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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be fed up with my boss contacting me on my day off

70 replies

nothingbyhalves · 21/03/2013 16:16

I'm a part time teacher, and have 2 days off a week. I'm contacted by my head of department regularly. To deal with issues ranging from booking outside speakers, to double checking what homework I have set. AIBU to think that I am not in work that day and should be left alone? After all I'm not paid for these days!

OP posts:

stickingattwo · 22/03/2013 11:52

out of office or voicemail screening should help, but I would have a word with the boss and say unless it's an emergency to leave you be on days off...

Sidge · 22/03/2013 12:02

Ignore the calls during the day and then call him back at 0430 to reply.

He'll soon get the message

JourneyThroughLife · 22/03/2013 12:11

You shouldn't be pestered on your non-working days - assuming you have sorted everything out during your working time. When I'm off I leave an "out of office" on my e-mail, which means I can choose what I respond to or not on my non-work days. I also work in education and parents invariably call during holidays - I leave a voice message to the effect that it's the holidays and I'm back on duty at XYZ date, and then I switch my 'phone off!! Personal callers send texts which I can respond to/call back, everyone else can be ignored as I'm not working...not my problem!

MrsDeVere · 22/03/2013 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

theoriginalandbestrookie · 22/03/2013 13:17

YANBU.

My boss who probably earns about 3 times what I do thinks that because she works a nine day fortnight ( f/t) and takes calls on her "day off" this is similar to me being expected to keep my phone on outside my p/t hours and be"flexible" around my working arrangements.

Firstly I took a pay drop to be at the grade where I wouldn't be expected to work unpaid hours. Secondly my working hours are based around being able to pick up DS from school so if I have to amend them at short notice it costs me money to pay for extra child care.

I do it on occasion as in this day and age a jobs a job and I wouldn't get p/t with hours to suit elsewhere, but people really take the mickey out of part timers.

I too have a work phone. I keep it on on the days I finish early but switch it off on my non working non paid day.

theoriginalandbestrookie · 22/03/2013 13:18

Great idea sidge!

Tortington · 22/03/2013 13:18

members of staff/public have commented on unanswered messages - I tell them, I had left work or it was a day off. therefore I don't look at my phone.

if you didn't answer the messages - you wouldn't know 'so and so' needed something by the end of the day

and if questions arose - you could quite rightly say - It was my day off, I work - in work time.

tbh, I think this is a case of rod for your own back. don't answer the bloody phone

Scrazy · 22/03/2013 13:27

I heard somewhere that it was deemed harassment to contact people on their days off/holidays about work issues. Obviously if it's an emergency you would want to know.

MansView · 22/03/2013 13:52

haha sidge - yeah, sweet idea... :)

Original poster

nothingbyhalves · 22/03/2013 20:12

i don't job share, so don't have to habd over to anyone. I just teach my own classes over 3 days. Also will no longer be answering phone on days off. Have decided to speak to hod about having a clearer comunication before i have a day off. thanks all.

OP posts:

FryOneFatManic · 22/03/2013 20:26

Just remember, it's not a day off, it's a day you don't have paid work.

As a former part timer, I know only too well that full timers measure a part timer against themselves. I used to leave work at 2pm and frequently had the comments about "leaving early?" I used to reply I was leaving on time, my time.

aroomofherown · 22/03/2013 20:29

I'm senior middle manager in a school and I say: Ignore until you get back to school. Our school has a strict policy on not emailing (including parents to us) on the weekend or after work hours.

If your line manager does try and have a further word, simply say you are busy on the days you AREN'T working. That should shut them up. If they continue, mention the union.

Original poster

nothingbyhalves · 24/03/2013 22:03

Can I add that when I was taken into hospital suddenly when pregnant ( serious prom whilst 25 weeks with dt's) my boss texted constantly asking silly questions, despite my sending into work detailed info about where all my classes were and leaving lesson plans for next 2 months. Boss didn't even look at my planning!! Also had messages when dt's were in scuba (born 9 weeks prem) my close friend who works with me had a quiet word with management ( without my knowledge as my family were about to complain to head ) messages did stop soon afterwards.

OP posts:

PurpleStorm · 25/03/2013 10:08

Sounds like your boss has serious problems with boundaries.

It's one thing texting someone on their normal day off for the occasional thing - but when you're off work because you've been admitted into hospital? Without even checking to see if you'd left any messages or planning info at work?

echt · 25/03/2013 10:19

At first I thought you might have shared classes, so perhaps some understandable wibble on the part of the HOD, though only if you shared with him.

However, cannot think of any reason why he should have to contact you at all. Does he check up on all the full-time staff about homework they've set? It would be interesting to see if he has form for this, or if it's just you

I see you've already had cause to complain. Do it again. At best the HOD's a hopeless worry wart, at worse an undermining scumbag. Either way, shop him.

moonbeggs · 25/03/2013 10:25

I know this one too. I'm off this week and half of me is waiting for the first email or phonecall...

I was off last Friday too, had to read a legal document, write comments and re-transmit some stuff to a customer . Fortunately boss (the Manager - big boss - but doesn't really know what I do due to not being a science grad) is off this week too so I'm only likely to be phoned if any colleague gets stuck!

My second boss (the one who I work with, who does understand what I do and who is a workaholic and doesn't understand time off) once phoned me on a Sat morning while I was happily meandering round an Oriental supermarket. He got short shrift. He also once phoned up on a Sat evening just before Christmas in the middle of my DH's birthday party. DH answered the phone and pretended to be a Pizza Delivery and asked him for his order. There was a stunned silence and a

If he ever does this again I'll pretend to be a massage parlour or something equally amusing.

EldritchCleavage · 25/03/2013 11:21

Your boss can email you anytime. What has to change is the expectation that you will answer on the days you are not working. The only way to establish that is to stop taking the calls. Try not to read them, even if marked urgent. If anyone pulls you up on that (e.g. you miss a genuinely urgent message) you can just explain that the messages are routinely described as urgent, when they are not, and recount the horrific pregnancy story above as an example of what has pushed you to the point of complete non-response.

Some people are inefficient self-absorbed twits who can't seem to retain information for more than 5 minutes, so they mither everyone they work with with emails every 2 minutes asking for things they could find or work out themselves if they only thought a bit harder. These people will devour your entire private life if you let them, with never a thank you or any credit given for your commitment. Keep them at arm's length to sink or swim by their own efforts. It's the only way.

Queenofknickers · 25/03/2013 13:21

My boss called at 9.30 AM yesterday ( yes that's Sunday) AND I'm off sick after major operation! She justo wanted " to chat through"a training g course (she gets paid 6 figures). Sorry no solutions ... Just wanted to VENT

forgetmenots · 25/03/2013 14:33

Easy solution (and I include myself in this)

STOP REPLYING OR ANSWERING!

Unless everyone stops this culture will just continue. Lets start a revolution! Work what they pay for! :) (tongue only half in my cheek!)

maninawomansworld · 25/03/2013 16:13

9:30 on a SUNDAY MORNING - WOW!
If my boss did this to me I'd say ever so politely 'It's 9:30 on a Saunday morning, I'm not having this conversation with you now, please don't contact me again until tomorrow morning' and hang up.

Anyone else ringing me at that time on Sunday (unless it was a dire emergency) would get a tirade of four letter owrds followed by a hanging up and unplugging of the phone.

Sorry but that is WAY, WAY out of line! Sunday fecking morning!!

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