Wibu to leave work at this time?

[Thisisthebeginning]

Started a part time job last week, through an agency. Was down to work until X time but the manager came in around 45 minutes before this and said, ' there's never anything to do at this time and I know you've got a long commute so you can go whenever you're ready".
I really appreciated this and set off soon after.
This week, I was working with 2 others. Again, we finished well in advance, there was no other work scheduled for that time and I had already finished everything an hour ago.
The 3 of us were sitting for 30 mins just looking at our phones and sitting around. I noticed no signs of anyone getting ready to go. At the end of the 30 mins, same as last week, I got my coat and belongings ready, stood up and told them I was heading home.
They weren't making a move at all and were still sitting their on their phones. I felt like some sort of slacker but if we had been told we could go once the work was done then don't see the point of sitting there on our phones for the sake of it?
The 2 colleagues might gossip why I'm leaving earlier but let them I guess.

Sorry - but I think you should only leave early if you are directly told it’s ok to go.

The manager did say that last week, that we were ok to leave at X time as there's never any work to do

I wouldn't have left without a manager telling me to. The previous week might have been a one off

Being new to the job I'd also have taken my lead from the other staff. They were showing no signs of going so I certainly wouldn't have

We are also down to arrive at X time. I arrived on my first day at X time, and the manager told me I only needed to arrive before Y time in future, so I did. However I got there and it seemed that the other 2 had arrived bang on X time.

Maybe I should have, but she just seemed to be saying "we never have work at X time", rather than, "just today you can go early" and mentioned my commute. So maybe next week i should wait with them

I wouldn't leave early without a managers saying to. If I did I wouldn't expect to be paid until the time I should have worked.

YABU, I was quiet at work yesterday. I was still sat at my desk until 5 though, because my manager may have wanted something from me, and because I’m paid to be there.

Only leave if you have explicity been told it is ok to leave whenever the work has been completed. Being told you could go home early once doesn't necessarily mean you can do it every week, others hanging around until their time is up implies that it is not usual practice to leave.

True, she didn't say "you can go early today" she was saying "you can usually leave at X time".
But yeah next shift i will wait just in case

She did say it's ok to leave whenever the work is done. She said, "we never have work at X time", she didn't say, "It's quiet today so you can go early." But as I say I will wait next time just in case

Have you been paid for your full hours ? Or have they reduced for the early finish amd late start ? As maybe this is why your colleagues are staying at work

Why don't you speak to your colleagues and ask what's been communicated to them?

They might not have been told they can leave early or start late.

We're just paid a daily rate. It's the same for the morning though, I arrived on my first day at X time and then she told me "you only need to arrive anytime before Y in future". So I did, but felt bad as they'd both arrived again very early it seemed. I get it looks better though.

It doesn’t seem a very well run organisation paying for 3 people to sit around on their phones. Why don’t they say the hours are Y to X

You're right, I will check next time.
Even on my first day, when the manager came in and told me that there's never any work at this time so we can usually go whenever, I got my stuff and went but the other colleague was still there doing her own work

I'd also not rely on this job. If they're recruiting 3 part time people and there's not enough work for 3 of you they'll soon cut the numbers

Oh no this is bad. You don't get up and go if your colleague still has work. You help them.

True sadly, it's the nature of agency work I suppose

She does a completely different role to me. She was just typing on her PC. It's not something I can help with sadly. She also had plenty of time during the day to complete her own work

Really surprised at some of the responses here. Your manager told you it's fine to leave once the work is done. Absolutely no point whatsoever in staying there twiddling about on your phone.

What on earth sort of places are people working, to think it's best to sit there doing sweet FA? What kind of life is that, and what kind of workplace would want you to do that?!

It doesn't sound like a sustainable job, no employer in their right mind pays the premium for agency staff to sit around doing nothing. Keep an eye out for other roles.

The kind of place that has peaks and troughs, probably.

I'd be wary of manager as only you are coming late and going early albeit on their say-so.

Have they got any more jobs going? 😄

Did your manager literally say it's always OK to leave whenever the work is done.

In your first post it reads more like it was quiet that day so she said to head off early. In later posts it sounds like she (vaguely) said it is always OK to go early once your work is done.

So depending on how she said it, it is hard to judge if YABU or not.

Easiest thing to do is to check with her and if you got wrong end of the stick, apologise, and offer to make up time for leaving early this week. Then if your colleagues have been gossiping, you'll have covered yourself with management