To pull a sicky to go to an interview for a better job...

[falulahthecat]

That's it, really.
I 'job share' with a girl, who does NO work (seriously, in 2 weeks she has answered 6 emails, I stopped counting after 150 of mine, basically she's not very good with pcs and didn't realise there was a sent folder!) and when I brought it up the manager said she understood why I'd not been able to do any of the other stuff I'm supposed to dop now (she'd thought I was taking all day to answer 5 emails) but then made excuses for this girl, saying she'd been 'busy' counting car park money. Well, that means she took 2 days to count £3,000. The other week I did £2,600 in 2 hours.
I know she can't help but work at a different speed, but she also gets paid more than me, and keeps assuming I've made mistakes because "I'm new" the 'rectifying' them, then it turns out there never was a mistake, she's fucked it all up and then calls it a 'miscommunication' between us. Err... right.
If it was just her I could probably sort it out, but I also have to work Bank holidays on 20p above minimum wage (they do love to harp on about the 20p) and the way they do holiday means if you take a week off you basically get NO pay at the end of the month.

Anyways, I've been asked to go in for an interview during the week on a day I work. I know she won't swap the day with me because the last time she said she'd look at her rota when she got home, ignored 3 emails from me then when we next worked together in the other side of our job acted like it'd never happened. What's weirder is we seem to get on but when I know she's being so two faced it's very difficult to be rational, especially when she keeps saying MY desk, MY folder, MY phone, she can't see me as an 'ally' and it's really frustrating. The manager, even knowing what she's been doing, hasn't said a word because we're a 'small team' and she doesn't want to rock the boat, which is fair enough but doesn't justify me doing 5 times as much work for less pay and being stressed by being accused of making mistake I haven't, on what is actually a very mundane, easy job.

So, can I pull a sicky to go to this interview if she won't swap the day and the new place, a great job with a charity, can't change the interview day?
I don't want to miss out :/

Sorry for the long ranty post!

Basically OP, if you take a holiday, they deducting from your pay, because they are paying you effectively as if you had left over unpaid leave?

Yikes, sounds complicated.

It sounds like a sickie is the only option then if the interview can't be changed. Would the new job be willing to see you before or after your normal working hours, if they can't change the day? They are obviously keen enough to interview you, and ime, most propsective employers will offer a degree of flexibility with interviews.

And you have reminded me that I have an application form to fill in tonight!!

Seems I'm going to have to a)confront the girl on why she's refusing to cover or swap any days even though I've done it for her and/or b) beg the new job to give me a new interview date :(

KissesBreakingWave
All excellent ideas which I taking on board ;p
Seriosuly though, they also do this thing where the split the pay equally even though you work different hours each month, some weeks I work 3 days some 5 or 6, so in may, I don't get paid until the 30th and it's only 4 weeks of 4 days of pay?! It just all seems really weird to me

TaliZorahVasNormandy
Exactly.

BikeRunSki
I have to 'make sure' (ask) either my manager or guy in the next office/security to pick up my calls!
crap girl insisted I had to stay at my desk for my (unpaid) lunch break as well but that went out the window after day 2 and I made friends with the security man!

TaliZorahVasNormandy but then you get the days you took off deducted from that month as well!

Not the most moral advice here, but sometimes you really do have to put yourself first. I hate to be dishonest but sometimes there's a point where following the rules could actually jeopardise my future, as you could here. It sounds like they have you trapped, and if you mention the interview will be told to go anyway

A dodgy curry you say? Can't leave the bathroom you say?

LackaDAISYcal
Good luck with your application!
I'm really hoping they can do a different day, but I've had cases before where the employer was completely inflexible - I had to cancel a weekend away for one job a couple of years ago (thankfully I got it! Loved it and had to leave because of budget cuts :( )

Cat That is bloody crap and I dont blame you for wanting to take a sickie and wanting to leave.

ladypete
My boyfriend told me not to have that Jalfrezi!!

Take the sick day and try to get out of there.

Zero hours contracts are awful. It means that the OPs employer is not doing anything illegal, technically.

If it weren't for that I'd repeat advice from upthread... go and tell your boss that you want a day off for an interview - and why.

But you are right, it could backfire. I am torn between pull a sicky and email your jobshare bod and copy in the boss, asking for a day swap for personal reasons. I'd probably pull a sicky from a zero hours contract....

Remember to mention that you have a zero hours contract at interview, they should be sensitive to the issues with that, without your having to explain yourself.

Good luck.

Seems I'm going to have to a)confront the girl on why she's refusing to cover or swap any days even though I've done it for her and/or b) beg the new job to give me a new interview date

Ask for a different date but if that doesn't happen, by all means pull a sickie. I have never done it but in your situation I wouldn't hesitate.

I'd ask them about moving the interview first.

Your on a zero hours contract, just tell them your unavailable. If they need you to be available at that time they need to give you a proper contract.
Zero hour contracts work both ways.

Pull a sickie. There is a good chance you won't be able to get another interview date as a lot of interviews are by panel these days and companies are loathe to try and pull a panel together twice.

Do it, DD did it last year because of the crap she'd have got if she'd asked for time off.
She got the job, gave and worked her notice and is a hundred times happier in it and had an interview today for a better job in the same organization.

YeGodsAndLittleFishes
Being paid at the same rate for both 'sides' of my job instead of the lower rate for the front of house side (and the same rate I was initially told £7.39 instead of £7.00 - it's not much FFS! Especially for the calibre of work they're expecting, handling finance admin for the whole place) would be a start - in fact I'd rather solely do the office as then I wouldn't be playing 'catch up' after other girls days (she always says she doesn't like it and prefers the front of house job anyways!!) and then I'd have regular hours and better pay, which would at least make it bearable.
I've made loads of improvements in efficiency as well, which hav been acknowledged and appreciated verbally but I'd rather have a bearable job than pats on the head :/

Call the interviewing organization and negotiate a mutually convenient time for the interview, so that you don't have to miss work to attend it.

If you can't move the interview, tell your current boss that you have an appointment (leave it vague, say it's personal if they press you) and that you will make up the time. Then actually do make up the time.

I don't think there would be anything to gain by telling your manager about going for an interview - it is already clear that the company will not back you plus it sounds like a shit contract and company to work for, so you should look for something better anyway

You know what, I'd do whatever I needed ultimately of yo get out of there! They clearly don't give a monkey's widger about you.

Nomama
This> email your jobshare bod and copy in the boss, asking for a day swap for personal reasons < is a very good idea, I'll bear that in mind! As I know our manager does appreciate the fact I'm working a lot harder and being more flexible.

Weirdly, I actually also feel bad, my boss in herself is a very nice person, and I don't want to leave them high and dry, but then I just think I deserve better than this, and I've had to put up and shut up because it's so hard to find work.

PS you sound very capable, in the mean time can you work towards a qualification which would get you a higher hourly rate? 7 is awfully low. An accountancy qualification might be appropriate, something like accaglobal.com is quite flexible for study/exams and you're almost guaranteed a job at a living wage once you qualify.

OP, my real concern is if your interviewer is so inflexible regarding interview dates, they are going to be similarly inflexible with your work.

I'd best go put dinner on! thanks for the advice, I think I'll just push for a date change, then try the copying in on the email, then if she STILL won't swap days I'll just have to tell my boss I'm going for a new job and hope she understands and doesn't become petty over it, especially if I don't get it.... eep.

Your job sounds shit. Get out of it any way you can. Good luck !

DIYapprentice
They're a charity with limited office hours, and to be fair, it's not like I've got the most flexible employer now! At least I'd be getting above living wage, and doing something that helps people :/