To refuse to stay late?

[Carlie97]

My core hours are 9am to 5pm. Other staff work til 6pm and most the same hours as me. My transport home leaves at 5.30pm and there isn't anything else til 9.00pm.

Those at work haven't forseen that one day this week there will be no one to stay until we close at 5.30pm and this happens regularly when other staff are on holiday or off sick. I've asked around the office and no one else will stay til 5.30pm even though they traipse in much later than their official start time. It's shit. AIBU to leave at 5pm anyway, tell the managers this and let them sort it? They don't give a shit and theres a rela hierarchy of 'theyre too important to deal with this stuff'. It's not my job either.

YANBU. Tell your line manager that there will be no-one there after 5pm and then your covered. You've told her, what she chooses to do about it is up to her.

Agree with this. Let your manager, manage. It is quite literally her job. Dont make any judgy comments about others sauntering in after start time, keep your beak out. Just work your hours as contracted, keep your end irreproachable, and inform her you cannot stay beyond 5pm.

Who’s job is it to ensure that there is someone to close it up? If it’s not yours, then don’t say anything, as by mentioning it, you’ll get invited to stay late. Stay schum and let someone realise the problem.

no one else will stay til 5.30pm even though they traipse in much later than their official start time.

poor management, so I'd politely remind the manager that there's no one for closing and let them do their job and manage it.

or be professional:

My hours finish at xx anyway, I HAVE to leave at xx , I am not sure there's anyone staying after me. basically not my problem but I warned you so I am not staying later even if I am the last one on site

Leave when you’re contracted hours end, I wouldn’t even bother mentioning there’s no one available after that time.

This kind of thing happens regularly at my work, I’ve no idea how they resolve it because I don’t hang around to find out.

If I left on time and closed up im sure I'd get bollocked. The more senior managers probably think it's not a problem they should solve but it's not my job either. I tried to approach other staff to see if they'd stay later but no one would or could yet senior managers were insisting someone needed to answer the phones and I am holding strong this time that I cannot stay and be the doormat.

You could email your manager and say you’re concerned because you’re due to finish at 5 on this day and as far as you are aware nobody else is due to be there after 5. You are unfortunately unable to stay later due to transport. Then it’s their problem.

I don't even know why you're asking if you would be unreasonable? 😳

I tried to approach other staff to see if they'd stay later

but why are you doing that OP?

Well hang on. When you say “core hours” are those fixed hours, or does your contract require you to do other hours as required for the needs of the business. That is important on how I would frame the issue.

It’s not clear from your post what core hours are. We have core hours at work which are the hours we are all required to be working. The rest of the day is flexible and we are free to come and go as long as we have hours in credit and then office is covered.
The core hours end before the phones end so someone must always stay until 5 to make sure that the phones are covered. It’s up to the staff to take turns to stay. The same person cannot go early every day and leave someone else to it.
Is this how it works for you OP or when you say core hours for you mean your actual set hours?

They then repeatedly bat it back to me to find a solution.

Because management did nothing about it and constantly batted it back to me.

Reply back to say the only solution is to close up early. Then do it.

If You want to be firm but helpful, you could suggest they pay for a taxi for you to get home as otherwise you can’t stay. If you don’t want to stay at all then tell them you can’t do it today because of prior commitments.

You just tell them that you'll be leaving at that time.

Bat it back to them. You've already gone above and beyond in asking around and it's now their problem.

You could lay their options out for them - as no one is able to stay past 5pm, you could close up then, OR they could find someone who can stay past 5pm themselves, OR you could stay on til 5.30pm if you can expense a taxi home (if that's something you'd consider). Then it's up to them.

Why are they batting it to you? Will you be last to leave at 5pm? Will there be anyone else in that day.

I'd just go home if you are not responsible for managing this situation.

Not sure why you are even flagging it and getting involved.

Yes, this.

Core hours are fine but most contracts have something in them about working extra/changing them to suit the needs of the business.

Not being rude but why are you bothering with sorting this out ?

The office needs to be manned until 5.30. So someone whose hours are to close of play at 5.30 should do it. And they lock up.
Make sure people know you are leaving at 5. Make sure you manager knows it too.

You need to find your inner Claire…

I have a manager who can’t mange so I understand op. It’s happened to me multiple times. No one to cover shifts when I’m not there. Only me in when it’s supposed to be at least 3 staff. Having to stay late because I’m not finished due to being on my own and unable to get the work of 3 people done in my hours. I sent emails letting my manager know there was literally no one on the rota some days ! Who did she think would be working! It was my non working day. I ended up cancelling my pre booked annual leave a couple of times due to this. I worked over, carried the work of a whole team alone. My manager would pass off my emails, setting out needed cover etc, as her own. So it looked like she was dealing with it but really it was me while she just looked competent. Eventually a much more senior manager came to cover her when she went off sick. They obviously discovered what had been happening. They apologised for the position I’d been put in. Arranged meetings and overturned the whole thing. We are now properly staffed thank goodness. Before she came along I was getting fed up and loudly saying this. I totally understand that you can’t just up and leave and they bat it back to you. They are paid more because they are there to manage. Why should you do their job for free ! I wish I would have stopped sooner and stood my ground. You must do this op, you must finish at your normal time and go. If you don’t, these rubbish managers will continue to fly under the radar while getting you to do their job. Get angry, how dare they. If you stay late and stay quiet this will happen again and again. It will get worse. You must must must value your time. You have a life outside of work and your managers need to respect that

Your contracted hours are 9 to 5 — you have no obligation to stay beyond that unless your contract includes a clause requiring reasonable additional hours. If it doesn't, leaving at 5pm is not unreasonable.
Employers cannot unilaterally change your hours or expect unpaid overtime as a matter of routine. If this becomes a disciplinary issue, that could itself be a breach of contract.
Tell your manager in writing that your contracted finish time is 5pm and your transport leaves at 5.30pm, so you're unable to stay beyond your contracted hours without prior notice and agreement.
ukworkrights.co.uk has a free employment rights checker that covers exactly this

The solution is to close early that day. Just tell them and do it unless they find another solution.