Company Has No TOIL - you just work the extra!

[MrsHarrisonFord]

so started in a new job

very small comapany and hours are 9-530 which is fine

Once a week I have to visit sites ( fine i knew this) but what didnt know till today is that they have no TOIL so tomorrow I have to drive for 4hrs to then do a training session for 3 then drive back. I mentioned to my manage that I would come in late on Wed - he replied why? as we have a team meeting at 9,and that we have no TOIL and its just one of those things. so I definately get the impression that its not even as if I can take it another time.

I was feeling very sheepish but now home feel outraged.

How should I proceed as I really need the full time job.

I was also the first to leave at 535 tonight and got loads of "looks" as I left.

Thats the way it works in my company too - but I knew my contract was no overtime/no TOIL, so no problem. If I do major work outside hours (ie weekends/bank holidays) then my boss is OK about taking the time back unofficially

Not all companies do TOIL, it's more common (although not always the case) in the public sector. The loads of looks thing sounds as if you've inadvertently joined a company with a crappy long hours culture. Not sure you can change it all on your own - are you up for a battle if you try?

Blimey i thought all companies did TOIL

am wondering if I have made a good move

Yes I'm afraid TOIL is pretty uncommon in the private sector.

TOIL is the exception rather than the rule I'm afraid. As others have said, common in the public sector, rare elsewhere.

Did you get a contract when you started? What did that say about overtime?

We only have unofficial TOIL with your manager.. all on the hush hush.. I've never thought TOIL was common except in council environments??

I've never worked for a firm that did TOIL or overtime payment.. you just get the job done.

What industry are you in?

Same here - I have never had official TOIL or overtime. On rare occasions when I have worked all weekend or cancelled holiday I have been told to take TOIL. I assume it is an office-based job? I guess the trade-off may be that if you (for example) had to be somewhere 2 hours away for 12 no-one would expect you to go into the office first?

what does your contract say? Normally employment contracts cover this by saying that the core hours are 9-5 etc, but that this will depend on the needs of the job. Generally there is an opt out of the working time directive too.

Would agree that TOIL is rare. Occasionally if working exceptionally late for a period (and by late I mean until at least after 9pm) I or Dh would be able to "work from home" for an afternoon.

If you are new to priavte sector then another surprise may be the fact that you are supposed to book dr/dentist appts in your own time.

i work in the public sector and no TOIL here, contract says hours required to do the job.

where I work it is so crap
it is a public sector job, whole place closes early on xmas eve, and new year's eve and then they make you pay back the time

we don;t give TOIL or pay overtime but if people are workign exceptionally long hours or coming in at weekends then we would ussually agree something on an adhoc basis.

If your work for the day is done ignore the looks at you leaving at 5.35, its a company culture thing but you can iognore it (I have!)

If it makes you feel better, I work around 45 hours a week, plus weekend work, which is 10 hours more than the full time contracted hours and I don't get more. In fact I get LESS. Because I work my hours across 4 days and not 5 I have to accept a part time salary of 80% of the normal basic.

Tis magic sometimes. But them's how it is.

I would be careful about approaching the 'long hours' thing though - if you always put your coat on at 5.30 when everyone else is working it can be difficult to fit in. Far far better to go with the long hours initially, 'prove yourself' as a hard worker and then put the coat on at 5.30.

Hey, Friar - are you coming to the meet-up Friday?

am about to negotiate babysitting... so will let you know.

Sorry for most professionals this is the case. What field do you work in?

It's written into my contract that i may be required to do extra hours

When my DH travels with work in his own time e.g Sunday evenings he doesn't get the time back.

I've only ever worked in one place that had TOIL and it was a large charity. Out of hours work is sometimes inevitable.

I wouldn't bother about leaving on time though. Daft long-hours culture.