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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you’re part time you should work on days off

222 replies

Parttimeprisoner · 18/12/2018 17:47

Having a slight disagreement with my boss today and wondered what other people thought.

I work PT (20 hours a week) my boss said today ‘when you work PArt time you’re expected to do work from home when you’re not in the office’

I disagree, I’m not paid for more than my hours. I have 3 children, on my days off I don’t have time to work! I get my work done on my days there. Anything that pops up can wait imo. I’m not paid incredibly generously either - just over minimum wage.

I don’t get sick pay or holiday pay (whole other story!) and thought it was bloody cheeky that he’d suggest I should be working on my days off. He said it would be expected at any other company and is the norm.

Opinions?

OP posts:
Oldraver · 18/12/2018 19:21

Why are you not getting paid for holidays, I thought that was a legal requirment ?

I work agency and get a holiday entitlement.

IntentsAndPorpoises · 18/12/2018 19:23

@Reastie you need a new union! I work for the biggest teaching union and I can tell you your Head cannot direct you to work on your days off. You do not have to do pro rata parents evenings or inset - if thyy aren't on your days, you don't work them or they pay you.

It specifically says this in the STPCD (if you work in local authority school)

gamerwidow · 18/12/2018 19:25

I work 22 hours a week and I get paid for 22 hours a week. If my work want me to work outside of those 22 hours then they pay me or give it back as time off in lieu. I absolutely do not work for free.

Reastie · 18/12/2018 19:27

Intents I’m with I think the biggest teaching union! (NUT and ATL joined together) but as I work for private sector the union tell me they can pretty much do what they like and I have minimal rights with this. I go into parents evenings in my day off, I have to go to events like open mornings, fairs, school plays, prize giving etc etc etc all in evenings and week ends and I have to do the same amount as full timers even though I only work less than 2 days a week.

IntentsAndPorpoises · 18/12/2018 19:32

Well in which case it will depend on what your contract states. They can't breach that, or normal employment law. No part time worker can be directed to work on a day they don't work, unless stated otherwise in contract. Not just teachers, anyone.

Reastie · 18/12/2018 19:36

Contract says ‘anything reasonable as directed by HT’ and union said it’s then and argument between me and the school about what’s reasonable and there’s no clear cut answer so effectively they can make me.

IntentsAndPorpoises · 18/12/2018 19:38

I disagree. That isn't our stance at all. That ause is in everyone's contract. It relates to things that might be missed in a long list. But still means under your normal terms and conditions. Being told to work for free is NOT reasonable.

Kemer2018 · 18/12/2018 19:39

Your boss is wrong.
The days I'm not working are called my non working days. Not days off.
I work mon to wed mornings then 6 hours on thur then no work on Friday.
I chose to work pt so why would i work over?
If i wanted to do that, I'd apply for full time jobs.

Purpleartichoke · 18/12/2018 19:39

I am part-time and generously compensated with a salary. I am far from a low level employee. Even with that, I rarely work on my days off. No more than any other employee who has to take the occasional late meeting or work overtime to meet a deadline.

I do try to be flexible with attending meetings if we can’t make something work during my regular hours. I won’t schedule regular recurring meetings outside of my official days/hours.

80sMum · 18/12/2018 19:43

Your employer is committing an offence if you don't have any paid holiday, OP. You should get 5.6 weeks off per year, I.e. 16.8 days as you work 3 days a week.

Whenisitover · 18/12/2018 19:44

@Parttimeprisoner - why don't you get holiday pay? Surely you should get prorata of 20 days plus 8 bank holidays? - they may not give you actual paid days off but surely you should receive a payment in lieu of holiday if not?

I work part time - but at a level where if I was full time, I'd be expected to work additional hours, therefore I work what I feel the pro-rated version of that is. However I think that is only expected when you are being paid a lot more than NMW
You put in extra hours where you are being rewarded for that extra effort in some form or other- with no sick pay or holiday pay - certainly doesn't sound like that applies to you OP!

megletthesecond · 18/12/2018 19:45

Nope. Your boss is a knob.

Piewife · 18/12/2018 19:52

Haha what an idiot your boss is! Why would you work on your days off when you're not being paid? There's no point being part time if you have to work from home on your days off as that's still full time work.

If my boss suggested this I'd ask him if he was joking then is he going to pay me for the work done from home then. I'm part time and do no work on my days off.

