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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be a bit miffed at being described as a "part timer" when I work 4.5 days a week?

32 replies

fretaway · 11/01/2010 22:01

dh rang me at work today, only I had moved desks and left the office for the day. My previous seat is now occupied by my line manager who picked up the phone, he said 'Oh I'm afraid she's left the office for the day, she's only a part-timer".
dh was a bit suprised that he said this, seeing as I work 4.5 days a week. I work 8am - 3pm on my full days and do not take a lunch break, what's more I rarely leave at 3pm, it's more like 3:30pm and 4pm when it's really busy plus I don't get paid for any extra time. I work 1 day a week from home but so does everyone else, does that constitute being part time?

So tell me fellow MNers, AIBU to feel a teensy bit p***d off? Or am I being oversensitive?

OP posts:
mazzystartled · 11/01/2010 22:05

I expect he was just trying to explain your abscence to someone he presumed was a customer

Why are you taking offence though? You ARE part time! And last I heard it wasn't an insult

piscesmoon · 11/01/2010 22:05

Oversensitive.

LadyBlaBlah · 11/01/2010 22:07

I get what you are saying

It is the whole attitude that you are not committed to your job, despite the fact you do more than required. Part timers (and you are only just one, get fewer promotions, less pay and more discrimination etc)

Another example of sexism at work. yanbu

fabhead · 11/01/2010 22:09

this would piss me off too. imo anything 4days a week plus is "working flexibly" not pt. PT is used as an insult in my (all-male) workplace.

blueshoes · 11/01/2010 22:09

I worked just one hour short of fulltime, started earlier and left earlier around 3-ish, 5 days a week, 30 minute lunch break.

I considered myself part time, as did everyone else.

Those are cushy hours. Not sure why you are miffed.

skidoodle · 11/01/2010 22:09

if he really said you were "only" a part-timer, then I can see why you're pissed off.

It would be belittling and unprofessional to describe a colleague that way to a customer or client.

TigerDrivesAgain · 11/01/2010 22:10

I don't think you're at all oversensitive. What a daft thing to say to a client (if that's what he thought he was speaking to). "Only a part-timer". Not acceptable at all and discriminatory. However, probably not worth making anything of unless there is a history of undervaluing your work as a part-timer. Make a note of it, anyway.

What if your manager said this to a client who was themselves a part-time worker. Bet they'd be really impressed.

TimothyTigerTuppennyTail · 11/01/2010 22:12

Umm, LadyBlaBlah, how is it sexist? Assuming that all part-timers are women is a bit.....

..sexist.

Sorry OP, but you are part-time. Did you expect your line manager to waffle on about how, despite working less hours, you are a highly respected, competent hard worker? (Which I'm sure you are. )

blueshoes · 11/01/2010 22:14

The manager would be denigrating his own team to that client, if he used the word 'only'. So very silly.

Tiger, so true about a client being unimpressed if they worked pt as well. Now if I was a client, I would definitely pick up on that.

bluejeans · 11/01/2010 22:17

I used to work a 4 day week and got annoyed whenever my colleagues called me 'part-timer' - I always used to point out that I only got a part-time salary and that usually made them go quiet

mazzystartled · 11/01/2010 22:17

If this comment is part of a whole picture of consisting of undermining the op because of her part time role it would be discriminatory.

A one off comment on the phone? Really not worth getting huffy about.

WetAugust · 11/01/2010 22:22

As a fellow part-timer i recognise the only prefix

I work 5 days a week - 32.5 hrs per week in total. Full time is 37 - so I'm part-time

In any other european country 30 hours is considered full-time.

I'm surprised you get away without having to take lunch. I used to skip lunch but now have to take a 20min unpaid break thanks to EU directive

TigerDrivesAgain · 11/01/2010 22:22

timothy etc etc

It's sexist because statistically more women than men are able to work full time. It's also unlawful to discriminate against part-time workers (because statistically etc etc).

