Is my Boss being unreasonable regarding my work hours?

[bengal38]

I work 16.25 hours a week but I am on 20 hours a week to include overtime. I start work at 10 and finish at 3pm. Last 2 weeks my Boss has told me my new start time is 930 which is fine. I have 2 kids and need to leave at 3pm to pick them up but my Boss said I can't leave until 315pm. That would make me late going to both schools. I told her this and she said she doesn't care as work has to be finished. A new girl has started last Monday and she is allowed to leave at 3pm and she has no kids to pick up. What should I say to the Boss on Monday?

I am really not being horrible but I think maybe you want me to feel sorry for you and see you as a victim of the boss (who sounds awful) but saying "she raised her voice a bit so I carried on working lot's of extra hours for free" is a bit weird. You work for the local council not MorganStanley...

Read what you just posted. You are going to get her back up however you tell her you are only working your hours in future, as she has clearly seen that by acting as a bully to you she gets you to do what she (unreasonably) demands.

You have to go in there expecting her to raise her voice, but be prepared to stick your ground this time. Just keep repeating, "I'm not paid to work that long and I won't", followed by, "do you realise this is work place bullying, it needs to stop or I will report you".

You need to accept that on this occasion you will have a confrontation. If you don't it will never end. She is a bully.

I will say again, go to your union/join a union.

Are you in a union? If you work for the council it is likely there is a UNISON branch - you should talk to them.

She has no reason to shout at you if you tell her that you are not prepared to work more hours that your contract stipulates.

If she thinks that you leave because you need to pick up the kids she will think you are taking the piss. If she understands that your working day actually finishes before 3 pm she has no reason to be angry, shout, or in any way take it out on you.

"I'm not paid to work that long and I won't", followed by, "do you realise this is work place bullying, it needs to stop or I will report you".

Yes. That is it.

Bengal38, are you sure she is raising her voice to you? You have moved kitchens now so presumably this is a different boss to the one you previously found difficult. There seems to be a pattern here.

I'm struggling to see why this is so difficult. If you have no assertiveness skills and haven't the common sense to be in a union and seek their advice you're just making things hard for yourself. I'm also wondering why, if this is a different job, your work difficulties seem to follow you. As other posters have said: your childcare needs are irrelevant. This is purely and simply a contractual issue which needs resolving - you simply say that you're not prepared to work for hours not in your contract and for which you don't get paid. If she "raises her voice" you simply reinforce your point calmly and ensure that she realises that you are making it clear you won't be bullied or shouted at.

Another thread about your job? Seriously?

Stop feeding the OP please people, she's had so much advice already on what feels like millions of threads and I'm starting to think this is just attention-seeking.

I think she is terrified of confrontation and is hoping someone will eventually think of a way to address the issue without any need to speak up/stand up for herself.
There isn't, you have to do this yourself op, but you can get support, from Human resourses or a union.

Agreed. I think the collective powers of Mumsnet have done all they can for you, OP. Although, I fully expect this to not have any effect and for there to be yet another thread in a few day's time. Serves me right for clicking on them really. I won't anymore.

This was the first one I've read not sure how I've missed the others
Maybe it would be enter set your up own business- cleaning, pet sitting etc, so you are your own boss and you can have hours to fit your schedule

Agree with pretty much everyone else - you don't have to 'find a way to put it' to her, or even to explain yourself, just leave once your hours are done and if she questions you just tell her you are only going to work the hours you are paid for.

OP the year now is 2013, not 1895. You are not a domestic servant in somebody's kitchen where you have to ask The Master for permission to go places or get worried if Housekeeper gets a bit shouty with you. Stop saying 'The Boss' as there is no such thing. We are all free and equal these days no matter how lowly our work. Everybody today works according to a contract. What you are entitled to is in your contract. Really try very hard to understand that. Please. This is very basic and very important. You need to understand what EXACTLY your contract entitles you to in terms of working hours. Then you explain this very politely to the person running the kitchen. When you speak to her remember that she is just your colleague, even though she is senior to you in the hierarchy she is still just someone in your team and you are somebody else in the team. Repeat as necessary to yourself (not out loud) when you speak to her: You Are Not The Boss of Me. If necessary take a copy of your contract with the relevant sections on working hours to show her. She will respect you if you start showing some respect towards yourself.

By the way you are legally entitled to have your terms and conditions of work in writing, so get it in writing if you don't have it.

This is why you need to join the union, to learn about respecting yourself as a worker.

put in writing to your line manager her/his manager n hr that u r contracted for x hrs n u will only be working these hrs n could u have confirmed start n finish time in writing by x date - give them 7 days

kawlinga - what do you mean there's no such thing as a boss? There's a boss where I work and there has been in every job I've had. Has something changed recently, I was out of the workplace for a little while before getting the job I have now and may have missed something.

I should say I'm not in a union as such and don't want to miss anything important.

marquesas, what I mean is that long ago being 'The Boss' (or the master) meant that you could pretty much make up the rules. Now that is determined by the contract of employment, not even 'the boss' can make people work longer hours than they are contracted to work, and without pay! It's common sense really, as one poster said. Obviously we use the term 'boss' colloquially to refer to people senior to us, everyone has a 'boss' in that sense but the term has no legal meaning whatsoever especially in the OP's case where her contract seems to be with the council.

Things have really changed in terms of workers' rights I think, there is a sense these days that people should be working together as a team even though they all have different responsibilities and some are senior to others.

By the way, for the OP, ACAS gives free advice on employment matters, they might be able to help with specific advice though I suspect they would tell you exactly what all the posters here are telling you.

Join the union. They will represent you. You cannot be asked to work several hours over your contracted time for nothing.

Ask the new girl if she would like to swap and do an extra 1hr 15 mins per week (extra pay for her so she might fancy it) and if she is ameniable then approach the boss with a potential resolution.

That would not work maddening because new girls contracted hours is until 3 pm, and bengals contracted hours are from 9.30 and 4 hours excluding lunch, so bengal is per her contract finishing earlier than New Girl!