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. If you dropped to two days your employer should have appointed someone for the three days a week.

I obviously don’t manage to do as much work as I did when I was full time.

Well this is the issue then. A manager needs to speak to someone higher up and address this. It isn't fair on your colleagues to have an increased workload because you cut your hours and they didn't replace you. I guess the company don't want to do this as they are currently saving money.

Depends on the age of the children really
Going from 0 kids to full time kinship care must be difficult and it's important to keep your job, no matter how part time, just in case circumstances change once again.

Perhaps you can access some sort of assistance/grant with funding a course or career change into something that you will enjoy more and will eventually have better earning potential and flexibility

You can always get UC etc anyway so it doesn't really matter if it's not causing you financial trouble to work so little hours. You can increase or work extra once you've found your feet. But personally I would use this time to investigate changing employers or your field into something better where you will be more respected and a less toxic environment.

The setup sounds vaguely familiar. Has the fostering x 4 been posted about here previously?

Thank you for doing your best to keep the siblings together ❤️

Speak to HR let them know how you are coping with the change. Keep them upto date with how you are getting on.
This will be a massive adjustment for you all.

Sounds like your colleagues haven't got a clue how to behave in a workplace.

I get that but that isn’t my problem, I did a flexible working request for the part time hours and they agreed.

I think I read your previous thread?

if your employer has no intention of hiring someone for the other 3 days then I do understand the resentment of your colleagues and managers but that’s not your fault it’s the fault of your employer who agreed to the flexible working request in the first place . Flexible requests shouldn’t have an impact on those around you - it’s just not fair - no matter the incredibly good thing you are doing by taking on 4 children. In the kindest possible way that’s your family problem to bare not that of your colleagues

It's not your responsibility to cover the work outside your hours. If you were there full time before then you presumably have experience and expertise that your employer values.
I did the same when my DC started school. Worked two days a week term time only.
It was a perfect compromise to being a SAHM for me, my employer retained my 20 years experience.

Not OP's circus or monkeys! Nice bit of blame there!
She asked for very, very good reason and was granted.
The complainers need to take it up with the higher powers and not gossip and be fucking horrid to the OP.

I get the sense that no one in the company sees the point in me working there anymore because I’m only in work for 2 days (and even then it’s only during school hours) a week.

I think I have lost track of what the AIBU is.
For the OP she isn't unreasonable in working 2 days a week, whatever her reason, if that is what she requested and was permitted.
It also isn't unreasonable for her colleagues to be frustrated with having to do extra because the company seems to want to save money in not recruiting someone to make up the shortfall in hours.
This is why I am suggesting that they need to raise it with someone higher up. If the colleagues are making comments, then OP needs to perhaps respond and say to them they could also request flexible working if they wanted reduced hours like she did (reminding them that this is something that workplaces allow). Or to agree with colleagues that yes she is also finding the workload too much, and all collectively speak to HR
I am not really sure what else the AIBU is otherwise.

Who's blaming the OP here?

People are just saying that the workload of her colleagues is not her problem

but her circumstances are not the colleagues' problem either. They rightly demand not to be affected, and management need to employ someone else.

Colleagues would be stupid to blindly accept extra work for no extra pay, why should they?

Management is being blamed, because whoever is in charge messed that up and needs to fix it

So what though?

You're not the only woman in the world to work 2 days a week.

Have you posted about this before OP?

Most people would struggle with 4 kids. I have 3 and chose to. It’s hard.

that being said, what’s stopping you doing 3 days a week school hours?

Do you enjoy your job?
Do you get paid to be a foster carer?

If you don’t need this job then I’d tell them to shove it!

We have lots of staff who are PT and they are just as valued as the FT ones, in fact some work twice as hard!

Lots of peoples situations mean they can only work PT.
They sound jealous and bitchy - I would not want to work in this environment.

Well that's a them problem 🤷
As long as you are doing your job within your contracted hours you need to just ignore them gossiping.

That's not helpful.

They don't sound "jealous and bitchy", they had a full-time working colleague that went from 2 days a week, school hours, and they have to pick up the workload, presumably without extra pay.

They very reasonably are complaining to management about that.

Not the OP's fault, not the OP's problem, but the colleagues are not wrong to complain.

If they stopped gossiping, they'd get more work done!!
I think you need to make notes of what is being said and if needs be, put in a formal complaint about the way you are being treated. It is not acceptable for you to be having to deal with this level of nastiness.

I’d be inclined to talk to HR/ Senior Management about this . Managers should not be openly discussing this with junior staff - completely unprofessional bordering on bullying . Clearly your colleagues don’t understand the contract that has been drawn up between you & your employer. They need to go through the correct channels if they have an issue with their workload

Yes I enjoy my job, and yes I also get the fostering allowance as a kinship foster carer. But to be honest I am starting to like my job less recently because of all the gossiping and bitching from everyone else in the company.

Everyone else (colleagues and management) also gossips and moans that I’m not available on other days when I’m needed because I’m only working 2 days a week. They also gossip and moan if something comes up on the other 3 days a week and I’m not there to deal with it.

They're wrong to do it within ear shot of the OP! They do sound bitchy. They shouldn't have to pick up the slack but should complain directly to management at appropriate time.

And colleagues and management also moan and gossip that I “never seem to get any work done and only seem to do so little work” because I am “so part time and only work so few hours with no time to do lots of work” but I do as much work as I possibly can during my contracted hours!

Is this also termtime only?

It's not on that they are all gossiping about it, especially the managers, they shouldn't have agreed it if it wasn't going to work for the company, it's not your fault that they did and it's ? not working

What's the role? Is work time sensitive - can it wait until you return the following week or do others need to pick it up whilst you are off? Again, not your fault, but can see why they might be frustrated. However their frustration needs to be directed at the management.

We have a 0.5 whole time equivalent minimum, as anything less than that felt to be inefficient. But it's quite role dependent as to what is practical.