To think that if you want employers to start work at a certain time, they should get paid for it?

[Refreshretry]

My work had recently implemented a new automated clock in system whereby we are paid to the minute. Previously we would have been paid from our start time of 9 but usually we were there a few minutes early to set up, etc. All fine. Start times would be adjusted and rounded up/down to the to reflect this.

The new system says we now have to clock In exactly at 9 and if we are in early we won't get paid for it. Aibu to think if you want people to come in early and start working straight away they should be paid for it? Essentially it's meant that people are either coming in later and not setting up in advance as they are not being paid for it or are losing a couple hours over the course of the week as the extra minutes are now not there. It's causing some tension now as work as people are not happy being essentially asked to work chunks of time for free.

Unless I've misread, it sounds like they want people to work 9-whenever and are paying those hours.

I can't see how getting in a "few minutes" early each day is losing hours each week. It sounds like they don't want people getting in half an hour early, having a a cuppa and a slow set up before the working day and then using that to clock off early.

People aren't being told to work chunks of time for free. They have been told they will be paid from a certain time and not before. If they work before that time then more fool them.

How are you being asked to work for free?

Im missing the bit where your employer is asking people to start prior to 9am and work for free?

If your start time is 9am then start at 9am, problem resolved!

Do you mean that previously people started early or late and adjusted their work time accordingly, so had a bit more flexibility in the working day and now people arent happy that they are having to start and end on time?

If you can't clock in til 9am, then you can't set up til after you've clocked in... Perfect 👌

Start times would be adjusted and rounded up/down to the to reflect this.

Are you saying that if Bob for example got in at 8.50 he would leave 10 minutes early because he arrived 10 minutes before 9 and now he's being made to stay until 5 instead of 4.50? Surely everyone arrives before their designated start time otherwise how would they be ready to start work at 9?

Are they asking you to be set up and ready by 9?

Or you could set up, faff around making coffee and then clock in when you’re ready to actually start work?? Disclaimer: unsure how much setting up is necessary or what you actually do.

Every place I have worked you are expected to be at your desk and ready to work at your start time, logged in.

How long does the setting up take?

I used to be paid from 9 (shop work) but had to be in by 8:45 to set up the tills and open up.

I wouldn’t agree to that now.

We also had to cash up after closing at 5. But only paid until 5. Half an hour for free everyday. Btw when people try and close the shop 5-10 mins early, hurry on out. It’s probably because they don’t get paid after 5.

Just turn up at 9 and not a minute earlier.

thecatinthetwat when I worked in retail, many years ago, a manager would come in early (it would be part of their shift that day, so paid) to set everything up, the rest of us still had to be in before the shop opened so that the doors could open promptly on time, but that could just be 5 minutes before which I think would be the norm anywhere - 5 minutes to put your coat and bag away and have a wee.

Why should people “hurry on out” of a shop because of the pay structure the shop worker has agreed to? It doesn’t sound particularly fair, but it’s hardly the customer’s problem.

quite - that just sounds like a badly managed shop. We cashed up the previous day's takings during the day, staff took it in turns to cash up, and 2 hours were given over to it!

HeadintheiClouds no its not the customers problem. But in my newly invented scale of unfairness, being asked to have your shopping bought, and clearing the shop 10 minutes before closing scores much lower than the shop worker, already on crap wages, being expected to a) do 15 minutes free in the morning, and b) 15 minutes free in the evening. The misery of having a penny pinching Dickensian boss is only compounded by arses like you who feel that you're the injured party by being asked to give those poor sods some breathing space.

Sorry for being an arse. I think the management are the true arses, though. It shouldn’t really be resolved by shoving customers through the door 10 minutes before the advertised closing time because the management is shit.

Welcome to a normal workplace. You're talking about a few minutes. I strongly suspect that they have implemented a harder line because they identified some piss takers. However, it's perfectly normal to expect people to be prepared to work at their start time which, in reality, usually means arriving a touch early.

This has been the case in every office I have worked.

It shouldn’t really be resolved by shoving customers through the door 10 minutes before the advertised closing time because the management is shit.

When you’re young or in badly paid jobs, you often get exploited and either don’t have much choice or don’t know it’s not on.

They don’t teach you your employment rights at school do they (they should)?

In every place I have worked you have been expected to be ready to start at your start time, and pack up at your leave time, so if starting at 9 I get there for 8.45 to get a drink, log on and be ready to go at 9. I finish at 5 pm, log off pack up the desk and away by say 5.10. I don’t see any issue with this and it stops the pissing taking that goes on if it’s not as structured.

It’s also a bit about give and take, you give them a bit of time in setting up and packing away and they are less bothered about dentist or doctors appointments etc and will be more inclined to help in an emergency that those that work strictly to rule, harsh maybe but it’s what happens

Google Holland and Barrett tribunal case. An employee took H & B to tribunal for this and won!

Yes, thecat, they probably should.

You shpuld be ready to start work at 9am not arrive at work at 9am.

I would think it takes at least 10mins to get all set up for the day so arriving betwen 8:45 and 8:50, and start actual work at 9am

Getting ready to work is work and you should be paid for it. Employers should not be expecting people to be logged on by their start time. Getting a drink is not work but looking on and getting ready for your day is.

Getting ready to work is work and you should be paid for it. Employers should not be expecting people to be logged on by their start time.

Its not work though is it? If your spending 10 minutes setting up your computer etc then for those 10 minutes your not actually doing anything.

If we’re ‘only talking about a few minutes’ and it’s ‘expected’ you’ll be there early then employers should pay employees for this. If you’re paid to be there from 9 then you shouldn’t have to be there earlier than 9. If it takes 10 minutes to log on to a computer then the company needs to find a way to speed up that process.

We spend too much time in this country bending over backwards to line the pockets of large corporations who insist on things they have no legal right to insist on.