AIBU to take a job with less hours to keep my sanity

[PookieDo]

I am public sector in management in job A full time (37.5hrs) located 5 miles from my home and near to DC school.

I also work in Job B part time evenings and weekends from home 10 hours a week. I love this job and want to continue.

There has been a restructure and job A is now half the hours, so I have been offered to relocate in job C which is 60 mile round trip. Relocation expenses at 23p per mile (not for all 60) but I think this will affect universal credit/tax etc - payroll can’t seem to tell me if this is the case.

Commute to job C is really horrible and I feel very stressed sitting in traffic for a couple of hours a day. Every road there has long term roadworks for the foreseeable future which doesn’t help.

There is no hope of more hours in job A due to big restructure. I can’t do job C from job A location

I could combine jobs A and B into my new working hours but would be 10 hours short and I think this also breaks rules of universal credit as I will no longer be ‘full time’ as on under 30 hours with School age DC and be sanctioned

Job B have expressed interest in giving me more hours but nothing is solid and I am being pushed to commit to a moving date into job C (currently I am spread across all 3 jobs and job A does not have a replacement!)

Sorry if this is confusing
Doing 3 jobs is killing me

I don’t know whether to take a risk on jobs A and B, avoid commuting and hope that job B evolves. I am already very committed to these jobs.

Or commit to job C as it’s full time employment but I think it’s likely I would just look for a new job and it would make job B really difficult to continue with

Any advice?

That was a bit confusing - sorry! Is there any way you could do more hours at something else to make up the 30 hours? (Do jobs A and B but not C as that would make your life a misery by the sound of it.)

You don't seem to like the idea of job C, so take that off the table.
Can you have a chat with job B and explain you'll either have to up your hours or find something else?

Do you need to actually work full time hours or do you need to earn the equivalent of full time on minimum wage? I thought it was the latter, though of course if both your jobs are minimum wage it makes no difference.

Have you gone through all the channels / discussions that you can at work to determine whether job C is really a suitable alternative to you from your current job. Are there any other jobs in the proposed restructure that would be?

Its potential unreasonable of them to expect a decision about job c whilst expecting you to do job A as well. Can you propose anything that is more suitable for you?

If it's anything like the management restructures that I've been involved in they will be desperate to get things sorted. The key is whether there is an arrangement that does actual suit you.

How old are your children? If under 13 you only need to work 25 hours at minimum wage on uc. Plus it goes on income, so if you’re earning more than minimum wage you can work fewer hours.

DC are currently doing CGSE’s so the upheaval of new job is affecting them because it also changes their day with extra travel (we live 5 miles from school and I take them in but they go home themselves). I am not min wage but it’s not great money TBH. But I am working 47 hours a week so changing my hours will be a huge drop

Job A I am still supporting due to sickness in the team and they are really struggling - and they all have spoken up it will be even worse without me. It’s not a personal investment for me it’s more that I have made such good networks and connections here and really made such good progress, so to lose it all will be hard

Job C I felt I had no other options but the reality of the commute was far worse than I expected to be honest. On paper it doesn’t look too far - in reality it’s either going round M25 at rush hour twice a day or crippled by road works back roads.

If it’s more than minimum wage you’ll be fine. You can’t be asked to work more than 35 hours anyway, I don’t think?

Continue with job A and job B in the short term. Job C doesn't sound sustainable so bin that straight away.

Something new generally pitches up when you create space in your life. Relax and see what happens. You might be surprised!

I am sorry this was so confusing!

I am feeling so overwhelmed by Work right now I feel on the edge of not coping. The travel and internal politics continue to be shit

My lovely part time job that I do evenings and weekends looks more likely to increase on hours - my manager has today put in a request for me to do 20 hours per week
This pays the same money as working full time in either of my other jobs but on 20 hours I will get sanctioned by UC so would still need to look for work. It is this that is even more stressful to me. I still need 2 fucking jobs!

How much more money would you need to earn? Could you pick up a few hours doing a stress free job (bar work, stacking shelves, etc.)?

Accept the 20 hours and keep looking. Something will turn up.