Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Ridiculous 7am start on Boxing Day

436 replies

OatMilkLattes · 14/12/2022 11:04

Hi, I have rejoined MN after a few months off.

I work for a large company in London and we have the 26th/27th off.

We were sent a handover a few days ago from our boss as she has the entire Christmas period off (for the 4th year in a row, meaning I couldn’t take the time off too, but that’s another story!)

She has asked me to log on to my computer to check something at 7am on Boxing Day. In the handover it literally says ‘26th Dec - bank holiday’ and then says for me to log on. I will not get paid for this.

Also if said thing I am checking is wrong, I will need to flag with tech to fix it. That means I will need to phone them and because my flat is so insulated, I need to leave my house and go outside to get signal. I will also have people staying with me so I will end up waking everyone up.

Anyway I am FURIOUS. What can I do here? I feel like knowing I have to log on so early on Boxing Day will semi ruin my Xmas day.

😡

OP posts:
Littlebluedinosaur · 15/12/2022 20:23

Update?

Havanananana · 15/12/2022 20:26

Just cut out the wishy-washy stuff about having guests. What you do when you're on leave is nobody's business but your own, so the answer is "No - I'm on leave that day and therefore cannot [do the task]"

On a completely different note, you say that this task is to log on and check that X is working, and if it's not, to ask the technical folks to make it work again. This implies that there is a tech support team on call for Boxing Day. If so, why can't the tech team be proactive and check for themselves that X is working, and fix it if it isn't? (And why is this not the daily default?)

katepilar · 15/12/2022 20:34

LlynTegid · 15/12/2022 20:18

Do you know if your manager is out of the country on holiday? If so and emails are being responded to, is there an issue here? My company expressly forbids working from home outside of the UK. If I was on leave abroad and responded to emails, I would be effectively doing just this.

Why is that? I cant work it out and am curious.

Sleepysophie · 15/12/2022 20:40

What happens if you don’t do it? I mean you could always just say you forgot? Every day feels the same over Christmas, doesn’t it? Just say you overslept - given you’re officially on Annual Leave there can’t possibly be any come back?
unless not doing it means people will die then….

Zodiacsigns · 15/12/2022 20:45

magicthree · 15/12/2022 18:44

So you have to log onto a computer and possibly make a phone call and this is going to "ruin your Xmas Day"? Unbelievable.

I will go to my work over the holidays to bring in the rubbish bins, as I do every public holiday. They have offered to pay me, I decline. It takes a few minutes, I don't need paying - and if they didn't offer to pay me I wouldn't be FURIOUS.

Just because you enjoy martyring yourself doesn't mean OP has to

Tanith · 15/12/2022 20:48

I'd be tempted to deliberately misunderstand that final email and respond, copying all those managers:

"I confirm that I am unable to complete the task since I am not contracted to work on that day."

Mikki77 · 15/12/2022 20:55

call in sick a couple of days before your Christmas break.....

Mardyface · 15/12/2022 20:59

God she has really made herself look incompetent sending that email! Presumably making sure that thing was sorted was a condition of her 3 week holiday. I think the pp's very simple 'hi x as previous I'm unable to..' will give her enough rope to finish herself off tbh.

WallaceinAnderland · 15/12/2022 21:06

YABU - just reply, no I won't be checking as it's a non working day for me.

RelentlessForwardProgress · 15/12/2022 21:11

I'm wondering how much of your decision to leave was based on the way your manager behaves? If you have decided to leave based on her, I would imagine you have a good claim for constructive dismissal based on this email chain.

I would aim to be extremely professional in all dealing until the end, baring in mind they might be looked at as part of a claim, forward all relevant emails to another email account before you leave so you can use them as evidence, and speak to acas. .

You have three months minus a day to make a claim from your last day at work.

An employer making changes to your working times without your permission is considered good grounds. The fact that you have repeatedly pushed back and the manager keeps on trying strengthens things, I think (IAMAL)

JassyRadlett · 15/12/2022 21:11

Stop explaining yourselves and encouraging OP to, very lovely PPs! She doesn't need to say it's because she has plans, or because she's on leave, or whatever.

OP, she's stupidly set this up beautifully for you. Your reply all only needs to be: Hi Jane, as you're aware from our previous two/three exchanges on this issue, I'm not available to do this.

