Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

that this is not fair & taking advantage?

31 replies

bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 12:31

My husband started a new job 3 weeks ago after searching for 3 months. It's part time, mon-fri. Today he's just been told that he's got to work this Saturday and Sunday. And still every day next week. Weekend working was not mentioned in his interview and has not been mentioned before until today.

We had plans which we'll now have to cancel and because I drive him to work (due to buses being less than useless) I now have to get up early on my two days off to take him. I'm so pissed off.

He doesn't want to argue about it because he's worried they'll sack him but aibu to think that this is shoddy treatment? They're taking advantage of people, knowing that because it's so difficult to find work, their staff don't have any choice but to put up with it.

OP posts:
ExConstance · 23/10/2015 12:53

Sounds as if he doesn't deserve to have that job.....he should be grateful.

spanisharmada · 23/10/2015 12:58

he should be grateful

Really??

BolshierAryaStark · 23/10/2015 13:03

Ex don't be so fucking ridiculous Hmm
OP what does his contract say? I understand his reluctance to say anything though, he's only been there 3 weeks but he shouldn't be afraid to speak up if weekend working isn't what he signed up for.

TracyBarlow · 23/10/2015 13:04

Grateful? Mmmmmmkay Ebenezer.

Is he on a zero hours contract? If so, he can refuse work. It might not be looked on brilliantly by his employer, but it is his right.

If he's on a contract with fixed hours then he can also refuse to work extra time - paid or not.

He is entitled to one full 24-hour rest period every week by law.

Oldraver · 23/10/2015 13:05

Well if it wasn't what he agreed to and springing weekend work onto him at short notice is a little off

But isnt he glad of the extra hours ?

JeffsanArsehole · 23/10/2015 13:08

'Grateful' Hmm

Wtf, have we gone back 200 years

anotherbloomingusername · 23/10/2015 13:08

I'm really hoping he's paid hourly and not salaried...

vladthedisorganised · 23/10/2015 13:11

I assumed that Ex was saying what the company are clearly thinking, rather than her own opinion...???

Original poster
bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 13:12

He's working through an agency so I'm not sure what his contract says. We'll check tonight. Yes, he is paid hourly.
And of course the extra cash is always helpful but that doesn't negate the fact that the lack of notice is appalling.

OP posts:
lorelei9 · 23/10/2015 13:19

do look at the contract - it seems bizarre not to mention weekend working at all when it might be needed? is it possible that some kind of assumption was made based on the type of business they are? What sort of "normal" hours has he been offered?

Junosmum · 23/10/2015 13:25

If he has worked Monday - Friday this week and they are expecting him to do next week as well then it is against the law.

www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work/overview

Original poster
bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 13:30

He's been working 9-1. It has been mentioned that hours may change but as in an afternoon shift instead of a morning.

While it is a call centre of sorts, so is obviously open weekends, a full time position was discussed at interview but mutually agreed not to be suitable due to difficulties in getting there as it would involve unsociable hours (late finishes, early starts). So how they've read from that that he can get there on a Sunday with an even more sporadic than usual bus service I'm not sure...

OP posts:
APlaceOnTheCouch · 23/10/2015 13:37

They won't assume that part-time staff can't get there at weekends. Also if it's a call centre then lots of them rotate shifts and have weekend shifts at short notice (eg if its a utility company then emergencies crop up, etc). It should be in his contract.

Unless it's emergency cover, he should also have been timetabled in but perhaps because he's not been there long, he didn't receive a timetable in advance.

Also get him to check the salary rate for weekend shifts as it may be paid at a higher rate.

TheBunnyOfDoom · 23/10/2015 13:48

I don't really think it's taking advantage - surely they can't force him to work shifts he's not contracted for, after all?

I assume they asked and he agreed. If he's only working 4 hours a day, I would have thought he'd want to work some extra hours when he gets the chance, especially with Christmas coming up?

ExConstance · 23/10/2015 13:55

I'm just gobsmacked that someone who has been out of work for 3 months, has a part time job on very few hours should the think it is unreasonable to be asked to give a bit more. Subject to the wording of the contract he can of course say no, but that may mean they will prefer other more willing employees over him.

thefutureofpolitics · 23/10/2015 13:55

It sounds like he is being used to be honest because they know, having only been there so long, he won't question it and just do it. The problem is that once these companies start using somebody, and they do it without question, they will just do it all the more. Maybe he should do it this time because he hasn't been there long but next time they ask, he should perhaps say that he is busy. It will at least, hopefully, look good that he did it without question the first time. This will hopefully nip any further using in the bud. The last job I had working for somebody else was horrendous, I have never felt so used in my life as I did in that place (illegal hours etc) and all because I let them get away with it. It was causing problems with my other half because he was as exhausted as I was from the whole experience. I learnt from that experience that some companies need to gently be put back in their place when they try it on. It is all about finding a way to say 'no' without rocking the boat.

Original poster
bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 13:58

Bunny, if only it were as civilised as that. He hasn't been asked and agreed, he's been told he's working those shifts. He said that because weekend working hadn't been agreed he had plans for Saturday and could he possibly not work that day and was told that because he didn't mention any pre-booked leave at interview that he couldn't have that day. How he could have known to book a day off he shouldn't have been working they didn't say...

OP posts:
HaydeeofMonteCristo · 23/10/2015 14:00

ex I have to say I assumed you were being ironic.

I really hope we haven't gone back to a state of affairs where the "lower orders" have to be grateful for a job. I fear we may have.

hellsbellsmelons · 23/10/2015 14:02

This is a difficult one.
I would probably agree to the Saturday and say he can't work on the Sunday as he can't get there and you have other plans.
Is there a reason he doesn't drive?

Original poster
bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 14:05

ExConstance - so because he works part time and because he hasn't worked for 3 months (no benefits claimed, btw), he should allow himself to be walked all over? He turned down a full time role because he couldn't get there during unsociable hours. That is his/our choice. He shouldn't be made to feel that he MUST work whatever hours and under whatever conditions are imposed on him, just because he has a job. That way madness lies.

OP posts:
Original poster
bogofeternalstench · 23/10/2015 14:07

He doesn't drive because we can't afford the insurance for him, let alone a second car. He's younger than me and to add him to my insurance would cost over £2000 a year.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 23/10/2015 14:07

What does his contract say? There seems to be a huge misunderstanding somewhere.

He thought he was taking a role that was Mon-Fri only, they believe his role is shifts over a 7 day period.

thefutureofpolitics · 23/10/2015 14:08

Additionally, I know somebody has already said similar but does his contract clearly stipulate that it is part time Monday to Friday or is it a zero hour contract? Some companies are very crafty with that.

hellsbellsmelons · 23/10/2015 14:12

Wow that's hard.
He needs to drive to get more earning potential but you can't afford it.
Catch 22.
A moped maybe?
Not sure if you live somewhere that might be possible?
They can be dangerous though.

pocketsaviour · 23/10/2015 14:16

Unless he mentioned at the interview "I can't work Saturdays or Sundays" then I would always assume (speaking as someone who creates rotas in a call centre) he would be available for work on those days. Have you seen his contract? What hours does it specify?

However if Sunday will be his 7th continuous working day then the employer is at risk of breaching the rest time regulations. See
www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work

Swipe left for the next trending thread