Warning for looking after my child

[WaxMeltAddict]

I've tried looking online to see my rights. Basically I started a new job in May and my youngest DD's childminder has been brilliant with working around my hours to look after DD so I can work.
I'm a single mum and Wednesdays are a hit difficult and I can't start until 12 (usually start at 10.30am)
My manager is lovely and understanding but I have been threatened by the big manager about a warning due to this.
Can they give a warning because I have find childcare for 2 hours sometimes?
I'm a hard worker, I'm always on time otherwise. I just want to know where I stand

Your title is odd OP, you didn't get a warning for looking after your child, you got a warning for not turning up at 10:30.

Did you apply for the job to start from September and they asked if you could start straight away? Also presumably you have been keeping your manager in the loop?

You just need to apologise for not being able to cover the shifts this term but as of September you will be available more.

Posted too soon.

Just take the warning, explain again its only until september and get through the next couple of weeks then in September when you're sorted there's no worry.

Lots of nasty folk on here! I hope you find a better solution for Wednesdays.

If it is a zero hours contract and you have had warnings for being late, then you must have accepted shifts that you could not do as you didn’t have childcare in place. You need to turn the Wednesday shifts down if this is a problematic childcare day and then you won’t get warnings.

If your manager is understanding then hopefully they will accept that you need to turn Wednesday hours down for the time being until childcare is sorted in September. However accepting the shifts then not turning up is likely, and quite reasonably, going to lead to you not having any shifts going forward. It is totally unacceptable to turn up 1.5 hours late to a lunchtime service role, it means other people have had to pick up your share of the prep.

If you had started working for me in May and done that twice already, well there wouldn’t be an opportunity for a third time.

A more accurate title would be "Warning for not fulfilling the terms of my contract"

OP you aren't being a bit late - 1.5 hours is a big chunk at what must be a busy time. You need to sort child care for the next couple of weeks so it doesn't happen again.

If you're coming across at work, the way you are here - oblivious to the hassle being late is causing, and feeling seriously aggrieved that it's not okay, then I expect they'll be worried about your attitude. You've only just started and you don't seem to get that you need to prove you are reliable - at the moment, you aren't reliable.

Agree you can't win here - if you don't work you're a fickle single mother sponging off the state on benefits, and if you do work you are fickle and irresponsible about childcare.

It's so true. Makes me sad that people are being so harsh on the OP. The way the OP was worded probably wasn't the best, but I can only imagine how hard an stressful the situation.

I have used sitters.com in emergencies before and have found the quality of the sitters really good. They have also been available on pretty short notice. Maybe that is your best bet for Wednesdays until September.

OP I do actually feel for you, it's tough to be a working parent now.

Childcare is so so expensive but most households need both parents/lone parent if you are by yourself to be working to just about make ends meet unless you/one of you is a high earner.

It is nice if employers are understanding and flexible if they can be but you do get some that are just pig headed or they cannot accommodate because it doesn't suit their business.

If it comes down to it and you get a warning it doesn't mean you are loosing your job. It's not a nice feeling but if you do get pulled for a chat you can explain your circumstances. Like a PP pointed out, there is only 2/3 weeks left of term now and you have said you will be completely sorted in September.

It will be fine :)

I'm disappointed that working in a school doing an important job, feeding our children you are on a zero hours contract.
Well done for getting the job, it sounds like you are trying your best and have shown a great amount of flexibility in trying to start immediately. There are only a couple of weeks of term left so hopefully it won't escalate before then. Legally I'd expect you have few rights but consider joining a union such as Unite which will cost you a couple of £ a month and getting some proper legal advice.

@PineappleWilson

To the fair to the OP, it looks like her supervisor / direct manager has been "fine" about this (I suspect she may have been cursing under her breath but if you can't turn up, she's there at 10.30 without many other options) so the OP thought this was being accepted / accommodated, whereas the senior manager was having none of it and has caught OP off guard.

I'd explain to the senior manager that this is a temporary issue, and won't happen again. A verbal warning would only stay on your record for 6 months.

It looks like the first time the supervisor was fine with it because it could have been a one off. Now it's happened a second time, the manager has stepped in.

What a stressful position. I agree with talking to your manager and explaining how much you love the job and that it will not be a struggle once school starts. I’d also gently add that perhaps you should not have tried to accommodate the unexpected request for different working hours.

Especially since covid Ive heard so many stories of difficult situations for single parents left to decide between the safety of their children and making it to work on time.

Also, I thought zero hours contracts give both employer and employer flexibility? It seems very one sided in your case. Why can’t you just tell them you are not available until 12pm on Wednesday for the next few weeks?