PeonyTruffle · 18/12/2018 19:53

I work 21 hours a week, absolutely not required to work on my days off. If I wanted to do that, I would get a full time job with a full time wage.

Tell your boss to poke it!

ProfYaffle · 18/12/2018 19:58

As an HR professional I can confirm that a part time person who works on their days off is known as "full time" and is remunerated accordingly Hmm

onlywanttosleep · 18/12/2018 19:58

Hell no. They can ring me if a real disaster is going on, or they really urgently need something I've "hidden" (generally put away in the correct place). I put my out of office on and don't look at emails. I'm flexible around which days I do and expect my employer to give me a bit of flexibility in return.
But, no question, your boss is well out of order. What's going on with the holiday?

ivykaty44 · 18/12/2018 20:07

Does he pay for his shopping 🛍 or does he expect that for free?

DuggeeHugs · 18/12/2018 20:07

I work part-time for what I consider to be good pay and family friendly policies. The work is hectic and demanding but O am not expected to work outside of my railway hours. I've discussed this with my line manager and he's happy for me to flex my time (within reason) if I need to leave early, etc., but is very clear that my workload should not exceed my contracted hours.

Your boss, on the other hand, is a wrong un and you are not obliged to do extra work for no pay.

caringcarer · 18/12/2018 20:07

Tell him no you are part time for a reason so you get days off to yourself.

DuggeeHugs · 18/12/2018 20:08

Railway hours? Normal hours!
I think Thomas the tank engine has infiltrated my autocorrect Xmas Sad

pantyclaws · 18/12/2018 20:09

In my industry someone contracted to work a 40 hour week might work 50+ hours if it's busy (unpaid and not TOILable), so if you work 20 hours you might be expected to do an extra 5 hours across the week, check for urgent emails etc.

But it doesn't sound like the work you're doing can't wait?

BettyOcean · 18/12/2018 20:13

If you work as a part time checkout operative in a supermarket, the manager does not grab you and tell you to get on till four if they see you in there doing your shopping on a non working day.

If you work in a cafe, the manager does not send random hungry fellas to your door with instructions to cook them a bacon butty on your non working days.

Why is it OK for bosses to expect people who work in office settings for very similar pay to work more hours than they are paid.

It stinks.

Gettingbackonmyfeet · 18/12/2018 20:13

Good Lord I work in an industry known for traditionally working you into the ground and even we consider this manager a giant arse

On occasion if there is something desperate ( and I do mean desperate ) we will ask a part time employee to help...politely ...and accept if they say no

I mean ironically full time employees regularly do 60 hour weeks rather that 40 but we do at least understand that's the deal with seniority to be fair

But part time...nope...your boss is an ass (and I'm known as the Rottweiler so trust me if I think he is an arse he really bloody is)

Original poster
Parttimeprisoner · 18/12/2018 20:16

I technically don’t have a contract hence the no holiday/sick pay. But I’m expected to be in work on set hours and have worked there for 2 years, it’s all v complicated (and illegal I think) but small company (no HR) it’s a ‘don’t like it well there’s the door’ sort of situation. Christmas is shit though as the office is closed for 2 weeks but I don’t get paid for it.
It’s hard to be direct with him, I’m glad I stood my ground on this though. I did tell him clients may not appreciate peppa pig and ‘muuuuuuuumy’ being screamed in the background of a call but it seems the child-less man is an expert on children and they can keep quiet for 10 mins if asked Grin

OP posts:
Pollaidh · 18/12/2018 20:18

Absolute bollocks, especially on the low salary you mention. He seems to be confusing 'working from home' on FT salary (yes, you work) with part-time work.

I work PT and occasionally have to mention to people that I didn't take a 40% pay cut for the fun of it. Generally people don't take the piss. I'm a highly qualified senior manager. Although at my level it's normal to do extra hours, and I do always work some extra, I try to limit that, ever since the year I did something stupid like 3 months unpaid overtime. I would NOT expect someone on a lower salary to work extra.

I generally switch off my work mobile when I'm not working, and don't answer emails, except:

  • If a business trip means working a non-working day (although I do 'bank' these and (sometimes) even get to use the banked time up)
  • If there's a crisis or similar which means I need to check something, give a quick yes/no response etc.

On the day I'm off with DS, I don't work at all. I have checked my emails a couple of times if there's a good reason, like an unfolding crisis, but otherwise no, I just enjoy my time off.

Your boss is a twit.