To not work extra

[DeathMetalMum]

Hypothetical but I'm expecting to be asked. Work 2.5 days a week, small business only 5 in my 'department'. We have had members of staff on holiday for the last three weeks. Boss asked in advance regarding cover for this period and I was able to do what was asked. Fine. Last week boss asked my availability for cover the following day said I wasn't able to do so. Again fine. Now this week we are due to be back to normal however one of my colleagues has suffered a bereavement in the family, therefore is requiring additional time off - which they are entitled to and should definitely take, I wouldnt expect them to be coming into work during the circumstances. Issue comes with covering the additional time off again this is looked at primarily me to cover. I feel completely swamped, dp and I have made some plans for the day I'm being asked to cover. Wibu just to say no? I've been working closer to 4.5 days a week for the past three weeks (also bearing in mind the job started as a 16 hour a week position) - and I am doing a course - through work but pretty much in my own time I have been putting the time in during my evenings mainly.

Yanbu. If they are happy to ask, you should be happy to say no.
I do ask staff to swap hours and be flexible. They say no if they can't and they also request and are given flexibility too.

YWNBU to say no. You've already been more than flexible and done lots of overtime.

If you've already made plans for that day, you can perfectly honestly apologise, say you have a prior engagement and decline.

Are you being paid for the extra hours?

You’re at liberty to say no, but this is the sort of thing that can have long term consequences. You’ll inadvertently be tagged with the “not a team player” brush whether it’s true or not and you’ll drop down the unofficial pecking order.

Small businesses are tough places to work at especially if it’s owner managed. The owner often puts in 110%, puts the business before family life and expects the same from everyone else even if it’s unreasonable.

They’re great places to work if you can match the boss’s work ethic but not great if you can’t

I would say no. You have more than stepped up recently and it sounds like it would impact on other areas of your life.

They haven’t even asked yet.

But feel free to say no - for whatever reason.

For a bereavement, I would try to cover if at all possible. Could you ask for other time off in lieu, rather than extra pay?

Depends if they're paying you and you want the extra money. Many businesses (not just small ones) are known for piss taking and you don't want 2.5 days to morph into 3 or 4 days but no extra pay, and complaints if you try to do 2.5 days.

Obviously you're free to say no but I would feel very bad if that meant the bereaved individual is able to take less leave.

Not trying to help out in that sort of, fairly unusual, situation would make me think you're not really a team player.

Theyve asked before you said yes. No problem
Theyve asked another time you said no. No problem

Whys it an issue now??

And of course the part timer is first to be asked as presumably the full timers will be working anyway