To think she should do the overtime

[Redrupunzle]

So I started a new job last month, it's low paid (8.50) and is temporary, to cover maternity leave. Tbh I'm way over qualified but I've been out of the work place for nearly 4 years after having my eldest and now my youngest is 1 I'm wanting some part time work in this field just to dip my toe back in and freshen my cv a bit. I've no intention of working more then two days until my youngest starts school and I've definitely no intention of working weekends ever again. I've done jobs since I was 14 and worked all hours and now I want to put my family and my life first, I'm also starting a course in September to freshen up some skills. Anyway that's the background. So the job is 2 days per week and I made it clear that that's all I could do, hr we're still delighted to have me on board. My manager has now come and said the woman on the reception desk has two weeks holiday coming up and I need to help cover. I said I don't really have childcare but I'll ask and try and do an extra weekday on each of the weeks. Shes not happy and said she needs me to do the Saturday. I said "I'm sorry I can't I spend the weekends with my kids", She then said "I understand that but if you don't cover it I'll have to and my kids are in nursery 8-6 5 days a week and I really need my weekends with them". I replied that I was sorry I couldn't help. Shes not happy and I get that but imo I'm not paid well enough to want to do a Saturday, her salary is at least 22k (I know as my previous job was her job in another company) and it's her responsibility, that's what happens in her position. My friend disagrees and says as "someone lower" I should be picking up the slack. I feel I made my position very clear right at the beginning.

Of course it’s not her responsibility! But if she mentions she sees her kids on the weekend then the manager is going to say the same back?!

Are you 100% sure that no mention of occasional weekend cover might be required at interview or in your contract?
If you join an organisation that is open at weekends I would have thought some flexibility would be required & that it would have been discussed before.
I work in retail so it is perfectly obvious that people have to be available to work early/late/weekends etc but we still get people applying & saying they can’t possibly work weekends. .

I hope you don't spend your weekend going to shops, cafes, soft play , cinema ect
As all those workers will be on crap pay with no option to work weekends 🙄

You are definitely not a team player

I hope you don't spend your weekend going to shops, cafes, soft play , cinema ect
As all those workers will be on crap pay with no option to work weekends 🙄

And all those workers will have known that when taking the job. The OP signed up for a two days a week role that didn’t involve weekends. The fact that other people DO work weekends is no more relevant than the fact that some people work on building sites or in warehouses - the OP didn’t sign on for that either.

OP - it really depends if you want anything more from the job beyond maternity cover. You say you’re over-qualified, but you also acknowledge that you had to take a lesser job to get back into work after time out; plus you’re happy doing shorter hours. If the woman you’re covering for decided not to come back, or wanted to come back part-time, would you be interested in staying on? If so, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to get in your manager’s good books.

If it’s purely a stopgap and you’re happy to walk away at the end of the maternity cover, you don’t need to do anything beyond the terms of your contract. As PPs have said, the chances of a reference these days going beyond ‘Person X worked in role Y between these dates’ are virtually zero.

Of course it's irrelevant.

Even if it weren't, people who work set weekend days are equally entitled to expect not to be emotionally blackmailed into covering on their days off when they've been clear they aren't available. When I worked part time and weekends in hospitality, I'd have been deeply unimpressed to be told I should work for no extra enhancement on my Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays that I'd arranged not to do, because someone else's private life mattered more than mine.

And I was paid nothing like the equivalent of 22k then either. Neither are most people who now work weekends in retail, soft play etc. For all the talk about it being a low wage, while it isn't riches, it's about five or six grand a year more pro rata than OP. That's a big difference when you're only on maybe 16k equivalent!

Aside from the overtime issue you sound very arrogant. I agree you should do one of the Saturdays as a one off. I also work part time and my company CAN'T change my shifts but I am WILLING for it to happen when it suits me as I never know when I might need some come and go in the future.

In offering to work an extra weekday, the OP has already shown willing.

In offering to work an extra weekday, the OP has already shown willing

Now the company know that they get her to work 3 days instead of 2.

