AIBU to stop covering my job-share partner's time off?

[JobShareDrama]

I job share with a woman at work. We both work 2 days each. I’ve covered for her a few times when she had child care issues during school holidays, but never had her cover for me yet.

I asked her in Jan to cover my 2 week holiday in July and she agreed. A few days ago she sent me a list of all the days and weeks she needs me to cover. I agreed to them, even though it’s not convenient for me, as she’s covering for me.

I agreed to them all, and on doing so she immediately sent me a return message saying she can no longer cover my holiday, leaving me in the lurch.

So, I’ve covered for her multiple times, and she’s not once returned the favour.

I feel like saying I’m not doing her dates then, but then this will pretty much ring the death bell on a cordial working relationship. TBH I’m sick of being a peacekeeper and mug to people.

AIBU to from henceforth just say I’m not free to cover her days off?

As a jobshare myself I don’t think you should be covering each other’s leave. In a role covered by one full time person there will be times when that person is on leave. Same in a job share. If you’re both on leave one week that’s the same as a full time person being on leave. Or if one of you is off, it’s like the full time person taking half the week off. That said, there’s no denying if one of you is off then the work will ramp up for the other. My jobshare and I often try and be off at the same time for this exact reason. Altjpugh it’s not always possible and I do dread those weeks!

This doesn’t really apply does it under the circumstances, OPs colleague had also already agreed to cover her shifts and then changed her mind so why can’t OP change her mind?

She agreed cover and backed out.

I would have zero qualms about doing the same to her for any dates that you don't want to do. Keep the ones where you want the overtime, ditch the rest.

Any "cordial working relationship" has long since gone, you're not losing anything here

Yep, get your manager involved. What a cheeky cow, this was so deliberate!

At least she put it in an email so you have everything in writing if you need it.

I do think you need to push this back to your manager to sort cover.

I also think you should be speaking to your manager about the other dates. Say you feel uncomfortable just sorting it out between you, that from now on, would it be better if your manager asked you to do overtime, and approved /declined you and your colleagues PTO as they see fit. (It could be for just one day in a week, your manager would rather just have no one in than pay you overtime etc)

How does this work practically? That you work 4 week when she's on leave? Do you get paid the extra days? That sounds a totally impracical arrangement.

This. Of course you can renege.

You simply reply stating that, as you only agreed to do them in exchange for her covering your holiday dates, you feel the balance of the working relationship is unfair and will no longer be available to do her dates. You had planned to move things around in your personal life to accommodate her and it is no longer convenient for you to do so either. In a job share, frankly this should be going through a line manager and be monitored if your contract states that you will cover for each other’s days off. If it is in your contract, then she should be made to do those dates as you are entitled to annual leave and she agreed to them, in which case you can then reciprocate.

However, it sounds as though no such clause is in your contract so, in the immortal words of Catherine Tate’s Nan: ‘Fuck her’.

I disagree.

OP "asked [job-share partner] in Jan to cover my 2 week holiday in July and she agreed."

If the job-share partner can agree and then back out, I see no reason the OP cannot do the same.

I'd do the same as OP is doing - "the manager can sort it". And job-share partner could whistle dixie for future favours.

Work only the extra days that actually suit you. As you've said, sometimes the extra money is nice. No more doing her any short notice favours unless it truly works well for you.

Fuck her. She'll need you before you need her. School summer holidays are just round the corner. In future cover her only if you want the extra money. Don't do it for her as a favour.

That suggests that @JobShareDrama should be held to a higher standard than her job share partner, @Loulou4022. Her colleague agreed to cover the OP’s holiday, but has now withdrawn that agreement, so why would it be unfair for the OP to do the same?

Wow, she really is banking on you never having a boundary. If you want to work and earn more great, but just bank it. And I would at the very least say no occasionally and see how it lands. She sounds awful

Yeah like f* would I cover her holidays if she wouldn't cover mine.

To me that is sinking to the job share partners level but each other own.

Being able to cover each other's leave is a perk for both you (if willing and able to do so for additional pay) and the employer (easy cross cover and no need to figure out additional cover or for manager to step in).

But you being able to take leave shouldn't be dependent on your job share partner covering - if you were 1 full-time person the organisation would have to do something to cover when you took leave.

So speak to your manager about what cover is needed for your July holiday (or get her to do so if she's the one no longer able to work committed hours).

And in future you should only cover her leave when you are able to if you'd welcome the extra pay.

There's a line to draw somewhere between sinking to someone's level and not allowing yourself to be a total doormat.

@JobShareDrama

I'd wait a day or two then email "I've just checked my calendar more closely and I won't be able to cover <insert 2/3rds of her requested days>. I will let <boss's name> know that they will need to arrange cover when I tell him that you won't be covering my holiday leave as we had previously arranged."

So the company pays twice? Annual leave and extra for the cover? Swapping days only works if it is reciprocal, not for prolonged periods.

Yeah I'm sorry, this can't continue.

If she's going to renege on something like this, then you need to take it up the line and all leave is approved and cover arranged with your manager. Then it becomes their problem and not yours.

Why?
The colleagues had agreed to cover for her during her holidays abd then decided that she wouldn’t do it.
im not sure why the OP can’t do the same??

This. I mean it's good if you are in when the other person is not but people are allowed to go on holiday and you shouldn't have to do extra hours if your contract is 21 hours or something. Just seems an odd way of going about things.

Agree, also, do you need to cover all each other's days off? If there were one person in the role rather than two that person would take holidays sometimes without cover. Why can't you?

Definitely bring it to Manager’s attention and point out it can’t be one-sided, nor should people back out without very good reason @JobShareDrama

This is Beautiful
Perfect reply
Fuck your working relationship, she obviously doesn't value it.

Neither of you should be covering eachother's days off. Your jobshare partnership = 1 full time employee and that entitles your employer to 46.4 weeks of effort per year, with 5.6 weeks paid annual leave. If you and your jobshare partner were to always take overtime to cover each other's leave, the employer would be getting 52 weeks of effort per year - admittedly at a slightly higher cost but the employer has no right to expect that. Yes stop covering her days off and don't ask or expect her to cover yours - both of you just stick to working the hours that you have been employed to do and enjoying the annual leave that you are entitled to.