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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hand my notice in at work

226 replies

Notwavingimdrowning · 26/10/2018 08:50

I work in the nhs and although things are difficult at work at present ( lots of changes by the powers that be, lots of politics and no communication) I love my job. My problem is that I have just been given my Christmas rota and while I expected to be working some of Christmas or new year, I didn’t expect to be working all of it and other staff be off for all of Christmas and new year. In previous years we have worked short shifts and everyone was fairly treated and most were very happy with their off duty, me included. This year, I have been given night shift for 5 of the nights over Christmas. So, three nights in a row, a sleep day Xmas eve, then two more night shifts, Xmas day and Boxing Day, as well as long days New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I have been and spoken to my manager who agreed that it was very unfair and has now taken one night shift (Boxing Day night) from me. My January rota is also just night shifts, literally every weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights, not a single day shift at all. I really don’t mind nights and weekends, it’s part of the job, however I do mind every weekend and all night shifts and have spoken to her about this before.
Again I have been to see her and she said that she couldn’t please everyone and that somebody had to have the short straw, I’m guessing that the somebody is me.
I am seriously considering just handing my notice in. I know it sounds like I’m having a temper tantrum ! I don’t expect to have everything changed for me and I know that somebody else will then be allocated my shifts, which makes me feel utter crap towards my colleagues, but it’s the attitude from my manager and unfairness that is the problem. I cannot afford to just give up work really without another job to go to, but my husband will support my decision 100% and I will easily pick up bank shifts so won’t be penniless. I’m not trying to hold them to ransom, I really don’t expect anything to change and do not kid myself that I am irreplaceable, I’m just so unhappy 😞

OP posts:
Teateaandmoretea · 26/10/2018 08:53

Yanbu at all. I assume ur a nurse, in which case you should be able to get another job fairly easily anyway.

Teateaandmoretea · 26/10/2018 08:55

Or of course if it actually is affecting your health you could tackle it via fit note from your GP. I also don't think you should feel bad for your colleagues, bad shifts should be fairly allocated.

leaveituntiltomorrow · 26/10/2018 08:55

YANBU At my Trust Nurses can swap wards pretty easily. Although as a B5 you would have to work 8 weeks notice so you’d have to get a move on! Know your worth FlowersCake

iggleypiggly · 26/10/2018 08:57

Do it, you can do bank work or transfer elsewhere. Do not let anyone treat you this way Flowers

NewYoiker · 26/10/2018 08:58

I would leave for that. Sounds like a toxic place. I find a good manager can make a massive difference. Yours sounds shit. Join an agency, pulse is fab for nursing or nhsp. I've just gone from pulse back to nhs but that's for my own reasons. I will miss being able to do my own hours!

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 26/10/2018 09:01

Maybe speak to your union rep first- your manager might just need a friendly reminder that shifts are to be allocated fairly, not just in a way that makes her life easier.

GrandmaSharksDentures · 26/10/2018 09:01

Do it, do bank or agency over Christmas & New Year whilst applying for new jobs to start in Jan. How long is your notice period? If you Hand your notice in on Monday will you be out by Christmas?

Original poster
Notwavingimdrowning · 26/10/2018 09:01

Thanks for the replies. I am a band 5 nurse. I have asked if anyone will swap shifts but no one will. I don’t blame them 🤷‍♀️ My shift pattern is pretty crap ! I have till Monday to decide and that would mean my last shift would be Xmas eve. I will think about it more while I’m on nights AGAIN this weekend.

OP posts:
BlueJava · 26/10/2018 09:01

If you can afford being off or you are very confident you and get other work easily then do it. However, you'd have to do it today to get off by 21 Dec if you are 8 weeks notice. However, that way you could have Christmas off completely and go back to work in the NY.

Dreamingofkfc · 26/10/2018 09:07

When I was a HCA I was given long days on Christmas day and Boxing day. No other HCAs were working (small ward) and the nurses were doing short shifts. I found it so upsetting that it was not fairly shared out that I changed wards

Teateaandmoretea · 26/10/2018 09:08

Know your worth

^^ exactly this Smile

Puggles123 · 26/10/2018 09:24

YANBU, you’ll be able to find something else- life is too short.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 26/10/2018 09:25

That is shite, where I worked for NHS which was prison healthcare, the nurses were either in Christmas or New Year not both and nights were done on a rota so everyone worked a weekend in turn

Ohyesiam · 26/10/2018 09:28

Leave and do agency. I did it all through my degree, it’s a great life.

