AIBU to request a 9 day fortnight?

[RudyKazoo]

I love my job but we’re all drastically overworked and underpaid. No chance of things changing and it’s financially unsustainable for me to continue like this so I’m applying for other roles.

I’ve been offered another job that pays more but I’m not convinced I want the role - the work isn’t particularly interesting.

I’ve also got the possibility of doing some freelance work on something I enjoy.

How do I leverage my options with my boss given I really enjoy my role but can’t afford to stay? AIBU asking for a 9 day fortnight with no change to my take home pay, and then taking on freelance projects 1 day a fortnight?

Do you mean reduce your hours for the same pay or same hours but over 9 days?
If the former I can guarantee you will still get the same workload by the sound of it if you are already overworked, so you will either work longer hours over the 9 days or go under with stress

Alot of people in my office (NHS) work a 9 day fortnight they were all working outside of hrs times anyway so now they at least get some of that classified as working hrs and get 1 day a fortnight off.

It depends on whether or not you mean putting all your hours into those 9 days, or working your usual shifts over less days. If it's the latter YABU, why should you get paid the same for less worked hours?

Do you mean work compressed hours (which should work well if you’re already doing extra hours for no pay) over a nine day fortnight?

Could you give yourself additional flexibility by asking for a four day week, working four long days?

Nine day fortnights are brilliant. Do it regardless.

If you haven't freelanced before though just be careful as it's very easy to overwork - especially because of the new work it often generates, "ooo another £500", and you work through the weekend for two months straight. It's also a right pain managing freelance and another job. Put some limits on your time.

Sorry it wasn’t clear - I’m contracted for 35 hours per week, but regularly work up to 50 (with no overtime pay).

I’d like to only work 9 days per fortnight. I’d easily do 35 hours per week still, but wouldn’t do as much free overtime (so there would need to be a reduction in my workload to accommodate this).

YWNBU to ask but nine day fortnights are a pain when you have lots of people on them - it makes scheduling really hard. Personally I wouldn't agree it without a very compelling reason.

There are quite a few people in my organisation that work 9 day fortnights, I’m thinking about requesting it next year. Same amount of fortnightly hours worked over 9 days rather than 10, it’s called compressed (don’t know if that’s the common name for it or just what we call it!).

Well you can ask but be aware you will need to put forward a case for flexible working.
Your employer doesn't have to agree to it if it will negatively affect business, eg if its critical you are available 5 days per week.
No harm in asking

@RudyKazoo

As your last post adds it would have everything going for it. Years and years ago I signed up for compressed hours. 41 per week over 2 weeks. Very early start for long commute to London [0610 train!] + half hour lunch so that I could have a 4 day weekend every other week. Needed to be flexible though for meetings and the like. Very enlightened boss in those days!

Everyone in my organisation is encouraged to work a 9 day fortnight. It's really popular. We have rules about it so you have to stick to the same day, it isn't a flexible day off and we balance it across the teams. But it works well. DH has just moved to a 4 day week. He was working so much extra anyway it actually means no change to 4 days a week in terms of how much he works he just gets a day off every week now.

Definitely ask, it's really not unusual.