Asked to do extra day to cover colleague off sick, boss cancelled at last minute

[Notonyournellly]

I work p/t for a local authority. One of my colleagues is on long term sick leave so my manager got permission for me to work extra days to cover. I said yes and made sure to keep the days free. Now she's texted to say I am not needed tomorrow, and won't be paid, which I am a bit miffed about as I cancelled other plans. Can they do that at such short notice? Just wondering if it's worth me kicking up a fuss with the HR department.

It would be better to raise directly with your manager than going all guns ablazing to HR. Maybe it wasn't your manager's fault.

Might be better to find out if your manager thinks they might need you for coverage, can you agree an approach that's a bit more predictable. If you have something important happening, you can always say sorry I can't help I have a plan I can't cancel.

I am pretty certain the situation is under her control. The manager above her is very busy elsewhere and leaves her to run all the day to day operations. I was sent an email offering a list of dates to cover, which I agreed to do. It wasn't anything 'important' I had to cancel, just a social get together, but even so, I don't like having my time so casually used. I just wondered where I stand contractually with an agreement like that. What if the shoe had been on the other foot and I bailed out of coming in to cover at short notice?

Does your contract cover additional hours in any way?

I'd be inclined to mention your dissatisfaction to your manager, and say you are happy to cover dates you have been asked to wherever you can, however if she wants you to be available you need confirmation of the dates in writing and that you will be paid for them even if she changes her mind. If she won't do that, or at least agree a 'notice period' by when she needs to confirm or pay anyway, then don't offer to do any more extra dates.

I am on a fixed hourly rate in my job, so extra hours worked are either paid or taken as time off in lieu. I will certainly do as you suggest in future. The trouble with working part-time is that the boss is sometimes a bit cavalier with my time. In the past I have been called in or had my hours swapped at short notice. I'm usually happy to help out but it has to work for me too.