YABU - your problem. I think they have every right to give you a warning and would be amazed if they hadn't to be honest. Its not fair on your colleagues to be expected to randomly cover your work on a regular basis.

I used to have a job that often required me to work in the evenings as well as during the day. The hours were very irregular making finding childcare difficult.

I was late twice for childcare reasons in 7 years - once because it snowed and my babysitter couldnt get to me. DP was working away 4-5 nights a week so it wasn't as if I had him about a lot of the time either.

Its not easy I know but if you've made a commitment to work then t you either try to change your hours or change your child care

@hannayeah

Also, I thought zero hours contracts give both employer and employer flexibility? It seems very one sided in your case. Why can’t you just tell them you are not available until 12pm on Wednesday for the next few weeks?

I agree. I thought the whole zero hours contract meant no obligation on either side.

Pretty shitty a school (or council or council’s contractor) are employing the OP on a zero hours contract when it’s obvious attendance in required every term day for a specific time slot.

@hannayeah

Also, I thought zero hours contracts give both employer and employer flexibility? It seems very one sided in your case. Why can’t you just tell them you are not available until 12pm on Wednesday for the next few weeks?

Exactly. The benefit of a zero hours contract is meant to be that you can choose your hours that you are available to work.

The other thing is, working in a school kitchen presumably means the prep needs to be done before 12, which is why you should be there at 10.30. Not much use turning up when most of the work has been done and it’s serving and clearing away.

I work in retail for a large company and they are very family friendly. Wouldn’t they allow you to make the hours up another day? I have sympathy as it’s difficult especially when your on your own.

@SpeakingFranglais

Agreed, really horrible for a school.

Also, outraged by people expecting such rigidity. “I’d fire you if you worked for me.” We aren’t robots, but people. Unexpected things happen, especially when children are involved. If you are running an operation so delicate that it does not function when one person must be a few hours late to care for their child then you are doing a very poor job.

Also, the lack of flexibility shown to lower wage workers makes me very angry. I’d guarantee the management can come in late due to car trouble, headache, unexpected appliance break down, home delivery of an important package etc and no one bats an eye. Please do join the union when possible.

@hannayeah

Also, I thought zero hours contracts give both employer and employer flexibility? It seems very one sided in your case. Why can’t you just tell them you are not available until 12pm on Wednesday for the next few weeks?

I think you're right about the concept. However, if you accept the work, which the OP has, then you presumably have to show up. Accepting the hours, then being 1.5 hours late is always going to be an issue whatever the contract type.

But it is not a one off emergency. This is the second time since May. Op has apparently committed to being at work at 10:30 then cancelled. She is making herself look unreliable, whether she means to or not, whether the problem should resolve in September or not.

Zero hour contracts should be made illegal. They are utterly impossible to work around and I can't believe a school uses them. I imagine the food is contracted out to a catering firm. You really need to secure a better contract or find a new job, you have no protection- they can drop you at a moment's notice or simply give you more hours than you can deal with.

Absolutely feel for you- the government needs to sort this, no one but the company benefits from these types of totally immoral contracts.

@hannayeah - I agree with you.
This is the culture of "no mercy" which fosters a very hostile atmosphere , where people mainly on lower income, single parents etc. are being judged for everything they do, just choose the right angle.
The Daily Mail and Telegraph readers of the perfect Tory world will never understand and are just waiting for those people to fail.
They will gladly drag out their stories, where they went to work 1 hour after a kidney transplant, having chosen the time of the surgery to not disrupt their 12 hour working time and they stashed their children into the boot of the car with carrot sticks, avocado dips and filtered water because they had to sack their nanny who didn't want to work on Sunday because it was her mother's funeral just a day before the surgery.

Good luck OP, it's really difficult when someone lets you down, hope you make it through to the end of term.
I have to say I'm shocked that a school kitchen has you on a zero hours contract, surely this can't be legal if you have set hours?

[quote EerieSilence]@hannayeah - I agree with you.
This is the culture of "no mercy" which fosters a very hostile atmosphere , where people mainly on lower income, single parents etc. are being judged for everything they do, just choose the right angle.
The Daily Mail and Telegraph readers of the perfect Tory world will never understand and are just waiting for those people to fail.
They will gladly drag out their stories, where they went to work 1 hour after a kidney transplant, having chosen the time of the surgery to not disrupt their 12 hour working time and they stashed their children into the boot of the car with carrot sticks, avocado dips and filtered water because they had to sack their nanny who didn't want to work on Sunday because it was her mother's funeral just a day before the surgery.[/quote]
haha facts!

I agree with a pp.

You've not received a warning for looking after your child. You've received a warning for being 2 hrs late on a number of occasions.