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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to refuse to work on Christmas Eve

100 replies

Ithinkitsjustme · 28/10/2012 19:39

for 1 hour. I work for a supermarket petrol station and my normal Monday shift is from 7pm until 10.15pm, but on Christmas Eve we have been told that we will be closing at 8. AIBU to say that I won't go in for 1 hour? Even if I go in I will still owe them 2.25 hours work. As far as I am concerned they can either ASK if the people who work until 7 would mind staying on until 8 or just close at 7.

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 28/10/2012 22:57

in past have variously worked Christmas and all festive holidays
generally is good vibe with colleagues
and job needs done

EnglishGirlApproximately · 28/10/2012 23:02

Me too scottishmummy. Its just one of the things you suck up when you work in retail. Normally have a good laugh on xmas eve then boxing days a nightmare when everyone's trying to bring back unwanted gifts and stuff they haven't used on Christmas day without receipts or tags!

Not going to miss working boxing day this year :)

zebrafinch · 28/10/2012 23:03

OP, you do need to check your contract . See EnglishGirl ^^

Whoknowswhocares · 28/10/2012 23:07

Yabvu.....unless of course you do not want a job by Boxing Day? There are plenty of people who are desperate for a job right now. Perhaps they might have a better work ethic?

expatinscotland · 29/10/2012 01:14

I'd try to find a way to do a full shift, me. Must be someone who wants to swap.

Far better than working Xmas day, and 8PM is pretty early.

But if not, well, I've always had to work, I'd suck it up and go.

The boss may need extra hands on Xmas Eve, it's generally pretty busy in retail, IME. I'd ask for a full shift and enjoy my day off.

muminthecity · 29/10/2012 01:33

In my first job, when I was 18-22, I point blank refused to work Christmas, despite the fact that everyone else did and I knew it was part of the job when I started .

I actually threatened to quit if they tried to make me work, and so they gave me every Christmas day off (though I did work Christmas eve.) I am utterly, utterly embarrassed now by how unreasonable I was. They should have sacked me really, I acted like a spoilt child! Luckily I am now in a job where I am not expected to work over the Christmas period, but if I was, I'd just suck it up and get on with it whilst cringing inwardly at the thought of how awful I was about it all when I was young and stupid!

Alisvolatpropiis · 29/10/2012 03:35

Quite interesting to see that I'm the only one who hase had retails back ground similar to OP's job yet she ignored my comment.

I imagine OP is working for a large commercial retail business. Such businesses tend to announced their Christmas rotas in early/mid November. OP will not be working only one hour of her shift. She's clearly a new employee.

MoetEtPantsOn · 29/10/2012 04:01

I work in a big accounting firm. They close the office over Xmas. They lock the doors. You couldn't get in if you wanted to. Everyone has to take annual leave for the non-public holiday days. You don't get any extra annual leave allocated to do this. I know a few firms that operate in this way. To all those outraged at the owing 2.5 hours, isn't this kind of the same thing? They're taking "my time" because they've decided to close.

To the OP have you tried asking them about it? Perhaps the scheduler just hasn't thought it through- as one hour does seem annoying and awkward. Sorry if I've missed that you've tried this.

As an aside, I have been singing "driving home for Christmas" since reading this. Perhaps that hour will be all festive and lovely....

musicalendorphins · 29/10/2012 04:47

Well, my dh will be working until 1 am Christmas Eve, then he will have a 45 minute drive home. I'd be thrilled if he was home your same hours. He often works Christmas Day too, but is off this year.

Fairylea · 29/10/2012 04:55

I'd be annoyed too but you normally work then so they will be expecting you to do it and it will be breach of contact if you don't. If you call in sick they will probably know you are lying and be silently very annoyed. I wouldn't risk it. There's hundreds of people wanting to take your place!

gettingeasier · 29/10/2012 04:58

I will work a 9 hour shift on Christmas Eve

Christmas Day the store is closed but you have to take the day out of your annual leave or take it as unpaid leave

I dont think YABU to be annoyed although have you even asked yet what the arrangements for Christmas will be ?

Joiningthegang · 29/10/2012 06:00

Yabu

Are you venting on here or like this at work?

aufaniae · 29/10/2012 06:09

"YABU unreasonable to 'refuse' any work related request full stop really."

I just don't understand that attitude!

Sometimes, work asks for things which are not properly thought through. Of course they should be challenged!

