To turn down a job after accepting because they lied re. hours

[MrsH99]

This is my first post although I have been a long-time lurker. I wasn't sure whether to post this here or on the 'Jobs' section.

Anyways, I have been looking for part-time work for a little while now and recently applied to a well-known budget shop that sell mostly frozen food (hint: It's not Iceland). It was advertised as part-time, three days over seven. At the interview I was told it would be 20 hours a week over four days and was even given the days and times of work. I thought great, that's exactly what I'm looking for, the hours was the biggest appeal to me of the job. I'm not really fussed what I'm doing work-wise or where it is, it's the hours that is most important to me.

I was offered the job and accepted. Went in on Wednesday to hand in some documents and asked again about hours so I was clear in my head what days and times it was going to be, was told again the same hours as at the interview.

Then on Friday, the manager casually mentioned in a conversation while I was in doing my training would I be okay doing a 7:30 to 7:30. It soon transpired they want me to do 12-hour shifts on a fairly regular basis i.e. at least a few weeks in the month from the sounds of it. Also, I have now just seen the rota for the next three weeks and every week I am working at least 30 hours, not the 20 it was advertised.

I'm totally gutted and feel really tricked that they weren't upfront about this at the interview. I do remember something being said at the interview about being "fully flexible" but I thought this meant with regard to the days and times worked and was fine with it - I didn't take it to mean that they could put me down to work any number of hours in a week. I can be fairly flexible with regards to days and the hours worked in that day, I just can't manage to work anywhere near full-time hours right now.

If it was up to me alone, I would tell them now that I do not want the job as it is not as advertised but my husband and SIL are putting pressure on me to accept it even though it won't work for us! I feel totally trapped into accepting this job because if I don't it is going to cause a huge argument with DH .

I suppose this post is a bit of a rant as I don't have anyone else to get opinions from - I don't have any friends as I don't enjoy socialising and I don't really have any family to speak to either.

AIBU in feeling so disappointed and angry that they blatantly lied about the hours? Are these sort of shady antics commonplace now in low-paid jobs (from my experience job-hunting recently, it seems they are or maybe I'm just unlucky).

So as not to dripfeed, the reason I want to work part-time is not to do with childcare or benefits. It's because I suffer what I suppose you could term 'gynaecological issues' and suffer with chronic migraines and I find it more manageable to work part-time especially when I have a lot of doctors and hospital appointments and am having a particularly bad time re. pain. DH acts supportive in the sense of running me around to appointments and taking time off when I've had surgeries (I've had four in the past five years) but I often get the feeling that below the surface he doesn't really quite 'get' how bloody difficult it is to do 'normal' things or just carry on when I'm in pain on a weekly basis or so dizzy from migraines I can barely stand up.

Any opinions welcome as I really don't have anyone else to speak to about this.

I work for this company and this kind of thing ALWAYS happens unfortunately. If your going to accept the job, this is just the beginning!

Sod that. What a waste of everyone’s time. YANBU OP. I find in retail these days they want you to be able to work at the drop of a hat. They rarely take commitments in to consideration.

I haven't actually started the job yet, I'm meant to officially start on Monday coming although I was in on Friday doing 'training' and that was when the mention of the 12-hour shifts came up. The rota was posted on their online portal yesterday which was the first indication I had that I wasn't going to be getting the 20 hours but a hell of a lot more. So it's just been assumed that I will do all these hours even though they must know this isn't what they told me at the outset (at least three times!). I haven't been in touch with them since I seen the rota as I'm not sure what to do. I basically feel that I have to take the job and start on Monday because I know if I don't DH is going to cause an argument about it. Since yesterday I have been applying like mad to other jobs so that hopefully I will get something else soon and I will only be there for a matter of weeks (probably wishful thinking).

I got the contract yesterday although I haven't signed it yet. Here is exactly what it says re. hours:

Your normal working hours are variable. Your working week will be organised according to a rota, which
is published on your Employee Portal on a weekly basis. You are responsible for keeping track of your scheduled shifts and any amendments made to the rota where necessary. In this regard, you are expected to show reasonable flexibility.

