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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask to leave about half an hour early so I don’t miss a delivery?

34 replies

Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 08:17

DH normally WFH but is in the office today and I have a parcel that is due to be delivered. If I miss it it’s a bit of a pain because the sorting office is only open 8am-10am every day.

So AIBU to ask to go half an hour early? It won’t impact anyone but I will miss a bit of a meeting.

OP posts:
Gizlotsmum · 04/05/2022 08:20

It’s a pain but can’t hurt to ask. How important is the meeting? How flexible are your work? Could you rearrange the delivery to a day DH is home? Could he nip out between 8 and 10 if you do miss it?

Original poster
Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 08:22

The company want to charge £15 to rearrange delivery and the item only cost £30! I could possibly send DH to get it if they say no, just conscious he’s a lot on just now.

My work aren’t at all flexible as a rule but meetings do tend to be somehow pointless.

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 04/05/2022 08:22

I think it depends on a few factors. How long you’ve been there, how reliable or flaky you normally are, what the workplace culture is like. It’s impossible to say yes definitely it will be fine or no absolutely not.

cheapascheerios · 04/05/2022 08:24

Do you have the option to tell the courier how to deliver?
most of the big companies you can tell them to leave in. Safe place
or we are isolating atm and i could put that in the notes for a delivery today so they just leave it outside

Original poster
Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 08:28

I’m used to them just leaving it outside so I’m surprised they aren’t doing that, not sure why.

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 04/05/2022 08:32

I wouldn’t ask to miss a meeting for a parcel delivery. I might make up a better excuse if the meeting was genuinely unimportant, and if I was normally very reliable, but I’d probably just ask the delivery company to leave the parcel outside or with a neighbour.

PutinIsAWarCriminal · 04/05/2022 08:33

I think it would be unprofessional to ask to leave a meeting an hour early because you are expecting a parcel. It makes you look disorganised. It doesn't make sense to miss an hours work for a £30 item. Can you not just leave a note on your door for the postman to leave in a parcel box or safe place?

roosnunlilei · 04/05/2022 08:35

YABU

Even without a meeting I find it quite bizarre anyone would ask to leave work early for a parcel delivery.

LightningAndRainbows · 04/05/2022 08:36

I'd think you were having a laugh if you asked me to leave early for a parcel delivery. Different if it was say an oven or something essential but you'd have to have a damn good reason you hadn't scheduled it for when you were in.

LightningAndRainbows · 04/05/2022 08:37

Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 08:22

The company want to charge £15 to rearrange delivery and the item only cost £30! I could possibly send DH to get it if they say no, just conscious he’s a lot on just now.

My work aren’t at all flexible as a rule but meetings do tend to be somehow pointless.

Then you'll have to do this

Overthebow · 04/05/2022 08:43

Would you have to miss a meeting? Yabu if so. If not and it’s work you can catch up with in the evening then Yanbu.

SafelySoftly · 04/05/2022 08:45

£15 much cheaper than losing your job. You’ve already said they’re inflexible, would be silly to risk it.

nearlyspringyay · 04/05/2022 08:50

Needing to be in for a parcel isn't a valid reason to leave early IMO.

BritInUS1 · 04/05/2022 08:52

Don't ask

Have it delivered on a day you will be there

namechange30455 · 04/05/2022 08:54

Who are the courier? Can you not arrange redelivery if you miss it?

Snoken · 04/05/2022 08:56

Oh god no, don't ask to miss work due to a parcel being delivered. I would be very unimpressed as an employer. Either leave a note for the person to leave it in a safe place, or just miss it, and collect it another day.

Agapornis · 04/05/2022 09:10

I'd make up a more valid excuse to leave early - urgent drs or dentist appointment? Unwell pet or child?

Original poster
Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 09:14

I don’t think I’d lose my job if I asked to leave early! Confused

OP posts:
LightningAndRainbows · 04/05/2022 09:14

Agapornis · 04/05/2022 09:10

I'd make up a more valid excuse to leave early - urgent drs or dentist appointment? Unwell pet or child?

Thats even worse

LightningAndRainbows · 04/05/2022 09:16

Wanttoleaveearlytoday · 04/05/2022 09:14

I don’t think I’d lose my job if I asked to leave early! Confused

You might do if you lied and made up an excuse and were caught out. Anyway. Its a shit thing to do and really unprofessional. It doesn't matter if the meetings are dull. That is your job.

ShadowPuppets · 04/05/2022 09:16

At my work it wouldn’t be an issue at all to go in and leave half an hour early but skipping out a meeting (even a pointless one) without a really good reason would be really frowned upon. But it’s a bit ‘how long is a piece of string’ - every workplace is different, only you know whether it’d be acceptable surely?

Shiningstarr · 04/05/2022 09:17

SafelySoftly · 04/05/2022 08:45

£15 much cheaper than losing your job. You’ve already said they’re inflexible, would be silly to risk it.

Who said anything about losing her job? That's a bit OTT! 😂 It's hardly gross misconduct.

OP - I wouldn't ask to leave early for that reason, instead I would make up a more valid reason such as an urgent dentist or doctors appointment, unwell child etc.

NoAprilFool · 04/05/2022 09:19

Bucking the trend here, if one of my direct reports asked for this I’d be fine with it. They work really hard and I trust them to get the job done. Goodwill goes both ways.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/05/2022 09:22

You say sorting office, does that mean it's coming by Royal Mail?

If you, in your 'we will deliver between the hours of x and y' email/text there is a link to let you change the delivery to another day, have it delivered to a local post office for collection at your convenience or for them to leave in a safe place/neighbour. That's probably the best option.

CapMarvel · 04/05/2022 09:25

Surely it depends entirely on how easy going your work is, whether they are happy for you to make up time or whether you can work from home etc.

My workplace would be absolutely fine with it, others not.