having to work late every weekend

huggy15

hi all i recently started a job working in a small shop. I've been working there now for over 2 months. the shop relys on me and one other lad to cover the evening shifts through out the week, while the manager and another girl cover the mornings/days. the shop stays open until 10pm mon-sun and i usually get away by 10.30pm after every thing has been done and home by 11.
since i have started ive worked every thurs-sun usually 8 hours or more each day until 10 o'clock finish and this does not look likely to change. the other lad is only required to work mon-weds until ten o clock, as he has said he won't work weekends and only wants 3 days per week. i dont mind working weekends dont get me wrong but its the fact that its every weekend without fail stuck in the shop until late that is starting to get to me. im only 24 and enjoy heading out the odd weekend and having a bit of a social life.
Im thinking about approaching the boss and saying to him i think its unfair that only i shud be made work every weekend to unsociable hours while the other lad only works mon-weds which i think would be pretty handy. they have went through 3 emplyees before me that have had to work the same which i can now see why. i cant see myself sticking the job much longer, the odd saturday or Sunday swapped with the other lads mon tues or weds wud be lovely so thats what i am thinking about asking the boss whether he takes me on or not.
how do yous think should I go about approaching the boss ?

R.D. aka MR.D

I think that the other lad's hours have nothing to do with you.

I've worked in retail before and the most infuriating thing is someone else complaining about your hours. Any time that I've been in a better situation than others it's either because I've worked hard(get extra hours) or negotiated it (better shifts/bank holiday off).


How is it not 'fair' that the other guy works those days? I would bet that he negotiated that with the boss at the time he took the job.
Is it his fault that you didn't negotiate a better deal?

Approach your boss and see if he is willing to do anything for you and maybe the other guy will be willing to do the odd weekend but you might have to find something else if you're not willing to continue.

huggy15

R.D. aka MR.D wrote: »

I think that the other lad's hours have nothing to do with you.

I've worked in retail before and the most infuriating thing is someone else complaining about your hours. Any time that I've been in a better situation than others it's either because I've worked hard(get extra hours) or negotiated it (better shifts/bank holiday off).


How is it not 'fair' that the other guy works those days? I would bet that he negotiated that with the boss at the time he took the job.
Is it his fault that you didn't negotiate a better deal?

Approach your boss and see if he is willing to do anything for you and maybe the other guy will be willing to do the odd weekend but you might have to find something else if you're not willing to continue.

I've also worked in retail before, i worked in dunnes for 6 years.
would you not agree that in a small rural shop which it is, it makes more sense to have 2 lads working in the shop who are flexible instead of one who wont work weekends for no apparent plausible reason.
fair enough its not the other lads fault and no he didnt negotiate the hours from the start. he had previously been doing my job for a while but was unrealiable and calling in sick. he then quit but asked to come back but only if he didnt work weekends. tbh if i was in his shoes id be happy out as well. maybe in a larger work environment it would seem logical to me but it doesn't here. its the management thats making the mistake, surely going by the staff turnover for the position he could have figured out by now that he should try a different approach when allocating days/weekends. and plus im required to work a 10.5 hour shift every Sunday without any extra on top of my 8.65 an hour cause according to them i aint entitled to which is bullsh1t!!

R.D. aka MR.D

You didn't give that info in your OP so I assumed incorrectly. It certainly does sound like the management isn't being very smart about how they are running things!

I can't imagine why they would rehire someone who was so unreliable. Is he related to them or something?

Definitely ask for a change. If you are willing to leave over this issue then let them know it. They might be willing to come to a compromise to keep you.

Sometimes though bad management especially of smaller places aren't willing to change.

davo10

OP, if they are the hours you were hired to work, why do you now think it is "unfair"? By the sounds of things, they would have to hire a third person to cover the shifts you don't want to work which may be unrealistic as the hours shared between three people may make so short as to make it not worth while.

It's pretty simple, if you want to go on the nights out at weekends, look for a job that is 9-5 Monday - Friday.

huggy15

R.D. aka MR.D wrote: »

You didn't give that info in your OP so I assumed incorrectly. It certainly does sound like the management isn't being very smart about how they are running things!