LadyBlaBlah · 11/01/2010 22:24

It is pretty well documented that it is more often women who take advantage of part time work in order to combine dual roles of mother and career, however it is also well documented that part-time work can also mean that women have more difficulty in gaining promotions and are considered to be not prioritising their careers, and this can be construed as systemic discrimination.

Not a lot you can do with one comment, but I would put money on the comment reflecting a (not necessarily overt) cultural opinion within your organisation

blueshoes · 11/01/2010 22:24

I was told by my employer that for every 6 hour stretch, they are legally obliged as an employer for health and safety reasons to provide the employee with a lunch break.

ImSoNotTelling · 11/01/2010 22:25

YANBU "only a part-timer" is insulting and a very stupid thing to say to someone who could well have been a client.

Bellepink · 11/01/2010 22:28

I think it all hinges on the inclusion of the word "only", if it was indeed actually used.

Explaining why someone isn't there by saying "X isn't here as X is a part-timer" is a simple statement of fact.

Whereas "X isn't here as X is only a part-timer" contains an element of condescension which the OP would be within her rights to pick up on and not like, IMO.

Tone may also play a part.

The trouble is it would rely on personal interpretation regarding the tone used, and an absolutely sound memory regarding the use or not of the word "only".

Dysgu · 11/01/2010 22:28

I see where you are coming from.

I am also a part-timer because I finish at 2pm twice a week instead of 3pm (teaching - so of course, none of us actually finished at these times!)

I describe myself as 'working every day' whenever anyone goes on about it being a cushy life being a part-timer.

ImSoNotTelling · 11/01/2010 22:32

I don;t usually dish out info about working patterns of colleagues.

If someone isn't in the office I simply say they are not in the office, offer to take a message, suggest email etc etc.

Some clients are cocks and can get shirty if they think their business is being handled by someone who is "only a part-timer". Easiest not to get into it.

TigerDrivesAgain · 11/01/2010 22:34

Bellepink - explaining that X is a part-timer isn't very helpful itself really, whether or not "only" was used, it still has a discriminatory ring to it, IMO.

Why not say - X isn't in the office at the moment but will be back tomorrow, can I take a message, or something like that? It's none of a third party's business what the OP's working hours are (even though unknown to the manager it was her DP).

I and some of my team work from home occasionally. It's taken a lot of effort to get colleagues to say the right thing in response to phone calls (ie not making the client think they're intruding on a day off etc). "Tiger's not at her desk but will call you back shortly" will normally suffice. "Tiger's "working" from "home" and I'll see if she can take your call" is plain irritating. This line manager isn't doing their business any favours as well as showing his true colours.

ImSoNotTelling · 11/01/2010 22:44

yes tiger spot on.

cat64 · 11/01/2010 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TigerDrivesAgain · 11/01/2010 22:56

cat64 - I really think that a manager saying X isn't here, she's a part-timer, is not on, whether or not X is fortunate to be working pt. I know it's splitting hairs, but even saying "she works part-time" or better " she isn't normally here after 3.30" would be better. We all know that in practice there can be a trade off in working pt in terms of career progression etc (can be - not necessarily is)but legally there is protection against this, and this manager's approach isn't appropriate

ImSoNotTelling · 11/01/2010 22:56

Well durr obviously you would say "they are out of the office until next wednesday" or whatever, no need for caller to know whether they are on holiday, off sick, on parental leave, training course, away on business etc etc. Then ask if it is urgent can you/anyone else help.

Regular clients (in our work) are told by the contact which days they work and what to do on other days.

No-one would dream of answering the phone to a person, not knowing who they are, and say "they're not here they're only a part-timer". It is incredibly unprofessional.

blueshoes · 11/01/2010 23:00

cat64, I agree with you about being clear as to my working hours, so that there is no misunderstanding as to why I did not get back to callers. I have it on my voicemail message when my working day ends. Then again, I only had internal clients, not external ones.