Sick of being asked for extra hours. Anyone else?

[Whathaveidonetodeservethis1]

I’ve worked for a home care company for a couple of months now, the work itself is great, however I’ve never been harassed as much to do overtime as I have in this job.

This week (and previous weeks) I’ve been put on rota to work 12 days in a row. I asked if I could have a day off in this time, and they reduced the hours a little on 1/2 days but still didn’t give me a full day off.

We work alternate weekends, if it’s your weekend in you’re supposed to have at least a day off in the week, yet this rarely happens for me.

I’m not meant to start until 3 today, as I finish at 9:30pm. I was called 3 times from 7am asking to cover this morning. I do say yes a lot of the time, but today I’m spending time with my partner, and I have shopping to do. The lady on the phone told me “The only person who can cover is you.”
That’s a lie, as management and team leaders are on back up to cover, plus it’s not cool to try and guilt me.

The other day I was asked to cover in the afternoon, which I did. They then asked me to cover the evening. I said no as I had had no break all day and plus I was in at 7 the next morning. Despite saying no, I checked my rota 30 minutes later and they had added the hours on regardless. I was expected to finish at 10:30pm then back in at 7am, which is surely illegal.

I got quite annoyed and told them it was unfair and ridiculous, and luckily the manager managed to reduce it a little.

I’m fed up of it, I really like the work but I can’t be on call 24/7. There’s one girl in the office who will ring you 6/7 times until you pick up, it’s harassment.

Has anyone else had this? I just need to be firm but I also find it hard to say no sometimes and I don’t want to leave vulnerable and elderly clients without a carer. What would you do?

If needs be, get your phone provider to change your phone number and give it to all your friends and family. Buy the cheapest PAYG phone possible and give the new number to work. Only have it turned on during work hours and as soon as you end your shift turn off the phone.
Radical but might stop the harassment.

Have you tried saying, "I can be available for £X per hour"?

The reality is that htey need you more than you need them. So they'll either pay up, or it gives you something to keep repeating which is somehow much easier than saying no.

Say no, you’re unavailable. As others have said, it gets easier the more you have to do it.
Remember that you need and deserve ‘me’ time and that you can’t be the best carer you can be if you’re tired and run down.
And wtaf about having to have your work phone on all the time? That’s ridiculous! I have worked in care on and off for years (currently in a live-in position) and learned to switch my phone off but always check an hour before I had to leave to see if they’d added a shift on (they often had!). After 2 weeks there, I NEVER had my work phone on at other times so avoided any unwelcome begging/guilt trip calls. Before you know it, they own you and you can’t let that happen!