That's all it says re. hours - just that one paragraph which makes me wonder if it's a zero-hours contract because they're not actually guaranteeing me any hours at all are they. Holiday pay however is taken as an average over so many preceding weeks.

When the manager casually dropped the 12-hour shifts into the conversation, I told her I wouldn't want to do 12-hour shifts on a regular basis or even really at all to be honest and that I had thought the hours were going to be as I was told twice previously. Her response was that the person who had the job before me didn't have a problem with it and that basically the company expects you to be fully flexible (in other words, a slave at their beck and call).

I get the impression that all companies are like this now and it is so depressing. Is it actually possible to find a job that isn't a zero hours contract and where you can actually have some semblance of a work/life balance.

@Hahaha88 I actually do get the impression DH thinks I'm a freeloader even though he's actually been around to witness all the health stuff I've had going on. His whole family has this attitude of work is the important thing in life, work comes first etc.

@TeaAddict235 Thank you. Silent pain in the arse is a great way of describing it!

@IWentAwayIStayedAway No don't live with SIL. I actually do like her and we get on but she sometimes has the same sort of attitude as DH when it comes to work. She had texted me to ask how I'd got on at my training and I (stupidly) mentioned in my reply that I was a bit disappointed that they had lied about the hours and the 12-hour shifts and her response pretty much went along the lines of 'grin and bare it'.

Hello

I think you need to check your offer letter and contract as to what you're recruited to do. Speak to your manager as soon as possible. If they refuse to stick to what was discussed (and hopefully is in writing) just leave. You'll soon find something else. I'd try working for the NHS if you need part time hours - I did it myself and it is a very flexible employer. Given your health issues, it's not worth a lot of stress for a part time job. Good luck to you I hope it's sorted soon

I’ve just accepted a job which was advertised at 6 hours total.
That’s probably just a Sunday shift then I thought, and I didn’t mind, it’s good to find a job that fits around school runs for me. i’ll find another job alongside this to crank up the hours too.

I’ve just started and it’s actually 6 hours minimum, the rotas are showing I’ll be working 12 hours a week one week, 6 another, and various daytimes and weekends.

Having read the company employee reviews, they all say you’ll be offered this minimum hours contract then expected to work extra.

It’s not at overtime rate either.

@Cakelover1 That makes me really nervous lol and really want to not go on Monday. Do you work for Farmfoods?

So what @Weymo is saying sounds like the situation you are (possibly) about to put yourself in. I'd say no and tell your DH you will find something else but there is no way you can do those hours, imagine trying to get time off for your appointments - that'll be like mission impossible!

@Kanelbullar I'd actually love to work for the NHS, I find anything medical related kind of fascinating.

@Weymo it's shit isn't it? It just feels like employers, particularly those in the retail sector, have this idea that they can treat you how they like because at the end of the day someone else will always be happy to accept the job on their exploitative terms.

Of course you can decline the job. You don't owe them anything and they are asking you to do different hours.

However it is unreasonable if you cannot afford to live on dh wage. Why does dh want you to take it? If you need the money take the job and ask to stick to 20 hours or take it while you look for something else

AIBU in feeling so disappointed and angry that they blatantly lied about the hours?
No!
Are these sort of shady antics commonplace now in low-paid jobs
Yes.
It doesn't sound as if your health is going to stand up to the sort of shifts they're expecting.
However, even if you were in perfect health, they have shown themselves to be sly and dishonest before you've even started.
Stick to your guns, OP, and don't feel guilted or intimidated into going along with this.

Yes I did until recently lol. They don’t do zero hour contracts as such but the contracts are minimum, they expect you to cover sickness/holidays. I wouldn’t agree to any shifts that don’t suit you because once you’ve done it once they expect it of you.

@LL83 We can afford to live off just DH's regular wage but it is tight and isn't really much fun because there's never any extra. I think this is why DH wants me to take it and I actually do get that from his point of view, I do feel guilty that he's the only one regularly working. I had been doing temping jobs through an agency which worked quite well for a while but the jobs are drying up because I don't drive so if they have a job that is a bit out of the way I can't accept it.

