to think people don;t seem to understand that if I work half/part-time, I only get half the money?

[undercovamutha]

I DO appreciate being able to work part-time, and having an understanding boss who was prepared to let me reduce my hours when I had the DCs.

But AIBU to be fed up that everyone thinks I should be just so grateful all the time for being able to work part-time. I work 50% hours, and to get my work done I have to bring a lot home to do, I am very regularly on the phone to clients in my 'free-time', getting texts to check my emails etc. I arrange all doctors appts etc in my own time, and go into work very early to have any chance of getting my work done. If I worked full time, I would get double the pay I get now and actually be paid for the hassle!

And yet all people ever tell me is how lucky I am to be working part-time. I feel like shouting 'I only get paid half the money you know!'. Why does it always feel like you are being done a huge favour for which you must be eternally grateful?

That's why I work full-time, I don't want to do a full-time job for half the money and half the kudos that I have seen the part-time people get. It's very sad though, would require a massive cultural shift to start to value part-time workers more.

I would love to be able to do my current job part time and would accept less than 60 per cent of my current salary to work 3 days a week. (although Id rather do my current job full time than the type of job I would be able to get part time in my field)

There are some people at my work (in slighly different areas) who do work part time. It is true that they end up doing some work on their non-working days. However, people who work full time often have to work late in the evening and sometimes at weekends, and probably do proportionaltey more extra over their 100% than a part time person does over their 60% for the same pro rata pay (if that makes sense).

So although I do see where you are coming from, I think you are lucky to be in a job you enjoy where part time work is possible.

I think I will have to negotiate more hours as its getting ridiculous. What effectively happens is I spend almost all my worktime attending meetings (probably the same amount of meetings as my senior colleagues) and then I have to catch up with the rest of my work at home. I need to put my foot down a bit more I think.

And maybe I'm wrong, but I DO think there is a difference between a ft person working a few extra hours a day/week, and a pt person being expected to do almost a ft job in (in theory) half the time.

And hardhat, I do know that some pt-ers take the piss. We have had the odd person who comes back for 2 short days per week, and then just faffs and gossips. But my experience is that the majority of part-timers (especially those in senior roles) do far more than their paid/fair share.

No you are not being unreasonable IMO - I do understand and have sympathy with the frustration of part timers - a couple of my closest friends at work are on three days, and do pick up emails from home, end up doing stuff on their days off and so on, even though they are not being paid for it.

However for another perspective lights blue touchpaper and retires it was only a few weeks ago that I realised that I am also doing stuff in my "free time" by working consistent overtime hours that I don't get paid for, as do many full time workers, I imagine (men and women; with kids and without).

It does not really irk me too much, but I suffer as much from this encroachment of work into my free time as my part time friends, yet I have never thought to complain about it. In the end we are all in the same boat, and I assume that part timers have chosen their status. Unfortunately I would love to be part time, but can't be as I am by far the major breadwinner in our house.

Oh I'm complaining about it now... D'oh

I wonder how many f/t-ers get phonecalls on a sunday from their colleagues asking them to check their emails, phone a client etc? Not the majority I'm sure.

The fact is if you don't work on a Thursday and Friday, and all your colleagues do work those days, then they don't necessarily understand that them ringing you on a Thursday is as much of an invasion as you ringing them on a Sunday.

I do understand OP, but what I will say is that often companies have a set head count, if someone goes part time after having children the work just gets divied out amoungst everyone else so I can see why if that is the situation in your office, people may feel that you are 'lucky'

It is also worth thinking about how some (and I don't know if this is you) people work 16 hours a week in order to claim maximum tax credits. They do get paid for a lot more than they actually work so again can be deamed 'lucky'

Maybe they think you're 'lucky' if you have a partner who enables you to work part time.

Whatever the circumstance, if you are doing the same job as the next person, but you only have to do it half of the time in order to support yourself and they have to work twice the time to support themself... you are pretty lucky.

*Drizzela is it not 'lucky' to be doing same job on fewer hours, you are making some sweeping assumptions about the circumstances which lead people to work part time.

YANBU. I have recently returned from maternity leave working 3 days per day. Whilst I agree that I am lucky to be in a position to do this, my workload has not reduced at all.

My boss was happy enough to agree because of the salary savings but he still expects the work to be done. No adjustment to deadlines is made and there is no appreciation that if I spend 2 days in meetings, I only then have 1 day to do my work.

I appreciate that many full timers work extra; I did before having my DD but I do much more work at home than any of my colleagues .

I don't think they were sweeping assumptions. I suggested three possible reasons that people may feel that OP is lucky to work part time. Every person will carry their own baggage and assumptions based on past experiences, if they are saying OP is lucky then chances are they have assumed she falls under one of the reasons I mentioned, because that is their experience or perception. I don't know if she does or not.