I think it is a test to see if op can actually work more.

Once op has done it once then she can be called upon in the future to pick up the slack.

Remember No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Don’t do it and don’t apologise for not doing it either! She’s making our like her family life is more important than yours! It’s her job to arrange cover, threats why she’s getting paid the bigger money! Also why didn’t she have it covered before now 🤷🏻‍♀️

Bless you. I wont work saturdays. What relm are you in👀

Don't worry. Keep that team spirit up and you will be soon able to spend 7 days a week with your children because they'll see you as not worth keeping. Sometimes, small gestures mean you end up staying forever, get good advantages and fit in well. Rock the boat and it tips over easily.

Let’s hope you don’t need to rely on anyone to cover you in order to get annual leave, offers might be a bit thin on the ground

Sometimes, small gestures mean you end up staying forever, get good advantages and fit in well

From the OP it appears she really doesn’t intend to stay beyond the temp contract she’s on anyway.

I might have considered it if she hadn't been so funny about not seeing her kids all week, that's her choice

I read this as she would have considered doing it if the manager hadn't tried to emotionally manipulate her. Which is fair enough really.

Much like OP I am in a job which technically I suppose I’m over qualified for but the hours suit. I do 3 days a week. When I got the job I was asked if I would consider doing a 4th day as they now had the budget for it and I declined politely. Over the last 5 years I have been asked several times when other staff have left or changed hours, but have always said no as my personal balance is 4 days home/3days work is perfect.
However, unlike OP, when we have had staff sickness/leave, I have offered what help I can give. Sometime it has been a full day, other times I have offered to come in for a few hours during the middle of the day. I have also said no when it didn’t suit me. In return, unlike another colleague who has been very rigid about sticking to her hours, my boss has always been very willing to take my requests into account for specific days off. (We work on a rota system, so if I know I have eg a parents’ evening I will ask not to be working that evening)

You are both in crap money - of course you don’t have to but to share the load would be a nice gesture.

I'm with gingersausage on this.

Once you start agreeing to things outside of your contracted hours then who knows where it'll end.

Being flexible is one thing but it can lead to always being expected to cover and all sorts of liberty taking.

As a manager it's her responsibility to have sorted cover in enough time and as a manager that is part and parcel of her job to cover if no one else can. It isn't for you to pick up the slack.

You've already agreed to do a weekday so you already have agreed to at least some flexibility that you can do without it putting you out too much.

I'm actually wondering if this is some kind of test as well why they've asked you and that they've tried to talk you in to doing it or it's the assumption that as you're the newbie you'll do anything to please.

No way would I do it. You work two days a week, were very clear about your hours and you are not available. Stick to that, or she will take the piss. How much time she has with her children isn’t your problem.

What’s with the when the OP says she doesn’t work Saturdays? Employees who hired on a specific availability don’t work the days they are not available. It’s pretty normal.

YNBU

If a less senior employee is expected to share the manager's load, why does this not work both ways? Why does OP not get to share the enhanced pay rate?

Good luck when you need some flexibility or a favour, OP.

Being a team player means that other people on the team then support you. It's not a one way thing.
It's too late now, but I'd at least have tried to compromise and do one day. I'm only too aware of the times that my managers and members of my team have gone out of their way to help me in a crisis.

I'm only too aware of the times that my managers and members of my team have gone out of their way to help me in a crisis

It’s not a crisis though. It’s annual leave which, as a manager, she should expect and deal with properly.

I'm actually astonished to see that a vast majority of posters think it's entirely right to dig your heels in here. We're virtually all mothers, and there must have been any number of times when we've needed that extra favour or bit of flexibility from our employers or colleagues when family shit hits the fan.

I'm only too aware of the times that my managers and members of my team have gone out of their way to help me in a crisis

It’s not a crisis though. It’s annual leave which, as a manager, she should expect and deal with properly.

Yes, but when the OP needs flexibility, it might well be in a crisis.