To have taken overtime when other workers usually take it?

[OvertimeSchmovertime]

I’m new to my office (around a month) and an offer of overtime came up today. I immediately said yes because money is tight and I could do with it. After I said yes, I was pulled to the side and said that even though it’s offered to the whole office, there’s usually three part time workers who take it because they’re always struggling. Apparently it’s a bit of an unwritten rule. AIBU to take it anyway? Even if it’s just for a month or two I could really use the money heading into the new year

Yeah, they don’t get to take PT and ramp it up to FT on an enhanced rate like that. They should work FT if they want to.

Take the overtime, it was offered. If these 3 people are struggling they should think about increasing their hours.
If they always do overtime then they are clearly free on a regular basis outside their contracted hours.
Not your problem.

Fuck that.
I'd actually have no shame about saying I also needed the money this month and continuing to take what was available.

Presumably the only reason the over time is needed is because there are 3 workers working part time. So I want to work part time but that means I have less money, so I'll work over time to make up my money and nobody else can earn a bit extra because I need it because I work part time. It's a big piss take that one😂

Id take it and say you also need the money so you wont be turning it down either.

usually three part time workers who take it because they’re always struggling.

yes, and so am I. That's why I am working full-time to start with.

It's might just be someone poking their nose in! I would raise it with your manager. You take it OP.----

Ive worked in places where part timers assume they can do regular overtime and earn more than full-timers for shorter hours. Causes a lotof ill feeling. Just grab the overtime if you need it

I’m on the bones of my arse. Even £250 extra this month would be really useful.

Could you tell them that? Normally I'd say your financial circumstances are none of your colleagues fucking business but you're only two minutes in the door and presumably don't want to get off on a bad foot.

The overtime is open to anyone and everyone, but I think I’d raise this with my line manager because it might make the part-timers behave differently (not nicely) towards you which won’t be pleasant and would need nipping in the bud. I’d also be wary of the colleague who told you about this unwritten rule - sounds like a shit stirrer.

Bollocks! Tell your colleague theirs 4 people that ‘normally’ take it now! What knobbery!

Well someone has had a month to tell you about unofficial practices, more fool them for not telling you.

Report to mgmt.
Overtime isnt guaranteed and shouldnt be seen as a 2nd income.
1st come, 1st served. You have done nothing wrong.

Not up to your colleague to be OT Police.

As long as your LM is happy crack on.

"I was pulled to the side and said that even though it’s offered to the whole office, there’s usually three part time workers who take it because they’re always struggling."

"It was one of my coworkers who’s said it’s essentially in bad taste as they all know these three people (who have opted to work part time and job share) always take it because they’re struggling."

This stinks.

If they're "always struggling" on part-time wages then they need to apply to go full-time again. The occasional overtime is no substitute for a regular wage.

And if we're going to talk 'bad taste', I personally find it very bad taste to opt to go part-time whilst emotionally blackmailing your co-workers to cede all the overtime to you because you're 'struggling'. You don't get to restrict your colleagues earning opportunities because you chose to be part-time.

I'm sure someone will rock up with 'but they probably can't do full time because they've got responsibilities towards children / elderly parents / whatever'. To which I would say, if they are available to work overtime hours, surely they must be available to work those same hours as part of their regular contract?

No, these three sequestering all the overtime is very bad taste.

Absolutely do the overtime.

I'd usually recommend saying something to your manager about the guilt tripping as well (perhaps wrapped up in a faux-confused "is it OK that I've applied to do overtime because Melanie told me I shouldn't have and im worried about whether the team are judging me?") but can see why you might not want to if you're new.

I agree with the pp who warned you about the colleague who "took you on one side". People like this are oftten the office snitch/shit stirer. In a workplace like this you have two choices: kowtow to the unwritten rules to fit in or start as you mean to go on.

I fit very much into the latter category. If its not a "written" rule it doesnt exist.

I agree , just because it’s always been that way no reason it can’t change and if they need it all the time , maybe they need to work full-time instead.

Essentially what seems to happen is these three part time workers do exactly this. “I don’t have the time because of the kids!”, but then when enhanced overtime comes they’ll snatch it up, in order to boost their pay above full time pay, but doing less than full time hours.

I checked with my manager and she said it was absolutely fine and laughed at the suggestion it wasn’t.

You haven't done anything wrong, you need the money same as they do.

It is wrong that they can make full time money by grabbing all the overtime. It should be on a rota, or first come first served.

If you get any hassle, take it to your manager every time.

I find it interesting that they get enhanced OT when they’re part time. In my work you don’t get enhancements if you’re working in normal hours and you’re part time. To stop exactly what you’ve just described happening. Anyway no don’t feel guilty, volunteer away and enjoy your Xmas all the more with that little extra boost

Bloody cheek of it.

I'm surprised too that they can get enhanced overtime when they aren't actually working full time anyway. It basically isn't overtime is it?

All of this

I didn’t think so but because it’s out of working hours for them it’s classed as overtime