Overtime required 'from time to time'

[Coffeeanddarkchoc]

If you saw this written in an employee handbook for a job, how often would you think overtime was required?

Depends on the job and hours of operation etc. Can you give some more info?

I would interpret it to mean of they get into a sticky situation you'll be needed.

If it was a small business I would assume it would mean, for example, if more than a usual number of staff were off sick. Where they couldn't really be expected to predict.

Is overtime paid?

Depends on the company. I've had some say that and mean at peak customer periods (a few weeks a year) and some lying tossers who meant a few hours every week with almost no notice.

It would be impossible for me to know without asking as it's a generic phrase with no set meaning

I would assume at busy times. So maybe year end, any reporting period, something goes wrong, audit… not a regular thing

"Time to time" would make me think a handful of times a year

Peaks and troughs every now and again to cover peaks in demand. So a few weeks of extra hours then nothing for a while

Infrequent - as a pp said, to get them out of a unforeseen staffing hole, or to help with a last minute audit or something.

If it was with any regularity, like a Payroll team being expected to work unpaid in the day’s leading up to every pay run, that’s when there’s be an issue.

No more than once a month

I would say occasionally too, most places I have worked before at least some of the team have been keen for overtime.

About as often as they'd think if you said "I may need an afternoon off from time to time"

This was in my T&C for a training contract, told it was standard and didn't matter. Two weeks in I was expected to work until 8pm every ten working days, as time in lieu; I wasn't prepared and ended up needing to stop my voluntary work and by the time I left they owed me days off that I couldn't take (when you clocked up two days it would reset and the job required me to start at 8:30am every day).

Best thing is to ask.

When my traineeship ended I mentioned it as an issue (I'd registered to do an evening class as well as volunteering) as I was forced to pull out.

The NHS managed it differently.

• didn't matter as in wasn't ever needed by trainees.

When I went for my interview they said the same. 3 weeks after I was "trained" I was doing nearly full time hours with the over time. I ended up going to speak to the manager and said I couldn't do all these extra hours. Everyone who has started after me has had it happen to them as well.

Once a month?

Depends on the type of work, hours in your contract, and the company.

No more than once or twice a month

Depends entirely on the sector and type of role, as well as how keen you are on promotion.