To only work very part time?

[OneJadeSheep]

I only work 2 days a week and even then only during school hours. I feel that’s the most I can cope with whilst also being a single kinship foster carer to 4 children. Colleagues are complaining though saying they think I should work more days because me being so part time is causing problems for them because they are having to do work that I don’t have time to do in my 2 days. Some colleagues have also described it as “ridiculous” that I only work very part time and they feel I should be working a minimum of at least 3 days a week or more. AIBU to work very part time like this? I feel like all my colleagues are gossiping and talking behind my back about how part time I am! One of my colleagues has also said they don’t think I’m a “proper part” of the team because I’m so part time.

This is something they need to raise with their manager if your (or anyone's) contracted hours are causing them problems.

They're obviously short staffed and that's not your problem.

Your employer could presumably employ someone else if there is too much work for the current headcount.

Nothing to do with how many hours you work really is it?

The managers are also gossiping about it with the colleagues! It’s that type of workplace unfortunately.

You are working the hours you are contracted to work

If that doesn't suit the business, they need to employ someone else. You applied and got offered a 2 days job, you do a 2 days job.

I assume you are paid just for the hours you do?

If they need extra help, tell them that someone else needs recruiting and you can job-share.

A few colleagues and managers were having a gossipy conversation (within earshot of me and they knew I could hear the whole conversation) before Christmas about if thought it was even “worth” me working for the company because of how part time I am and how the think that the fact I’m so part is “ridiculous and pointless” (their words not mine)!

I used to work 5 days a week full time for the same employer before going part time to 2 days a week during school hours.

How nasty 😯

Yes I’m only paid for 2 days a week during school hours now, those are now my contracted hours.

The issue is with your manager and the person who authorised your working hours. It is shitty if you have to pick up other people’s work but as long as you are properly working and doing all you can within your hours then you aren’t doing anything wrong.

Tell them to take it up with higher management and/or HR.

It sounds like bullying to me and if you have decent HR, I'd be going to see them.

that's VERY part-time 😂

but they accepted it, and your answer now should be: I am working for the hours I am paid to work. End of.

I think some colleagues and managers don’t see the point in me working here because I’m so part time and I think they feel like our employer should get rid of me and recruit someone full time instead! That’s the sense I get sometimes from my colleagues and our managers and the wider company.

OP did you go from having no children to having four to assist family/social services?

This is very mean of them. Being a single foster carer to FOUR children would be overwhelming for almost everybody. Presumably the responsibility comes with all kinds of emotional and other complications for the kids that you have to deal with. Next time they gossip, stick up for yourself and suggest that they walk a mile in your shoes before criticising.

I got the part time hours through a flexible working request.

Yes, I didn’t have any children before these 4 children that I’m now a kinship foster carer to.

they might have a point, you can't be doing that much between 9 and 3 , 2 days a week when you used to be full time. They're not wrong in demanding that management provide someone to deal with the extra hours or extra work they are given. Your colleagues workload should not be affected by your contract and change of contract.

But that's not your problem, someone agreed it was enough hours, and if they need extra worker, they'll have to recruit one.

You work your contracted hours and should continue to do so without guilt. Ignore all the comments about you. If there is a problem then it's up to them to raise it officially through the proper channels, but if you're working your contracted hours I don't see what they can do.

It also shows their total lack of understanding about what it is to be a kinship carer. The children have presumably been through a great deal of trauma to be in your care, and it's important you spend as much time as possible with them when you can give them your full attention. Working more is not going to achieve that, and in the end they're the priority.

that's not mean if they have an extra workload - and not extra pay - because management is not providing enough staff.

Blaming the OP is wrong, and her personal circumstances are nobody's business and completely irrelevant.

But telling management: we lost a full-time worker, so we have do deal with unreasonable extra work is the right thing to do

It’s absolutely not on you or your colleagues to make up the hours you’re not working now. Your employers need to hire someone for the other 3 days.
Most people would be annoyed to have to pick up this much extra work without financial remuneration

When you went part time, did the company employ someone to do the other 3 days? I think this is the issue and where the colleagues may be angry. If you were working full time and then dropped your hours, but the other hours aren't being done by anyone then this is going to cause extra workload. The colleagues are wrong to take this out on you, as you are now working as agreed, and take this issue higher up if workload is unreasonable.

Not your problem, you arranged to go part time, it was agreed upon, and you are fulfilling your agreement. Certainly you are adding value to the company for 12 hours a week?

If they feel they need another part-timer to fill the extra work load, then that is up to management to organize.

No they haven’t employed anyone else to do the other 3 days and they don’t currently have any intentions of employing someone else to do it either.

Just ignore the bullies, what do we tell our children about bullying and bullies, it’s upsetting but it’s part of life