To think manager is taking the p*ss?

[Mooey89]

Work in a very small team within a large organisation - manager, me, one person below me. This means when one of us is off, the other (usually me) picks up the work to cover.
Within the organisation you can apply to purchase additional leave and if it meets business need, you can purchase 5 days extra (maximum).

manager has decided that in addition to this, he will work additional Mondays (he works condensed hours Tues-Fri) to enable him to take ‘in advance toil’. These Mondays are admin days at home.

once every 4-6 weeks, he announces that he has holiday booked. He is so impressed with how clever he is being to be able to do this.
he doesn’t pay any regard to his work diary and during this leave and so it falls to me to pick it up. It’s often booked last minute. He’s essentially ‘banking’ an additional day every week meaning 40ish additional days leave on top of A/L entitlements and the purchased leave.

I am heavily pregnant and it is really causing additional strain having to cover but they feel they are doing nothing wrong. Big boss is very hands off and their stance is they don’t care as long as the work is being done - which it is, by me.

AIBU?!

On Mat leave from June, with someone covering my post so I am just sucking it up now until I leave.
Dont do this (suck it up) or your cover will also do it and it will become status quo. The longer you leave it the more difficult it will be to change.

I wouldn’t complain (at first). Instead I’d request a substantial raise to reflect X% of your time you’re spending achieving higher pay grade work.

If that raise doesn’t materialise or isn’t worth it then I’d complain.

How is he allowed to build up one full day of toil every week?
That sounds dodgy. Does his manager know that he's doing that?

It would be like me (I work 9-5) deciding to work Saturday from home . Hes prob doing not much at home. Then building up loads of toil hours.

Surely you are only meant to do toil hours when you are asked by the company. He can't just decide to do them whenever he wants.

So he’s pretending to work an extra day each week and then falsely claiming back a day off each week in lieu?

surely his manager / HR would like to know this?

Sounds like his Manager needs to start managing and stop turning a blind eye to this blatant piss take.

Surely he won’t be able to carry on doing this once you’re on maternity leave?

I’d try and flag it before you leave? State you’re concerned that as you’re struggling with the current workload (due to CF having so much time off) that cover won’t be able to maintain and that the toil CF is building every week maybe needs addressing? Easier said than done I know.

And surely if he can do this, everyone can?

I too think you should deal with this now rather than have it get worse while you’re on leave. ‘I have x y and z to do today, I can’t cover this for you. Have cc’d manager for you to work it out with them.’ (Reply by email even if they message /talk to you- hi X you asked me to do y earlier for you, like I said I haven’t capacity, have ccd manager so you can work it out’

and if there is anything that should be shared around, hand it the fuck back around. Dear all, I’ve been doing x for a few weeks, time to share it around- joe can you do it for the next few weeks? You will have to train my cover so makes sense.’

how does he try and take credit for your work? I’d be raging about that!!

Have you actually spoken to the big boss, explaining it as it is here? Before he goes on leave, look at his diary and tell him what you can cover and what he needs to get someone else to cover.

send him emails on a Monday, copied to your big boss, with questions you need an answer to that day.