Tell them you accepted the job based on the hours you were told and having seen your shifts on the rota, it won't work for you.

I worked for a company like this. I was 15 hours contracted but from the day I started I was expected to be "flexable" & doing up to 35 hours per week at very short notice. I would get a call at 7.30am on my day off and be expected to cover for other staff and in work for 9 (I would be given a frosty reception if I could not do this). It was a minimum wage job and I was miserable.
Dont take it OP. Tell your pushy DH & SIL they've withdrawn the job offer due to a staff member returning and look for something decent.

I hate these kind of companies. They totally take advantage of ppl who need jobs...by reeling you in, then moving the goal posts.

Whats your DH like re. doing his share around the home. Would he be doing more if you did this job.

@HelenaDove When I have done temping jobs or worked a lot of hours in the past he will do things like food shopping and washing machine, hoovering, dishes etc. but only if I ask him/remind him to. Jobs like cleaning the bathroom, the kitchen, dusting and all of that always fall to me no matter if I'm working or not.

Turn it down if it wont work for you OP. I'd suggest at least querying why the hours are different first but chances are this is an indication of things to come.

I recently got offered a job in currys that was supposed to be a fairly standard part time sales floor thing. The whole interview I got a weird vibe that the manager felt like she was doing me a favour and didnt believe what was on my CV (ie, she grilled me on my dissertation topic which was a piece of brand new original research then made a weird comment along the lines of "I'm sure theres lots of books about it" when I explained why it got such a high mark).

They also didnt just ask if I had my NI documents with me but if I even had them in the post yet. Despite the qualifications and prior experience on my CV proving I'm certainly not a teenager fresh out of school.

After all that I got offered minimum wage 8 hours a week, spread across two short evening shifts, manning the till.

I felt so guilty and generally upset that I just couldn't bring myself to take the job (two degrees, management experience but nobody else has offered me an interview yet). But at the end of the day, my DP can afford to support us both, and you say your DH can afford to support you. If this is going to cause you problems then why put yourself through it?

Oh another bloke who wants a 1950s wife when it comes to housework But then wants a 2019 wife when it comes to work and finances. Quelle surprise.

Do you have DC. If you dont it is VERY likely that you will be expected to do the shitty shifts.

Supermarkets are bastards for this op. Even higher end ones like Sainsbury's, they change your rota without notice and stiff you with Saturday night shifts and even change location of store.

It’s fuck all to do with anyone (dh included), you’re the one doing the hours, it’s your decision.
Go in and say this is not what I agreed and isn’t do these hours, stand your ground and if it doesn’t either then it’s no loss as you’ve said the hours won’t suit you anyway.

This sounds like disability discrimination - can you call ACAS? They provide free advice in this kind of situation. You have a long-term health condition that impacts on your ability to function day-to-day - that's a disability and you are protected under discrimination law.

Oh, and this is nothing to do with your SIL, she needs to wind her neck in.

Don't sign the contract. Go and speak to the manager or HR person and explain your situation. Ask if the contract can be amended to suit you. Negotiate the terms. If they won't change it then it's not going to work.

Unfortunately this happens when somewhere opens 7 days a week. When I worked at a big box retailer the "full timers" normally did 9-5 weekdays and a Saturday and us students did the 4-8 shift and Sundays as it suited us. As soon as the students took holiday the full timers got roped into doing the crap shifts to cover and had to lump it despite it being a childcare nightmare.

Something part time in a school or at the council is a good job round here but massively competitive.

"This sounds like disability discrimination - can you call ACAS? They provide free advice in this kind of situation. You have a long-term health condition that impacts on your ability to function day-to-day - that's a disability and you are protected under discrimination law."

Has the OP said that she declared her health conditions as disabilities? Migraines are awful, but they are an occasional problem for many people and a disability for a much smaller proportion of people. Her employer won't necessarily be aware of the severity.