To put down 9 days work during Easter?

[OctopusSay]

Second week of the Eater holiday here.

I'm a business manager in a large school. Contracted to work term time plus 4 weeks.

I planned to work last week and have a proper shut off week's break this week.

I did a full on week last week, many of my staff were also working.

This week everyone is on leave, as we planned it. However there has been some issue or other relating to the buildings or payroll everyday and I have an emergency (created by the payroll provider) to fix tomorrow - they're not ready for me to do it today. The head, who would usually support has been uncontactable, so I've had no one to bounce these issues off, all down to me.

I haven't worked full days this week, by any means, but I have given it a considerable amount of emotional energy, haven't had a full day to myself and no chance to switch off.

So, I've worked 9 days of the 20 I need to do annually? Right?

I really needed a break too and it's not like I can book a few days. No more opportunity until half term. I could cry.

If the head is unavailable why aren’t you?

I would claim for the hours I worked and that would be all. Suggest you do the same as your boss and switch your phone off.

@MinnieGirl

If the head is unavailable why aren’t you?

Because no one gets paid if I don't deal with the payroll crisis, because it's new building with lots of "issues" that needs to be ready for students by Tuesday.

I could turn my phone off, but...

@Itsbackagain

I would claim for the hours I worked and that would be all. Suggest you do the same as your boss and switch your phone off.

I've "lost" more than the hours I actually worked though. I haven't had any down time at all.

Who signs off your hours?
I would discuss with them , but I would say that it sounds like the nature of the role requires some non term time working. I'd roll up to the nearest couple of hours/half day, but I do think saying you've worked a full day if you've done say an hour or so wouldn't be right.

@rookiemere

Who signs off your hours? I would discuss with them , but I would say that it sounds like the nature of the role requires some non term time working. I'd roll up to the nearest couple of hours/half day, but I do think saying you've worked a full day if you've done say an hour or so wouldn't be right.

Yes, four weeks of holiday working. That shouldn't mean you never get any time off to have a proper break.

It sounds like you need a proper out of school term rota for emergency issues and an agreed TOIL /holiday claim procedure.

Unfortunately whilst I totally agree that you should have down time and managing work issues stops that, I don't believe it's fair to claim a full day's holiday for a couple of hours work.

I'd only count the hours I worked - but those hours would start when my phone rang, and end when the issue was resolved for the day.

@CaptainMerica

I'd only count the hours I worked - but those hours would start when my phone rang, and end when the issue was resolved for the day.

Yes this is what I'm thinking. I didn't actively work all day but I did send all daily awiting on emails, chasing people up and checking my phone etc

Like today. I'm waiting on some data from the payroll people. When it arrives it will need urgent attention, so I'm looking for it and thinking about it, even though I'm not tied to my desk.

Instead of hanging around waiting for some data, why don’t you just do some other work? Then you can legitimately claim for the whole day

Going forwards, it sounds like you need to sort the holiday situation. Why were many of your staff working last week and no one this week? Whoever manages the workload has dropped a ball there

We planned to get everything sorted on the building last week so everyone could have a break this week, but the contractors let us down. And then the payroll cock up, but it wouldn't have made a difference to me, I'd be handling these issues regardless.

I don't actually gave much other stuff to do...because I worked really hard last week to clear it so I could have this week off.

@CaptainMerica

I'd only count the hours I worked - but those hours would start when my phone rang, and end when the issue was resolved for the day.

I agree with this. You're not able to actually have downtime whilst waiting for important information to filter through for action.

You claim for the hours that you're unable to use as free time, so from first phone call to switching everything off.

Not everyone would care that people's pay would be affected by being unavailable your head clearly doesn't so don't martyr yourself with hours lost to work just because you cleared everything else last week.

In that case I would definitely claim, pointing out that they are getting paid because of your good nature, but that you haven’t had the break you were entitled to, and that there need to be measures put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen again.