We're not automatons FFS.

deliciousdevilwoman · 29/10/2012 06:45

I wouldn't do it. Either try and get a shift swop, or book annual leave (if that option is open to you)

janey68 · 29/10/2012 08:58

So you'd happily go into work on Christmas eve if I was till 10.15 but not if they let you finish early at 8?!
Sounds completely illogical to me. Why would you owe them hours if they have decided to close? Also it's your normal working day, so on what grounds are you going to refuse to work? I would have thought you'd be out of a job sharpish if you just refuse

Original poster

Ithinkitsjustme · 29/10/2012 11:55

I went to bed so wasn't ignoring you Alys, I am not a new employee - have been working there for 10 years. Every year they tell people that when the store is closed they will be paid for the hours they "should have worked" but will have to make the time up at a later date (never seems to be when it is a convienient time). I have checked again today, and yes they intend to close at 8 but I will have to make up the 2.25 hours at another time, (despite me staying on Saturday night for an extra 2 hours, probably unpaid! ). I have made my opposition known - in no uncertain terms . Absolutely NO holiday is allowed to be taken over Christmas - which would have been an option from my point of view.

OP posts:

BrianCoxIsEatingBrains · 29/10/2012 12:01

Can you not ask for the 2.5 hours to be taken from your holiday entitlement?

They seem to be utterly inflexible. I have to save 3-4 days holiday for my work's Christmas shutdown, which is fine, I get to take the holiday off - fine by me. But to say you will be paid for hours you should have worked but then you have to make that time up?? Totally unreasonable IMO.

FlangelinaBallerina · 29/10/2012 12:18

It's incomprehensible that some people think OP IBU for wanting to pick and choose her hours, but that it's fine for her employer to do the same. The Christmas Eve thing may be a bit of a red herring here- OPs main problem is that she's being asked to come in to work one hour only, and will then 'owe' time. That would still be a pain in the shitter, whatever day she were asked to do it. Her employer is absolutely, unequivocally, unarguably taking the piss. If it's ok for them to mess around with the rota, so it should be for her. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. They'll probably get away with it because of the current climate, of course, but that's a separate issue.

janey68 · 29/10/2012 13:02

I think as a workforce you need to band together and challenge the issue about owing hours. If they choose to close early then there aren't hours to be 'made up' - they were closed during this period. I do think though that if they agree that you just work the hour, you don't get paid for the time they close and you don't have to work to 'make the hours up' then you really don't have a leg to stand on about not wanting to work an hour- even if travel costs make it seem a bit pointless. Many people work certain shifts for 'nothing' when you take out childcare and travel costs- I have friends who do shifts and if they coincide with when their partner is working then they just have to accept that for that shift there is no net gain. That's not your employers problem. However I don't understand how they get away with insisting on closing early but still wanting to pay people and make them work the extra 2 hours somewhere else. Seems pointless.

FlangelinaBallerina · 29/10/2012 15:08

I'm not sure how the fact that some people work for nothing means that OP should accept doing the same because of her employers decision. It's one thing if eg a person chooses to keep working while DC are small for no financial gain after childcare, in order to keep their career going. That's the individual's choice. But an employer suddenly imposing a shift for no gain on an employee is quite another. Not everyone is prepared to work for no gain after childcare, many choose to SAHP instead. It has nothing to do with OP's situation.

YellowDinosaur · 29/10/2012 15:18

Well there's your solution.

If you worked 2 hours longer on sat you can say 'no worries, given the 2 hours extra I already worked on Saturday I'll owe 15 mins. Just let me know when you want me to tag that onto one of my regular shifts'

halloweeneyqueeney · 29/10/2012 15:31

"It's incomprehensible that some people think OP IBU for wanting to pick and choose her hours, but that it's fine for her employer to do the same"

its normal, in most jobs you are contracted to work x hours per week, perhaps between the hours of y and z or maybe within mon to fri or whatever but other than that its up to the employer to have you in when you are needed you can't just go in and do your hours when they don't need you.

some days ARE pointless, like compulsary training bits n pieces where you go in for 2 hour to be told that fire is hot etc, or for compulsarly staff meetings that take 45 mins and you aren't asked to contribute, but you factor in whether or not the job is pointless overall

FlangelinaBallerina · 29/10/2012 15:33

I don't think it's normal for employers to ask you to only work one hour, unless you're unfortunate enough to be on a zero hour contract of course (if OP is, that's a different story). It's never happened to me. It's fucking ridiculous.

I agree OP's best bet is probably to see if she can do a full/er shift that day.

maybenow · 29/10/2012 15:51

It's not about xmas eve is it? it's about a one hour shift, for a person who earns £7 per hour. It's ridiculous.
I've worked christmas before, it can be a good laugh, but going to work for just a single hour is not going to be a good laugh, it's just a hassle and will cost more in travel than it earns.

Laquitar · 29/10/2012 19:24

If the 2 owned hours are going to be at the end of a shift then you dont lose out (unless childcare problem)

But if you are asked to do those 2 hours on their own then it is twice the travel cost for 3 hours work and £21 which is not fair. Tbh i would volunteer to do the full day if they need staff, at least extra money.

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