And my last sentance is fairly factual I would say, unless of course there are things we don't know like the fact that OP works part time so she can spend the other 2 days caring for her elderly mother who has dementia and OP is in fact on the bread line due to only being able to work part time. If something like this is the case then I would say it is disingenuious not to mention if we are to decide whether she is BU or not.

I work full time, but flexibly, and am regularly called upon during weekends. I probably work about 55 hours per week. I knew that was going to be the case when I took the job.
It seems a lot of people are able to go part time but have to do the same work for less money and in less time.
This needs to change.

I work PT (3 days/ week). My workload is no different to my FT peers. I am very regularly expected to attend essential meetings on days when I do not work- including internal meetings which could quite easily have been put on another day if they had thought about it for ever half a second. In fact, an external client was surprised, after a year of dealing with me, to find out I was PT- he assumed that, because I turned round his emails every day of the week and because the job was previously done by a FTer, that I was FT. And on days I am paid to work, meetings take up all of my time, so work has to be done in the evenings.

But worse than that is the "only part time" status that another poster has spoken about. I am seen as lacking commitment. They assume I am going to get PG straight away anyway, so I was stripped of my management responsibilities and am no longer offered any training or development opportunities. Eyes are rolled that I can't turn reports around quick enough- because the report sat on their desk all the days I work and they only suddenly though about it as I walk out of the door with a non-work day the next day. People often forget I am even in the office, and address emails to colleagues who are "always there".

I totally loathe working PT. I would find it hard to recommend to anyone.

I work more than 16 hrs and claim no working tax credits. As it happens I have only recently stopped having to pay for 2 children in childcare which ate up most of my salary. I am only now finally better off working than not working.

I have plenty of colleagues who work ft and their extended family look after their DCs for them. Also a lot of my colleagues have to work ft because they have chosen a more expensive lifestyle than me (DH and I chose to stay in our very small 'starter home' so that I could afford to go pt).

Sounds exactly like me Domestic.

I hear you OP. :)

I am thankful that I work in the NHS so pt working isn't a massive novelty.

Today I worked 9-5. In reality I arrived at 8.30 to get a head start. Missed lunch (what's that?) and left at 6pm. So in effect 2 hours unpaid overtime.

Dh made a fair point - could I not have left the building for an hour for lunch. Well yes I could, but the calls are waiting when I get back so I would then leave at 7 rather than 6.

Part timers can be more productive! If you work less than 6 hours a day, as I do, you aren't entitled to a lunch break, so over a week you are actually more productive than a full time person who would have lunch breaks. So my 18-hour week is 100% work whereas a full timer's 40 hour week would only be 35 hours of actual work.
I'm not moaning about the lack of lunch break by the way, I'd rather work through and get away earlier and the colleagues like the fact that there's someone there to cover lunch hours.

I was wondering, UCM and others, whether anyone would be interested in starting some kind of support thread for PTers? Yes we could moan. But we could also try to think of positive ways to improve our lot, be more visible, manage our time, get on with our bosses, manage expectations etc. (I don't mean resign by the way!). Any interest?

The lunch break thing is odd. I work 22 hours so three full days. I don't get a paid lunch break but I did when I was full time. Not sure what that's about, especially as now I make bloody sure I take it, even if I have to sit in the car whereas before I often didn't bother.

Oh god - when I was PT this wound me up a treat. Was always called a 'part-timer'..like I was some kind of slacker!!

yip, also fed up with the "lucky you" part timer comments, total second class citizen at work! try to do more in the two days i work to compensate and do the late lunches and nights to let the poor full timers away cause they are there all week. then at home feel have to do bulk of the household duties cause im part time!!

OMG dakmum - that was my biggest issue. Felt like I had to do everything at home to 'justify' taking a big pay cut.

It's really hard. The DHs just have to sort themselves out and go to work and they benefit more on the days when we have been home - housework done, baths done, nice meal ready when they get in and shirt ironed ! I personally didn't benefit at all - other than having more time woth DC when little of course.

I was speaking to DH earlier and commenting that I think there will be more people doing part time in future. Due to not enough jobs and the later retirement age.

The two latest part timers at my workplace are men 60 plus.

I did 3 days for 4 yrs and now do 25 hours over 5 days (school hours). Have to say I feel more part of things at work and am now perceived as working more due to being seen everyday.

That sound like the perfect balance, but pricey in petrol going in everyday?

Luckily live near work and school is 5 mins from work so would be going that way anyway.

I do miss my days off though.

School hours 4 days is my dream - 20 hours (not going to happen!)