Unpaid overtime?

[ThatNattyPlayer]

Anyone works working for a company, larger or smaller, do you get paid for any overtime you do?
my role is reliant on me working extra hours before and after my usual hours, weekends and sometimes when I’m on annual leave, I used to be paid for it but now the company has put a blanket ban on all overtime payments
AIBU to tell them to piss off
or is this standard now?

A previous company they expected it- I left after 8mths.

Current company, only need to do overtime in rare cases. Sometimes it paid and other times we can chose time off in lieu. I always chose the later, because otherwise I just pay more tax on the over time.

I'd say you'll take it TOIL and otherwise, you can't stay back anymore!

YANBU, this is blatant exploitation. No idea why anyone would vote YABU to this.

There is a lot of blame culture at the company I’m at, if something comes in after hours it’s expected to be completed or the guilt game comes into play

Depends very much on role. Low paid junior role there may be overtime or TOIL. at senior or better paid professions roles no.

With my employer it depends on your grade. I’ve never (qualified accountant) had a job that offered either paid overtime or TOIL. But that’s reflected in the degree of autonomy and salary that my role offers. In my team I encourage people not to work overtime but they tend to view the flexibility as compensation for the odd busy day. I know this because one or two have turned down not insignificant pay rises to avoid losing that flex.

If you are in a salaried role, I think it is fairly common for people to work overtime here and there. Eg - you have a hard deadline for a presentation or project and it just needs to be done. If you are paid by the hour, you should be paid for the hours you do.

In your example, the fact that you were being paid and its now stopped means you need to stop doing the extra. Especially as it just sounds like the regular situation.

Depends on what was in your contract.

Are you on a salary or a wage? That makes a huge difference in expectations as to whther you get overtime or are expected to just get the job done.

I get an annual salary, I am in a senior role but not management, I am paid less than others in my role currently, the overtime is a daily if not weekly basis, most weekends require something extra.
I also have no holiday cover so expected to help out, take laptop away with me etc

I've worked for a few places like this, as I tend to work in small startups where the owners live to work, and expect everyone else to as well. In all but one case I managed to change the culture by just refusing to bow to it.

I don't mind doing the occasional bit of work out of hours if it's a crisis or if I need to do something out of hours (I'm in IT so sometimes I have to do work that's going to take systems offline for other people, I'll do it out of hours). But if I'm working out of hours, then I'm taking that time back elsewhere, and if it's happening more than once every few months, then thats bad planning and I'm going to start telling people to piss off.

Same with holiday cover. No, my laptop isn't coming with me, the fact that they don't have anyone to cover my work is because they don't want to spend the money on it. That's their problem, not mine.

I always get a lot of pushback at first, but within a couple of months they stop. They need me more than I need them, and once they realise they can't bully me into it they give up.

The one time I didn't manage to sort it, I gave up within 3 months and quit. They want to work themselves to death, then fine, but that's not how I plan to live my life.

Surely this will not be legal. You are entitled to Al and uninterrupted lunch break during your shift. That's a basic legal requirement. We can argue about your total weekly hours based on what's in your contract but they certainly can't demand you work on your holiday.

I have never had a full lunch break, soon as I start it someone is ringing me to chase something, it’s like this every day

I diarise my lunch break in my calendar so I’m down as “busy” during that time. I absolutely would not be taking my laptop on holiday with me and I’m fairly certain that’s not legal.

If they’re not going to pay or give toil, I’d be pushing back hugely on the extra time I “donated”, particularly if I were paid less than others in my role (why can’t they cover when you’re on leave?)

By the end of my first year in the NHS I worked out that the amount of unpaid overtime I’d worked was equivalent to over 100 days of 9 to 5. Never dared calculate it since. Not recommended.

We all work in separate branches so even though they do the same role we aren’t allowed to cover for other branches

Just don’t work outside your normal hours. They can’t have it both ways.

On your lunch break leave your desk and if possible go somewhere you cannot be contacted.

Annual leave: Do not take any device that is linked to the company. If you have a personal device do not engage with company activity.

When you have finished your paid hours log off and go home. If the company have and use your personal or home phone do not answer.

Get a new phone number added to your existing phone and do not give them access to that number ever.

You are entitled to a private life away from that company and you are not a slave.

I don’t do a second I’m not paid for. Lunch is mine. Occasionally I throw in a bit of time at the weekend if it suits me to help out and I take that time back in the week.

Nobody has ever said a word, and everyone is doing it.

I agree with this.

I might stay 30 mins late or so now and again, I might even move my lunch break to accommodate a meeting but I get a lot of flexibility for kids medical appointments etc

If it's not two way then stop working lunch or after hours.

What would actually happen?

Do you receive toil??
You shouldn't be working at all whilst on annual leave... how does that even work???

I don’t receive any time back
I work from home so if I’m off for a week or even a day they call me and ask me to log on quickly and help or they ask me to just work from my phone if I am out or on holiday soemehere

They won’t be delighted, but if you log off/don’t answer the phone out of hours, what can they do?

Your employer is using you and taking advantage of you

Once you have worked your paid hours do not answer the phone or log on

I would find another job where you are appreciated

Is it a work phone or personal?
Don't answer work calls when you are off.
Why would you?

You absolutely need to refuse to do any work while on annual leave, they have no leg to stand on demanding that. I also wouldn't be happy doing unpaid overtime. I'm in a salaried role but overtime usually earns toil, but when its overtime demanded rather than overtime offered I.e. I voluntarily work extra most days to get tasks finished then take the extra hours off when I want to but if there's a rush and I'm asked to stay late to finish or do work at the weekend then they must offer me overtime pay (they can do a calculation using my salary to figure out an hourly rate then add on 50% or 100% depending how many hours I do)