Sick of being taken advantage of, shall I hand in my notice?

[Foodlover12]

I have posted before, so I apologise about reposting.

I work for an hourly rate of £9.25, have been there for almost 3 months.

They are short-staffed and will ring you virtually every day to ask if you can do overtime. I’m the sort of person who feels bad saying no, especially as the job is caring for vulnerable people.

I work virtually 7 days a week. The job was advertised as working alternate weekends, but I have only ever had one full weekend off. Even if it’s meant to be my weekend off I am called up saying ‘can you just do a few hours for us’.

However all of my colleagues in my area get the hours they want, bar a couple of gripes. Another lady has just asked if she can only do 2 days a week, and they granted it.
I feel they are taking advantage of me. I am down at the moment to work 2 weeks straight without a day off. I asked the manager if he could factor in a day off, he said he would have a look but hasn’t so far.
I come out with a good salary, but I work over 50 hours per week.

The 2nd issue is that in the double up calls I have to do, one of the carers is rude to me, I have posted about this before. I discreetly asked 2 other colleagues how she was with them, and they said she was fine. It’s upsetting that it just seems to be me.

I have asked the office to pair me with someone else, they said they cannot as they are short staffed, but that they will have a word with her.

I am fed up and down. I just want to quit tomorrow. Constant calls to do overtime, only 9 hours rest break in between shifts sometimes.

However I’ve only been there for 3 months. My previous role I only stayed 2 months as it was night shifts which I struggled with.

So I feel like I should wait at least 6 months before changing again. Sorry for the rant, just feel like a fool.

Either jack it in NOW and don’t go back. You can get care jobs easily

Or practice saying no

Message your boss “I haven’t been given a day off and it’s not legal for me not to have one so I’ll take this Saturday and Sunday off as the every other weekend I was promised”

I’ve been total to work with Susan, on Thursday. I don’t work with Susan, she’s rude and unprofessional to me and clients”

I'm a carer. I started as I meant to go on. I was asked my hours of availability and I stated them and I've stuck to them. I might help out if I'm asked, depends on how I feel. The job has so much responsibility so I keep within my limits. You must learn to say no. For your wellbeing. I worked for Home Instead Senior Care and they were wonderful but I had to leave as I lost clients and they couldn't give me enough work.

Hint! Do not answer your phone immediately. Say you were driving. Give yourself time to think up an excuse. It's a difficult enough job without extra pressure.

I found that always having a valid reason for not doing overtime helps ie lack of childcare, medical appointments, care for a relative/neighbour. It is important to have down time.

I’ve got to do something, otherwise this is going to be my life. If things don’t change, I’ll be leaving in February

Given I remember you recent post and the issues you are already having I would most certainly look for another job as this does not seem a good fit does it.

February's too far away for you to be working so many stretches without a break.

How many hours do you need to work financially?

Legally you need to have a certain number of hours break between shifts and each week/fortnight.
www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
Read this and next time they ask you to work shifts that you don't want to and are in breach of this tell them that you can't because of legislation.

Practice being politely assertive - if they say "you're the only one available", respond "I'm not available". "I can't work that day/shift, my availability is xxx". And repeat and repeat.

Join the Union. At least they’ll be able to get on your employer’s back about things like the Working Time Directive as 9 hours between shifts and working 14 days straight isn’t right. Other than that, can you just leave and not put this job on your CV. Put down that you had a career break for something like caring responsibilities (not exactly untrue) 😂

They do sound persistent!
Say no, you are not available.
I would not answer the phone to them out of hours.
When you get your rota, if you want any overtime, text or talk to your manager with the times you want. Then, just do not reply to their calls. Even block their number, or mute it.
Otherwise they are going to wear you out. And that is not going to help anyone.
You need to stand up for yourself.

The Rota is another issue. We only receive them a week in advance, and they’re provisional, can sometimes change the day before, though they do have to give 24h notice.

