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Original poster

Not getting paid for worked time...

102 replies

Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 20:10

Views on this situation people please...

If you work on computers, let's say a call centre.. and you are paid at an hourly rate from 8.30am until 6pm.. Is it unreasonable for the employer to expect you to be sat logged in ready to go at 8.28am and then log out at 6.02pm every day? .... (so you are always "ready" for a call 🙄

OP posts:
Goldi321 · 29/10/2021 20:15

I don’t think 4 minutes is unreasonable,no.

dementedpixie · 29/10/2021 20:16

You should be set up and ready to go by your start time

themuttsnutts · 29/10/2021 20:17

For me, no, but there is something about it on the acas site

StormyTeacups · 29/10/2021 20:17

Yes, I would expect to be logged on ready to start actual work at the designated start time

iwishiwasafish · 29/10/2021 20:17

Of course that’s not unreasonable (assuming statutory breaks are accommodated).

What’s the drip-feed?

PegasusReturns · 29/10/2021 20:18

I would expect to be logged in ready to go for 8:30. But I’d also expect not to take any calls that would push me over 6pm.

GrettaGreen · 29/10/2021 20:18

Is that what you're employer said or did they notice you're regularly coming late/leaving early each day and speak to you about it?

Original poster
Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 20:18

@Goldi321

Its 4 minutes every day though...? Adds up to around £300 per year...

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 29/10/2021 20:19

4 mins? I couldn't get worked up about that.

PinkMoon22 · 29/10/2021 20:19

We have to be logged in ready to take a call on our start time and log off dot on finish time.
Presuming your on time anyway so what does 2 minutes either way make?

Original poster
Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 20:19

It's not just me.. it's the whole company (400) of us.. it's their rules.. but doesn't seem right somehow..

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 29/10/2021 20:20

The kind of employee who argues the toss about this kind of thing must be a nightmare to manage!!

PinkMoon22 · 29/10/2021 20:21

[quote Newbabynewhouse]@Goldi321

Its 4 minutes every day though...? Adds up to around £300 per year...[/quote]
Have you really worked it out 😂
Take off the tax and NI it won't be much

RicherThanYew · 29/10/2021 20:21

Nope. I do enough work without pay thanks, I'm not starting early to male management happier. My boss will only pay 09:30 - 17:30 but wants people to work 09:00am - 19:00pm, not because there's lots of work (there isn't) but because he hates his home life.

Original poster
Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 20:21

We are logged in and working at 8.28... could have taken 4 calls by 8.30 with how busy we are...

OP posts:
PinkMoon22 · 29/10/2021 20:21

@RicherThanYew

Nope. I do enough work without pay thanks, I'm not starting early to male management happier. My boss will only pay 09:30 - 17:30 but wants people to work 09:00am - 19:00pm, not because there's lots of work (there isn't) but because he hates his home life.
That's very different to 4 minutes though
Original poster
Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 20:22

Then finish at 6... but logged im taking calls at 6.02 still, calls could be 15 mins long, we don't get the extra

OP posts:
nordica · 29/10/2021 20:22

I wouldn't worry about 4 minutes - it's more of a problem if you need to answer the phone at 5:59pm and the call takes you past the 6pm finish time.

RicherThanYew · 29/10/2021 20:23

@PinkMoon22 Give them an inch ... it began with 09:10am/17:40 with humble thanks and now it's expected.

AlexaShutUp · 29/10/2021 20:23

[quote Newbabynewhouse]@Goldi321

Its 4 minutes every day though...? Adds up to around £300 per year...[/quote]
So you're paid almost £20 per hour but you are arguing over 4 minutes a day? Wow.

saltedcaramelanything · 29/10/2021 20:25

Logging in at 8:28 seems reasonable. I guess I would expect to be taking calls until 6 - so if you happen to be on a call at 6, you obviously stay until it's finished. But if you're not, you'd sign off at 6

Marelle · 29/10/2021 20:25

You need to be ready to start work on the dot. However a good employer should be slightly flexible as long as you’re working your contracted number of hours. I used to work at a call centre and they would dock my pay if I was even a minute late. But two can play at that game... you’d be surprised how many callers got mysteriously cut off at 5pm on the dot when they stopped paying me.

LolaSmiles · 29/10/2021 20:25

You should be logged in and ready to take calls by the time your start time is, but being expected to take calls that run past your finish time is unreasonable.
Depending on typical call length, I'd have said that there'd be no new calls answered 2 minutes before your finishing time, but this isn't my area of expertise. A friend of mine used to get frustrated when they'd get a call with 1 minute to go and would be expected to stay on the line to complete the call, even if it causes a late finish.

Clock watching employers should also be prepared for employees to clock watch as well in my opinion.

Original poster
Newbabynewhouse · 29/10/2021 21:04

Just the one break, sometimes an hour sometimes half an hour..

I'm not sure how much I earn per hour has to do with it really does it? @AlexaShutUp ?

So what you're saying there is, if I was only paid £15 per hour, then my employers are allowed to take over 17 hours of free work from me?

OP posts:
iwishiwasafish · 29/10/2021 21:11

What happens if you are 2 minutes late back from your break?

If you are docked pay for it then YANBU to object to having to work 2 minutes over your shift.