To ask you'd do a 48-50 hour working week?

[Donthaveanameinmind]

On a regular basis? I've started a new job, I'm in week 1 and having doubts.

The way it was presented at interview sounded like a choice between two shift patterns. Started the job and there is an unwritten pressure to do the later shift..it would mean me getting home at around 7:45pm 5 times a week which is a lot.

I've tried to be clear and say that I cannot do it every evening and just certain days. They've said they will let me know if they want me on overtime, so I said I can with notice.

They've then come back and said it could be a same-day request, so i could be asked at very short notice to do an extra 2 hours. Or, it may be requested in advance depending.

Honestly it's concerning me, I have pets and I don't want them left for 11 hours at a time every day. Whether others do isn't the issue, i don't personally want to. Not only that but I can't make many plans, a lot of clubs/cinema etc start earlier and if I'm doing 10 hour days every day I'll likely be knackered.

Would you do this? I think they want someone who's married to the job who can stay late at short notice, and this wasn't communicated in interview.

I did 60-80 hours a week as part of SLT in a sixth form college. It nearly killed me though.

I'd work long hours for a well salaried career, or on the lower rungs of one.
I wouldn't for £14 an hour. After tax, you'd be spending quite a lot of it on pet sitters.

My old job was considerably more than that even when I went 4 days a week. But it was very well paid. The pay needs to reflect the hours otherwise why would you??

Nope, not in a million years.
You may want to see what your contact says about start/finish time.
Looks like you may need to start looking for a new job unfortunately.

You can do 9-5 or 11-7.
I understand that 9-5 is your preference, but if you are arriving at 9 and staying until 7, just start arriving for 11 for now until you find an alternative.

What exactly does your contract say about your hours? Does it specify the weekly total and does it have a compulsory overtime clause ie something like “you will work such additional hours as the company requires”?

There are 2 separate issues

1. The shift pattern
2. The overtime

The shift pattern is a discussion about what was implied when they interviewed you and what you can agree with them.

The overtime point is more complex. Even if there is a compulsory overtime clause you can’t be pushed into habitually working over 48 hr weeks if you haven’t expressly agreed to it (it’s a nuanced calculation so you might need someone to check). If there is no compulsory overtime wording then the employer has reasonableness and proportionality obligations and you can’t be compelled. Again this is a tricky area so you might want to join a union.

The bigger picture is, do you really want to carry on working for them or look for another job? If it was an entry level role with great promotion prospects maybe, if it isn’t then perhaps start looking.

I work this every week, but only get paid for 32h. No overtime, no TOIL. And it's just expected of me.

My other interview went well and hopefully been successful. They asked my exact availability and told me they will work around me and I do not have to work outside of it unless I want to. Only a couple of lates a week on days I've selected, very transparent process, was like night and day.

Depends on the job. There are some jobs where a lot of the time you're doing something easy, or even nothing, on quiet days. There are other jobs where you're expected to work through breaks and take work home.
I'd say yes if I got some flexibility from the job and enjoyed it-and if it was legal, which might depend which country you're in etc.

I did early in my career, maybe 55/60 hours a week but I had no other responsibilities and was very ambitious. Now? Not a chance.

Welcome to the world of work.

Approach this dilemma calmly.
There are several approaches you could use and I've used in the past because EMPLOYERS are always piling on pressure to marry you to their workplace.
Suggestions.
..Have TWO PHONES ( one is SECRET that only friends and family know )and the other phone gets SWITCHED OFF when you clock off .

Think of the possibility of sending text message to the right person ( or MEMO) EVERY WEEK saying the same thing : ' Unfortunately I am unable to participate in extra overtime next week'

Another message to Line Manager saying how you've enjoyed your shifts so far but would prefer mainly EARLY SHIFT and if there's none available would like to be considered for this in future rota planning.

I do regularly but only when I choose to do overtime so that includes 9 hour days and some weekend work. I wfh so it’s not disruptive and I’m not pressured to go over my contracted 37.5.

I'm a nanny and a LOT of nanny jobs are 60 hours a week, some more. Personally I think there should be a law against that.

I don't understand your question because you're clear that you personally don't want to do this and don't think that what others would do is relevant.

When i said that i meant the bit about leaving pets all day, but i wanted to know what people thought of the work part.

@Donthaveanameinmind
I think they had the agenda in mind to offer the job to whomever they thought when interviewed would be the least likely to make a "fuss"
They know they're extracting the urine and at under £15 hourly pay sudden work changes plus long hours you're totally being taken for a ride
I also feel you were lied to at interview
Best to get you then dictate how they wanted it eh?
You can speak to someone higher up
But that'll do nothing I reckon
As they wanted a human sponge so grateful they'd just soak it up
You don't need this
Look for something better
They don't care about you to have been so shite in the first place.......
And your pets need their Mum

I’m a teacher, so do it every week.

I’d rather not!

Bingo!!!
Was waiting for that one

Your colleague should be working her share, or they need to hire someone to work the additional 15 hours. Fortunately it's below the 16 hour threshold that some people on benefits don't want to hit, so it should be easy to find someone to do it.

More seriously, they are taking the piss, so walking away is the best option. They may wonder why they can never get someone in that role to stay.

No, I wouldn’t. Those kind of terms should be made clear in the job description.

I would even be furious if it was only discussed at interview. I had an issue in the past where significant aspects of the terms of the job and contract were only brought up at interview, where if I’d known they were the case I’d never even have applied for the job, let alone booking a half day of work and paying for travel to the interview location.

To only make this clear after you have taken the plunge and accepted the job is unforgivable. I would put all my effort into looking for another job.

Depends if you have a job already OP.
If not you don't really have much choice. But you can always keep looking while doing that one.

I wouldn’t do it and I’d be very clear about that up front, and either leave immediately or look for another job asap depending on what was financially viable.

They're hired a lakey. You'll get all of the shit work.

If you can back out then do. If not, start looking for something else and see this as a filler I think and tell them there will be no overtime unfortunately as same day or very short notice doesn't work for you.

It sounds awful. It's barely living wage. No way should they expect someone to suddenly be available for an extra two hours more often than not with less than an hour's notice?

Compliance for what? How can it be so urgent yet they don't actually have enough staff to cover the hours they didn't contract them for?!

Is there anything positive about it?