PrivateDoor · 26/10/2018 09:32

That is ridiculous! The only positive thing here is that you actually have your rota done up. I currently don't have any off duty past next week, which is the norm for us Hmm We have been told that we have to work xmas day, boxing day and new years day (or equivalent nights) which makes no sense, it seems it is going to be the best staffed ward ever over Christmas Confused

I have asked for a transfer because I am sick of the crappy off duty, but will wait and see if it ever happens.

In your situation, I would definitely leave!

Weenurse · 26/10/2018 09:34

I never used to mind nights over Christmas as it got me out of the scut work at home. Everyone felt sorry for me having to work.
Not having new year off is the pits though. We always either worked Christmas or New Years, not both.
Also nights every weekend in January would cause me to quit as well.
A friend of mine has always worked casual so she could work days that suited her family. She just made sure she had some extra put away for quieter times.
Go casual

CoachBombay · 26/10/2018 09:37

Leave. The manager clearly does not care about you and your work life balance. It will not improve.

Leave her up a creek for Christmas, she deserves it.

LizzieBennettDarcy · 26/10/2018 09:38

I used to work in home care, and even though my children were small at the time, I was given Xmas eve, xmas day and boxing day as well as new years eve and new years day. I was fuming and asked why - and was told the younger members of staff weren't reliable and would just phone in sick!!

Handed my notice in that afternoon.

sunglasses123 · 26/10/2018 09:38

It sounds like you might be an easy target etc. I have had this before in that I am fairly passive and take things as they come but this sounds like she is almost picking on you. If you wrote down other people's shifts over Xmas and then your own if it is patently obviously you have all the rubbish shifts then something is clearly wrong.

Are you without kids by any chance?

cuntbridge · 26/10/2018 09:39

I think if you can't afford to give up work the. YABU to quit over this. I would make a formal complaint and then keep badgering them to change not. If they don't then next year you are first in line to tell them to fuck off when they try it again.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 26/10/2018 09:39

I had this... Once... Amazingly every desired bank holiday I was on nights for aboht 18 months....so could do nothing during the day, where everyone else was off.....

When I left, they were really put out (non - nhs) as they thought that as it was a job, I should have to put up with any shit... (this was not a 'everyone does bits of the difficult shifts'... It fell to me...)

I left... And haven't looked back...

My boss at the time, when I gave the required one month's notice (actually 5 weeks) ... '' I'm not sure I can let you leave then iamadevils,Confused we have no one else who will work these... (think all Christmas break nights....)....

Me: my last day will be Tuesday 22nd Dec - goodbye.

They got away with it for so long, as although they promised the next off duty would give me better shifts... It never happened.... I was colluding with my own bad treatment

Devilishpyjamas · 26/10/2018 09:43

Either Xmas or new year is usual imo - not both (unless someone wants that).

If you can get bank I’d resign, do some bank work & reapply. I suppose you may be asked why you resigned when applying for another job so may need to know how you will answer that question.

MLMsuperfan · 26/10/2018 09:45

Don't resign right away, just say you won't work those hours, and start looking for something else.

EdisonLightBulb · 26/10/2018 09:50

Can you not raise it as an official grievance? It appears to be very unfair, and perhaps the manager knew she would get grief whatever and you were perhaps the less likely to give her grief, or so she thought?

DD is a HCP they were offered a first choice of working Christmas or New year and it actually worked out fine. The city she works in means there are a lot of staff from other parts of the UK and Ireland so Christmas Day and Boxing Day off doesn't work for them due to flight times, trains, expense etc so they volunteered to do Christmas but then go back home after and have all New Year away from work.

In addition it is a multi cultural city so the trust facilitates guaranteed leave for religious celebrations such as Eid in return for cover at Christmas/Easter.

It actually works really well. I hope they look at this again for you Flowers

continuallychargingmyphone · 26/10/2018 09:54

I would leave in your circumstances as you’ll be able to get bank work easily.