
I am now back to working a very rigid role, which has downsides but also the predictability and rights that go along with it and I honestly prefer it.

As you have a little one, it may be worth carrying on and ‘giving’ a bit more but still keep track of your hours and if it becomes a regular thing then you can reevaluate.

Me too….just wow !!!

This
You are taking the p* OP
In my extensive work experience, there is always someone who does this.

You need to clarify this with your manager as neither of you should be losing out on a flexible arrangement. Record all the time you take accurately. If you are in a deficit you need to knock that off any additional time worked.

@Mumguilt25 kindly, you need to give your head a wobble.
You've got it made. Your manager couldn't be more accommodating and I would have no doubt at all that you do actually 'owe' a few hours a week with your bespoke arrangement.
Most working mothers don't get this level if concession, so suggest you suck up a few ours extra since I very much doubt it really constitutes TOIL if you did the sums honestly.

Well there it is.

She's giving you that 50 minutes PLUS 30 minutes to actually eat your lunch.

Day in and day out.

And you pushed back on doing some extra work for TOIL? Are you nuts?

Your boss is spot on. You are a proper CF taking an extra 30 minutes break every working day and then claiming for 4 hours overtime!

So let's get this clear, you are taking 50-60 mins a day AND a 30 min lunch break? Every day?
Are you making up the extra 20-30 mins a day?
And you are "pretty chill" on your wfh days (which I guess means it's ok to do domestic stuff during the working day)?

Seems like you are on to a good thing here and you need to be flexible about doing a bit extra occasionally .

Once you get to a certain level many companies will expect you to work a professional way with give and take.

Normally it works out more give to the company to make sure things complete on time.... But this should reflect in bonus or pay rise and flexibility when needed.

If you go to HR it will be honoured to your contract, but kiss any promotion goodbye - and look forward to rigid obedience to contract from your manager too.

also take 30 mins lunch

So you were taking more time than you were entitled to, and got grabby asking for your "extra 4 hours" last week? Are you for real?

Then YABU. Your manager is right, give and take. You take an extra 20-30 mins a day, but are quibbling over an extra 4 hours you did one week?

So you expect to take your lunch and then time off to do the school run too? You are one CF if that is the case

Sorry but you are massively taking the piss.

So since August you have had 20-30 mins extra break a day.. so call in 20 weeks comes to approximately 25 hours paid time off to do the school run. And you think working an additional 4 hours in lieu and expecting that time back is fair...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the flexibility is rescinded.

I’m afraid that the further up the food chain you get, the more is expected of you. I have so much flexibility at work, I nip out for appointments or an emergency school pick up (we have wraparound care so it would only be in an emergency), I went to DS’s school nativity during work hours etc but as head of my department I take early/late meetings, answer emails and calls out of hours, I’ll work in an evening or weekend if needs be. I haven’t claimed overtime in years but I’m certainly in a lot of credit so it’s no issue if I need to finish early now and again etc.

sounds like your manager has been very trusting and accommodating so yeah, I would chalk this one up to inexperience.

YABU for trying to claim TOIL if you are not even doing your full contracted hours

YABVU

You’re making 20 mins a day and then want 4 hours TOIL!

🤣🤣🤣

You seem to have a very sweet deal and an accommodating boss. It's a bit cheeky to push it.

You also cannot convince me that you get home at 4pm or whenever with your child and do another solid hour of good quality work without be distracted / interacting with your child / getting them snacks / have slightly checked out of the working day etc.

You say it’s a step up. Most professional roles expect that you work over hours to get the job done and in return are treated like an adult with a degree of flexibility. I would get laughed out the room if I requested TOIL. Even when I literally got stuck in another country for a whole weekend, with work due to delayed flights- I only got the morning to recoup.

Your boss sounds really reasonable OP - and I hope that they give the same amount of flexibility to their whole team (regardless of the reason why they need it). You get an extra 2.5hrs/ week of paid leave/ breaks - when you add that up across the year (assuming you get about 6 weeks leave) it’s around 115 hours - or about 15 days extra leave (assuming 7.5hr days). Plus you’re also not having to pay for childcare for pick ups/ after school either by the sounds of it You are getting a lot more back than you are losing. If I was you I wouldn’t be mentioning TOIL or formal recording of hours - if your manager brings that in you are set to loose more than you will gain.