to switch off my iphone so I can't take texts and calls from work?

[Ormirian]

I've had calls almost every weekend since Christmas because something doesn't has gone wrong (I work in IT). I chose not to go on the on-call rota just so that I wouldn't have to waste my previous weekends - so I also chose to forgo the extra income that would be coming my way. But because we are a small dept we all have areas of the the system that only we have good understanding of. So there is an understanding that if something comes up that is beyond the knowledge of the person being paid to be on call, they can call the specific 'expert'. We even have external contacts at the software houses who wer are paying maintenance contracts with to be avaialable 24/7 so they really should call them first! There have been loads of problems with my areas due to software changes etc and as I say....I haven't had an uninterrupted weekend for ages.

I have written plenty of notes and guides on how to deal with problems that arise. But every time I get a call they always say' I've had a quick look at the notes but I don't think this is the same...' so I dive in and have a look and it is! And even if it wasn't they should call the software house not ME!

So aibu to think 'fuck you, work it out!'? I don't work weekends....

BTW DH is at the stage where I think he will say exactly that next time anyone rings.

But a big fat yes to 'forgetting' to charge up the phone, or leaving it at home, or mislaying it. I actually did that yesterday - we went out and I left it on charge at home! After all that was the reason I stopped using a personal phone - cos I could never be bothered to look after the stupid thing.

yeah, the downside is maybe having to sort out mistakes on Monday, but at least you are getting paid to work then, so will probably feel a less resentful than you do at the moment.

YANBU, my friend often gets calls from work on the rare occassions I get to see her, it's usually to ask her to come in on her day off, or something to do with rotas. She's used to it but finds it intrusive. Employers just shouldn't do it.

YABU for turning it off! - use airplane mode - you can still use most apps and the ipod but the phone will have no signal! :)

They are calling you because it is easy and you are helpful.

Out of hours support can eat you alive - more so if you resent it because you are not getting paid.

Next time they call - point them in the direction of the people/instructions they should be looking at. Then turn your phone off.

YANBU. How will your colleagues ever get to the level of expertise needed to know the answers unless they work it for themselves? They are just being lazy and as they know you will answer, take the easy route. They are getting paid, you aren't.

where i am if the on call person cannot fix it and has to call out someone else then:
the someone else gets a large whack of cash for unscheduled call out plus time in lieu and the issue is looked at closely to work out why the on call person couldnt fix it alone. i.e knuckles rapped for being incapable of performing full on call duties.

BTW - I've just read the bit about your DH getting cross about the calls.
My DH felt the same way.
One evening I got called after I had been off work ill for a couple of days. DH got to the phone (I'd been medicated up to the eyeballs and was trying to get some sleep). He, quite politely, told them I was ill and they needed to find someone else and then hung up (well to be fair, there wasn't anything he could do to help them).

When I returned to work I found the support staff had logged my DHs response, and I got called into the office and advised that I needed to sort out his attitude. I explained the situation, mentioned the company's duty of care to it's staff and told them I wouldn't be able to help at all in future.

I continued to work there for another decade, and made good career progress, so it was probably the best thing I ever did.

Is there ONE trusted colleague who you could give another number to? What I am thinking is that you get a SIM only contract for a personal phone and swap the sims when you get home OR simply buy a cheapie PAYG for personal calls. That way your work phone would be off at all times you were out of the office but there would be one (AND ONLY ONE) person who knows your personal number and can contact you if the shit is really hitting the fan (when, if you're anything like me you would rather know at the time anyway!).

Different line of work so nothing like the volume of irritating calls that you will get but I always give my boss my personal mob number before going on holiday as I know he won't take the piss by calling unnecessarily. If there is anyone who could act as your "gatekeeper" it could be a decent compromise.

What about recording a message to put on the phone at weekends?

I will be back in the office on Monday. If you have an urgent technical issue over the weekend, please consult the manual or contact .

"Therefore, outside of working hours, I switch my work phone off.
In what way is that difficult for you ? "

Because I have to sort out the mess they make on Monday morning! I don't want to deal with it at the weekend but someone has to. I am perfectly happy to deal with anything new that arises (and emergency cover out of hours is in my contract) but not something that has already happened and the solution documented. That is what the on-call rota is for.

It all comes from our boss who was a workaholic and a worrier. He set the tone for the dept by always making himself available and micro-managing. He's now on long-term sick leave after suffering two TIA and suspected early-onset alzheimers. So we are left with a situation where the expectation is that there will always be a senior member of staff on hand to dive in and fix things so no-one else has to take responsibility. It's crap and it will take time to change things.