time in lieu - what is reasonable

[mulranno]

I am a manager in a blue chip multi-national contracted to work the standard 37.5 hrs a week. last week I worked on an major project with a significant deadline which involved me working 18hr days for 8 days solid thru the weekend. When I spoke to my manager about taking some time in lieu to recover I was told that this was at the managers discretion and the guideline was to take one day off for each whole weekend worked. I do lots of extra hours already as we have partners on the west coast of the US so I am often required to do teleconfs and turnaround documents in the evenings which I never take time off for and I even for last weeks 18hr days I was prepared to write off the exta 10hrs a day in the week but wanted recognition for my weekend...what can I do here? If I go to HR it will not look good -- but is this illegal? any advice?

This is the norm in many industries and most of the main professions, and commitment to all this 'extra' stuff is also (quite wrongly) 'remembered' come bonus/promotion time.

first thing you need ot do is check your employment contract - does it say anything about overtime/time off in lieu?

Then check if you are doing miles more than your peers on average.

Some jobs (e.g doctors) are now protected and cannot do long hours, but most senior/managerial/professional roles are outside the working times directive. Again, check your contract to see if they say anything about WTD.

If you have children, it would be worth picking up the phone to whoever is in charge of Diversity (it'll be listed somewhere on your website) and saying that you are finding overtime demands too onerous, and can they help? That could get you a lot more sympathy/assistance than just calling the usual HR people.

I'm not surprised you want recognition for it. Does your company have a bonus scheme or performance related pay thing where showing extra effort can be rewarded?

Is it an option that you can start work later if you've got a scheduled call late afternoon / early evening that's outside your normal 37.5 hours? sounds fair (bit then fair doesn't always come into it!)

We have no official way of taking TOIL - even though I travel a lot, and often have to work at the weekend. My manager does accept a day off in return for days worked away at weekends and UK holidays, but we don't get it for long days or travel time (like flying out on a Sunday).
For evening conference calls, the norm in my company is that people leave work early when they have a late call to do at home.

For me, as I said I have never taken TOIL before for eve work leaving early/arriving late due to travel. However this 8 day almost 24hr a day project was an exceptional highly stressful event with corporate / global ramifications. I think I am just disappointed that my manager (who was not involved in the activity)was so prescriptive wrt "discetion". I was not going to clock my hours - just wanted a "weekend" following 144hrs of work in a week when I am only paid for 37.5...so I worked an extra 100hrs for free...

if your manager was not directly involved, does (s)he know how many extra hours you did?

were you told you needed to work these hours? or were you asked if you could?