Should I do this overtime for an extra £100?

[snowygreyness]

I reduced my hours in 2018 from a 5 to a 4 day week.

This was partly due to my health conditions - both mental and physical. I have ME and spend most of my Friday sleeping - probably from 10-2 which fits with school runs. It helps me keep on top of my fatigue and keep on track with life really.

Someone in my dept (there's only 2 of us office based) is off. My Boss has asked do I fancy some overtime - to work the next 2 Fridays.

It will earn me approx £100. I lost £200 a month when I decreased my hours but we could afford this as a family.

If I say yes it means disappointing my son. He loves our Friday morning walks to school and that I pick him up. It's the only day we get to do that and there is no rush to get to/from school on that day. It also means rearranging plans with my Mum on Friday (Taking her to ikea). But it means an extra £100 in my wage.

If I say no, I worry it will be seen as a mark against me. I don't work in the kind of place that offers overtime so this is a real rare situation.

So WWYD?

YANBU - Say no. Money isn't everything and you have plans.
YABU - Take the extra cash.

I would do it it's only for 2 weeks, explain that if it's too much after the first one you won't do the second?

£100 before or after tax, NI, pension?

So less thank £50 a day after tax NI etc?

I wouldn't bother if you don't need the money.

It’s two days, your son will survive as will your mother. I’m quite concerned about posts on here; can ppl not make simple decisions?

Take the overtime. Like you said, it’s not like it’s always offered up.

It depends on what £100 means to you. If it's just £100, with no specific need for it, then no, I wouldn't do it. If I needed the money for something specific, whether it be a necessity or a treat I couldn't afford otherwise, I would weigh up the potential impact on my health with the benefits of having the money.

Take the overtime. Missing a couple walks to school is not going to scar your child and I'm sure your mum will understand. This seems like a non issue

Are you on any benefits? Dont they reduce if your earn more?

Depends how important your job is to you in one sense. Its only two friday so i dont think it will affect your son so much. However sometimes "taking one for the team" is worth it and builds relationship trust etc with your boss. However if it's at the expense of your health then only you can answer that one.

You could offer to do the Fridays but only if you can start later on the grounds you don't have the childcare in the morning?

Do the overtime and use the cash to treat your son.
It'll look good to your employer and you can have some nice family time.

Your mom can wait two weeks.

I'd do it. Your DS will understand if you tell him that the extra money will help pay for x trip or x activity or x takeaway.

Your DM will understand too.
If it turns out to be too much for you health wise, you'll know to decline if it's offered in the future. If you decline it this time, it's unlikely to be offered again.

No. I don't think you should do it.

Having Fridays off is how you manage your ME. It'll have probably taken you years to get to this point and you don't know the cumulative impact it'll have if you miss 2 weeks of catching up on your sleep/resting.

It's £200. You decided to reduce your income by this amount when you reduced your hours to cope with your illness. So it's just another month without it.

It isn't allowed to be an extra mark against you by your employers, if you can't do it or decide not to do it for health reasons. People with ME are classed as disabled and you are protected by the Equality Act.

Why can't you take your DS for a walk at the weekend .

Personally I would do it, in my experience being a team player and flexible in your working environment is a good thing, they may be times when you need time off or an early finish and by showing you are flexible (hopefully) your employers will treat you well.

Actually, rereading the OP, it's £100, not £200. So I definitely would not risk my heath for that.

If you don’t need it, don’t do it. I have the opportunity to do extra shifts most weeks but I value having more time with my DC, unless we have any extra expenses that month.

I would say no on health grounds. If you do it and it makes you ill you will end up having to take time off sick so work will still be having to cover someone.

I wouldn't do it. It took me years to find the right balance to manage my energy level with ME, and even just missing two weeks of your normal Friday rests could have an impact on your health.

I'm an ME sufferer & I wouldn't do the overtime, you have found something that enables you to do "normal" for the rest of your working week. It may only be two fridays, but that could affect your ability to do your version of "normal" for many weeks afterwards. If your boss puts pressure on you, would she allow you to do Tuesday - Friday for those weeks?

I would do it. You won't be forgoing that walk to school forever, just two instances of it.

I'd say to my mum I'm really sorry but work have called me in, can we rearrange?

BUT, if Bonnes' post is a correct observation of your situation, then you probably shouldn't.

But it won't be £100 for 2 days? Unless you've taken tax, Ni,and pension deductions into account.
And if it's an 8 hour day, that's £6.25/hour. Way less than minimum wage.

It’s a 4 hour day, read the OP

How much is £100 worth to you - how much difference would that make? Only you can answer that

We would use the money for a once in a lifetime holiday upgrade if I did it.

The reason the OT is available is the other person that's office based with me is ill and off. So I can't ask to do Tues-Fri instead. it's to cover her (and I) not being here.

I reduced from 5 to 4 days a week @redcherryred. This would mean 2 x 5 day weeks in a row.

When I used to do 5 days a week, then dropped to 4, it meant a salary drop of £200. So for 2 days work it would mean I would get approx £100 take home.

We don't need the money but it would be great to be able to do the upgrade we wanted without it "costing" anything per se.