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

Have your circumstances changed significantly since June 13th?

Your thread title demonstrates that you don't understand the actual issue.
You have not been given a warning for looking after your child (the drama!), you have been warned that turning up an hour and a half late on a weekly basis is unacceptable.

I would ask if flexible working hours are in place within your work place. Your employer has a duty to you to consider your request in a reasonable manner and not discriminate against you.
There's lots of advice on Gov.U.K. for you to look at in regards to this.
Hope you manage to get it sorted soon :)

agree with others - warning was for arriving to work 2 hours late, not for looking after your child.

if wednesdays are a problem - why hadn't you either arranged alternative childcare, or just not worked on a wednesday, or agreed a different start time?

in my view those would be acceptable alternatives to not just turning up - bar sickness/genuine emergency. although even in those circumstances you'd surely call in to let them know you'd not be there/be late?

@LIZS

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.

Every person around me at work has had at least 2 times in past 2 months where something unexpected came up and they needed to be late, leave early or even take the whole day off. Sometimes for funny reasons like “I got a new car and need to get a customization done!” We work around it; work together and cover what is needed.

I never knew anything different until reading about it here.

Every person around me at work has had at least 2 times in past 2 months where something unexpected came up and they needed to be late, leave early or even take the whole day off. Sometimes for funny reasons like “I got a new car and need to get a customization done!” We work around it; work together and cover what is needed.
Yeah, most organisations don't really operate like that. Deciding you're not coming to work because your car needed customising wouldn't be regarded as particularly funny.

Because I'm on a 0 hour contract my hours were changed to go in earlier, it's literally just Wednesdays

Can you explain this OP? Did you originally agree hours and they changed them?

I have a lot of sympathy if they just changed your hours, a lot of employers do take the piss with zero hour contracts.

YABVU and of course they can (and should) give you a warning.

The reason or intent is irrelevant. If you are scheduled to start work at 10.30 you turn up at 10.30. It’s not a pick and choose your time whatever your excuse.

How much notice are you even giving of not being able to come in at 10.30?

@hannayeah

I never knew anything different until reading about it here.

Really? I knew at 15 when I worked in fast food.

I have a lot of sympathy for OP though if they changed her hours, even though they're entitled to do it.

I'm a single mum and Wednesdays are a hit difficult and I can't start until 12 (usually start at 10.30am)

Also today is only the second time I can't get childcare until

It doesn't affect anyone, no cover needs to be arranged what so ever

Rocking up 1.5 hrs late for a school lunch service doesn't affect anyone? You mean they have to cover because its too late to call in extra help?

Service starts at 1 at this school

Really? I've honestly never come across a school where lunch service doesn't start until 1. I live and learn.

Nonetheless I'm sorry to hear about your change of circumstances when only three weeks ago you were a SAHM supported by your DP.

@GreyhoundG1rl

Every person around me at work has had at least 2 times in past 2 months where something unexpected came up and they needed to be late, leave early or even take the whole day off. Sometimes for funny reasons like “I got a new car and need to get a customization done!” We work around it; work together and cover what is needed. Yeah, most organisations don't really operate like that. Deciding you're not coming to work because your car needed customising wouldn't be regarded as particularly funny.

i also think it largely depends on the place you work at.

school dinner lady - as Op is, turning up late at critical time is probably not ok.

in an office, depending on the team you work in, leaving early to get car stuff sorted and making up the time, probably ok.

i'm leaving at 330 today as i have to get a covid test. i'm taking a shorter lunch (on lunch now) and will start early tomorrow. i suspect the OP can't make up the time as school lunches are fairly set in stone.

As an aside, do look up your rights on the GOV website.

Direct from the website:

*Zero-hours contracts are also known as casual contracts. Zero-hours contracts are usually for ‘piece work’ or ‘on call’ work, for example for interpreters.

This means:

they are on call to work when you need them
you do not have to give them work
they do not have to do work when asked*

So you are actually within your rights to say you cannot work Wednesday mornings if it doesn't fit with you.

Rocking up 1.5 hrs late for a school lunch service doesn't affect anyone? You mean they have to cover because its too late to call in extra help?

Where does OP say she rocks up @C8H10N4O2 ? She

[quote tallduckandhandsome]@hannayeah

I never knew anything different until reading about it here.

Really? I knew at 15 when I worked in fast food.

I have a lot of sympathy for OP though if they changed her hours, even though they're entitled to do it.[/quote]
No one ever had emergencies that had to be covered when you worked in fast food?

I worked in a hotel and we had to cover for others constantly. 2 times in 8 weeks for childcare would not have been considered noteworthy. Especially for someone with no set working hours, whose expected hours were changed.

and a lot of people who are commenting on this thread clearly have no understanding of zero hour contracts or how they work - one of the only pros for being on a zero hour contract is the flexibility to say when you are available or not.

As you have very few other pros with this kind of contract. at least take advantage of the one you DO have.

@candyflossss

As an aside, do look up your rights on the GOV website.

Direct from the website:

*Zero-hours contracts are also known as casual contracts. Zero-hours contracts are usually for ‘piece work’ or ‘on call’ work, for example for interpreters.

This means:

they are on call to work when you need them
you do not have to give them work
they do not have to do work when asked*

So you are actually within your rights to say you cannot work Wednesday mornings if it doesn't fit with you.

I agree. I accept that the zero hours employer holds the power here, but there should be some benefit to OP from the arrangement too.

No one ever had emergencies that had to be covered when you worked in fast food?

I don't customising your car is an emergency though!

@ememem84

This is my thinking also. And if coverage of these hours were truly critical, they wouldn’t be have put the op on a zero hours contract.

The zero hours contract means that, rightly or wrongly, the OP has no guaranteed fixed work.
If her employer needs her at 10.30, she starts at 10.30.
Zero hours contracts are unfair. Absolutely. Zero hours contracts work in favour to the employer. That's morally wrong. Absolutely. Zero hours contracts (unless it works in the employer's favour) don't mean you're supposed to start at 10.30 but turn up at 12 and think that's going to be OK. Unless it's been okayed up the line.

@tallduckandhandsome

No one ever had emergencies that had to be covered when you worked in fast food?

I don't customising your car is an emergency though!

Agreed, not at all. I mentioned that because I find this differencebetween lower wage work and salaried appalling. One type of worker can leave for nonsense that could be done on the weekend; another is late simply to take care of her child and getting reprimanded. What should she do if childcare falls through last minute? Leave her child alone?

And I explain it so that OP sees it and recognizes that there are jobs in organizations that will treat her better and provide a more stable situation for her as a mother.

You need reliable childcare. Find a place at a nursery where you can put them at the proper time so you can be in work on time.

Yes, it'll probably be more expensive than a dippy childminder who messes you around.

It’s all great on the world of mumsnet, were there is countless posts about not wanting to go back to the office because wfh suits parents ie childcare, school drop offs and it suits them as it’s flexible. The op hasn’t got this luxury, like many thousands of people. She’s struggling with childcare. She’s doing her best. She dosent come across entitled to me.

It's not a warning for looking after your child

It's a warning for being late for work

Whomever compared this to a fast food service job at age 15 out: Yes, as a teen one couldn’t call off for teenage reasons without being warned. But coworkers with child care or other real emergencies could do so though and the manager would find coverage.

If you are on a zero hour contract technically you can refuse to work the hours but I don't know if that's a full shift or just a few hours like you've been doing. Contact ACAS for advice, they are the best bet in this situation.

www.acas.org.uk/zero-hours-contracts