They never, ever stick to the rest break directives in between shifts. I can be finished at 9:15pm and back in at 6:45am. On occasion, I’m expected to finish at 10 and back in at 7. It takes me 30 minutes to get home, so I literally get in and go straight to bed

I hate that, changing the day before.

Look for another job? There are plenty who would pay a good carer with direct payments

You aren't paid enough to be 'on call', if they have to legitimately ask you questions about serious things to do with clients then their handover system is not working. Stop answering the phone. Stop saying yes. What's the worst thing that can happen if you were going to say sod it and leave anyhow....

"I'm very sorry I'm not available, I have made other plans."

"I can't work on that day but I am available on..."

"If you're ringing to request more shifts, I'm afraid I can't oblige on this occasion."

"No!"

"If there are urgent questions about a client please text me as I do not answer my phone on my days off."

Same advice i gave in your last post. Get cheap work mobile and use that for work and switch off when you're not. I've been there and saying no and saying no is the only way to stop this. That's what the others do and is why they only work the hours they want to otherwise they'd have you working 24/7

That’s it, I feel like I’m constantly on call. They even rang me when they knew I was on holiday the other week. Texting me, “sorry to mither you when you’re off’.
Even if I’m not on until late they will ring my phone at half 7 to ask if I can help out that morning

Is this sector (care) also short staffed because of Brexit - like the haulage drivers etc?

To be blunt the issue is you as much S the job.

If they’ve just let someone else only work 2 days per week then that person is capable of saying no and they respect that.

You are being seen as a pushover. And a good employer wouldn’t do that but very few employers actually work like that, especially in a sector with high turnover.

Get another phone and practice saying no.

@Foodlover12

I’ve got to do something, otherwise this is going to be my life. If things don’t change, I’ll be leaving in February

Don’t leave it til Feb.

And start saying no.

@Foodlover12

The problem is you don’t always know why they’re calling. Sometimes they might be calling to ask a question about a client or an issue with medication etc so it’s tricky to always ignore

That's a pathetic excuse. You work with vulnerable people, that shit should be written down.

You either learn the word no and start using it, or not answering the phone, or continue being taken advantage of. You've been told this several times, quit making excuses or put up with it. Your choice.

Read www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work and learn to say no. If they start pushing you, explain that it would be against the law. Those regulations are there because everyone _needs rest.

I'd start with the current 14 days you are working. That's illegal. They know it but they will let you get on with it if you don't object. So tell them now by email or whatever the usual WRITTEN form of notification of rota changes is and tell them that you WILL NOT be working the 23rd/24th as it is your weekend off. (Make plans if you need to have a reason). Do not accept no for an answer. If you are zero hours they cannot force you - but it is unlikely they will drop you if they are so short staffed!

Next look at the rota where you do not get your 11hr rest break. Also look where you are working with the difficult collegue. Pick out any that coinside and let them know that you will be starting later that day at X time, as you will be working late the night before and therefore they will need to get someone else to work with her.

Just start pushing back little by little. And if the nasty colleague doesn't buck her ideas up then refuse to work with her - they will have to find someone else - if she's lovely to everyone else then they will have no problem will they?!

Op you’ve posted before. You are a carer. It’s not your problem if they haven’t got cover/haven’t got info. Stop answering. Get a cheap phone for work and just switch on when working. You have Rota so stick to it. You won’t know they tried calling you at 7am your phone is off. What can they say? Nothing. They need you more than you need them. Have a set phrase - no I’m not available if they ask. You aren’t paid to manage the rota, sort issues. It’s not you leaving someone in lurch it’s them. They obviously keep calling as you are a soft touch. Move to another agency if need be and start how mean you go on.

Op i can’t see how they take advantage if you say yes. Say NO. Is this your first job? They clearly have issues with organising shifts but that isn’t your issue. They won’t pull themselves together if you go in whenever they want. Your colleagues have got shifts they want because they say so.