Unpaid overtime?

By the end of my first year in the NHS I worked out that the amount of unpaid overtime I’d worked was equivalent to over 100 days of 9 to 5. Never dared calculate it since. Not recommended.

I diarise my lunch break in my calendar so I’m down as “busy” during that time. I absolutely would not be taking my laptop on holiday with me and I’m fairly certain that’s not legal.

If they’re not going to pay or give toil, I’d be pushing back hugely on the extra time I “donated”, particularly if I were paid less than others in my role (why can’t they cover when you’re on leave?)

Surely this will not be legal. You are entitled to Al and uninterrupted lunch break during your shift. That's a basic legal requirement. We can argue about your total weekly hours based on what's in your contract but they certainly can't demand you work on your holiday.

I've worked for a few places like this, as I tend to work in small startups where the owners live to work, and expect everyone else to as well. In all but one case I managed to change the culture by just refusing to bow to it.

I don't mind doing the occasional bit of work out of hours if it's a crisis or if I need to do something out of hours (I'm in IT so sometimes I have to do work that's going to take systems offline for other people, I'll do it out of hours). But if I'm working out of hours, then I'm taking that time back elsewhere, and if it's happening more than once every few months, then thats bad planning and I'm going to start telling people to piss off.

Same with holiday cover. No, my laptop isn't coming with me, the fact that they don't have anyone to cover my work is because they don't want to spend the money on it. That's their problem, not mine.

I always get a lot of pushback at first, but within a couple of months they stop. They need me more than I need them, and once they realise they can't bully me into it they give up.

The one time I didn't manage to sort it, I gave up within 3 months and quit. They want to work themselves to death, then fine, but that's not how I plan to live my life.

Are you on a salary or a wage? That makes a huge difference in expectations as to whther you get overtime or are expected to just get the job done.

Depends on what was in your contract.

If you are in a salaried role, I think it is fairly common for people to work overtime here and there. Eg - you have a hard deadline for a presentation or project and it just needs to be done. If you are paid by the hour, you should be paid for the hours you do.

In your example, the fact that you were being paid and its now stopped means you need to stop doing the extra. Especially as it just sounds like the regular situation.

With my employer it depends on your grade. I’ve never (qualified accountant) had a job that offered either paid overtime or TOIL. But that’s reflected in the degree of autonomy and salary that my role offers. In my team I encourage people not to work overtime but they tend to view the flexibility as compensation for the odd busy day. I know this because one or two have turned down not insignificant pay rises to avoid losing that flex.

Depends very much on role. Low paid junior role there may be overtime or TOIL. at senior or better paid professions roles no.

YANBU, this is blatant exploitation. No idea why anyone would vote YABU to this.

A previous company they expected it- I left after 8mths.

Current company, only need to do overtime in rare cases. Sometimes it paid and other times we can chose time off in lieu. I always chose the later, because otherwise I just pay more tax on the over time.

I'd say you'll take it TOIL and otherwise, you can't stay back anymore!