Job done.

fancyacuppatea · 15/12/2022 21:15

"Manager.
I have already TOLD you that I will not be doing YOUR task on Boxing Day.
YOU will have to get up at 7am and do it YOURSELF.
Kindest Regards
OML"

ChristmasCwtch · 15/12/2022 21:20

You just reply all…

”Hi x,

As mentioned, I’m taking leave on 26th December. I’ve just got the 2 days (25/26th) off over the Christmas period. I won’t be available to log in on 26th.

All the best,
xx”

Thesehills · 15/12/2022 21:20

mariahcareyearworm · 14/12/2022 11:16

Don't be specific about your reasons. Just say, sorry it's a bank holiday and I've made plans which mean I won't be able to work that day.

This.

Stand your ground and let her logon.

ShandaLear · 15/12/2022 21:26

magicthree · 15/12/2022 18:44

So you have to log onto a computer and possibly make a phone call and this is going to "ruin your Xmas Day"? Unbelievable.

I will go to my work over the holidays to bring in the rubbish bins, as I do every public holiday. They have offered to pay me, I decline. It takes a few minutes, I don't need paying - and if they didn't offer to pay me I wouldn't be FURIOUS.

Jesus, get down off the cross. We need the wood. If you’re fond of doing unpaid work I have walls that need painting and a garden that could do with a good tidying up.

ShandaLear · 15/12/2022 21:32

‘Hi Jane and Senior Managers,

No, I will not be logging on to anything at 7am on Boxing Day.

Kind regards,

OP

Subtlety1985 · 15/12/2022 21:39

JassyRadlett · 14/12/2022 11:19

Agree - it's a very straightforward one from you to whoever you're reporting on this stuff to while she's off. "Hi - I've been allocated this task for Boxing Day but unfortunately it wasn't agreed with me first. I've got plans for the bank holiday that clash with this and won't be able to do this one. Best wishes, etc.'

Please say this, but email it to her.

She cannot expect this from you. Managers often rely on people feeling like they have to do these things. It cannot be forced upon you. For example, if you ever raised it with HR further down the line, she would say, “well you could have said no, but you didn’t, therefore I thought you were ok with it”.

Please, don’t let her away with it. Just refuse, she will find someone else and if she doesn’t she will have to do it. That’s her job.

Subtlety1985 · 15/12/2022 21:45

ChristmasCwtch · 15/12/2022 21:20

You just reply all…

”Hi x,

As mentioned, I’m taking leave on 26th December. I’ve just got the 2 days (25/26th) off over the Christmas period. I won’t be available to log in on 26th.

All the best,
xx”

Just seen your latest post. What a witch!

I really hope you replied with something similar to this 🤞

dollytot · 15/12/2022 21:50

Do NOT do it OP.

Your boss is taking the p, and if you do it she'll think she can walk all over you. Just tell her your plans have changed and you won't have internet or something. Stand firm.

lieselotte · 15/12/2022 21:51

OatMilkLattes · 15/12/2022 11:00

Lol so she didn’t reply but this morning has emailed on a big chain with lots of managers asking me to confirm that I will be checking this.

I have no words

Do a reply all, and say "dear manager, as I've already explained, I am on leave on Boxing Day, and will be unable to work. Have a great Christmas holiday".

sueelleker · 15/12/2022 21:52

ShandaLear · 15/12/2022 21:26

Jesus, get down off the cross. We need the wood. If you’re fond of doing unpaid work I have walls that need painting and a garden that could do with a good tidying up.

Show quote history

😂😂😂

lieselotte · 15/12/2022 21:53

On a completely different note, you say that this task is to log on and check that X is working, and if it's not, to ask the technical folks to make it work again. This implies that there is a tech support team on call for Boxing Day. If so, why can't the tech team be proactive and check for themselves that X is working, and fix it if it isn't? (And why is this not the daily default

I also agree with this.

Although it's not your job, when you reply all to the email below could you cc in the tech team and ask them if one of their team can check the issue and fix if necessary? It might be being a bit too helpful though.

busybusy10 · 15/12/2022 21:57

I hope you told her no and get lost. You are leaving! It is sometimes so hard to be assertive, I would be the same in your shoes.

FlamingJingleBells · 15/12/2022 21:58

Can you make a complaint to your union and HR? Does your contract specify working a bank Holiday shift? If it doesn't then you don't have an obligation to work it and she's trying to bully into it.

mariahcareyearworm · 15/12/2022 22:02

Reply All, Reply All, Reply All!!!!