I can't imagine why they would rehire someone who was so unreliable. Is he related to them or something?

Definitely ask for a change. If you are willing to leave over this issue then let them know it. They might be willing to come to a compromise to keep you.

Sometimes though bad management especially of smaller places aren't willing to change.

according to other workers i asked they think he is a good worker and he knows the manager well and the manager trusts him locking up the shop at night etc, as its only one person working at night. its a bit of favouritism as far as i can see.
I cant see why the manager wouldnt be reasonable enough to see it from my point of view and come to some sort of an agreement. otherwise its the road for me because it is starting to get to me really bad.
never before have i worked for people like this, a bit of a compromise would go a long way and for minimum wage with no extra for Sunday and getting virtually zero breaks i would rather leave.

huggy15

davo10 wrote: »

OP, if they are the hours you were hired to work, why do you now think it is "unfair"? By the sounds of things, they would have to hire a third person to cover the shifts you don't want to work which may be unrealistic as the hours shared between three people may make so short as to make it not worth while.

It's pretty simple, if you want to go on the nights out at weekends, look for a job that is 9-5 Monday - Friday.

they should have 2 people to split the hours each week fairly between them. he's only 23 its not as if he has family commitments that means he cant work weekends its just he knows what its like working in that shop every weekend.
they've went through 3 people before me who have left for the same reason i am going on about so its obviously a problem.
and you'd be a dreamer if you think getting a Monday to Friday in donegal is possible.

Mrs OBumble

huggy15 wrote: »

you'd be a dreamer if you think getting a Monday to Friday in donegal is possible.

So get a job someplace else!

huggy15

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So get a job someplace else!

yeah thats the plan if the manager cant come to some sort of an arrangement.

davo10

huggy15 wrote: »

they should have 2 people to split the hours each week fairly between them. he's only 23 its not as if he has family commitments that means he cant work weekends its just he knows what its like working in that shop every weekend.
they've went through 3 people before me who have left for the same reason i am going on about so its obviously a problem.
and you'd be a dreamer if you think getting a Monday to Friday in donegal is possible.

Sorry OP but colleagues' family status is irrelevant, the employer does not have to compromise with you, you seem to be doing the job you were hired to do and if you don't like the hours then it is your problem, not your employers.

berger89

huggy15 wrote: »

I've also worked in retail before, i worked in dunnes for 6 years.
would you not agree that in a small rural shop which it is, it makes more sense to have 2 lads working in the shop who are flexible instead of one who wont work weekends for no apparent plausible reason.
fair enough its not the other lads fault and no he didnt negotiate the hours from the start. he had previously been doing my job for a while but was unrealiable and calling in sick. he then quit but asked to come back but only if he didnt work weekends. tbh if i was in his shoes id be happy out as well. maybe in a larger work environment it would seem logical to me but it doesn't here. its the management thats making the mistake, surely going by the staff turnover for the position he could have figured out by now that he should try a different approach when allocating days/weekends. and plus im required to work a 10.5 hour shift every Sunday without any extra on top of my 8.65 an hour cause according to them i aint entitled to which is bullsh1t!!

You are entitled to time and a third on Sundays. You should ask for it!! Its the govt that pays the employer for that. I've heard on different occasions where the employer has held onto that extra money and not passed it onto the employee.

as for the other lad, he is probably claiming social welfare, hence why he only works three days. saying that, its not fair that you get stuck with the ****ty shift at the weekends. if he was ny way decent, he would work or take turns. he must have the boss wrapped around his finger

huggy15

berger89 wrote: »

You are entitled to time and a third on Sundays. You should ask for it!! Its the govt that pays the employer for that. I've heard on different occasions where the employer has held onto that extra money and not passed it onto the employee.

as for the other lad, he is probably claiming social welfare, hence why he only works three days. saying that, its not fair that you get stuck with the ****ty shift at the weekends. if he was ny way decent, he would work or take turns. he must have the boss wrapped around his finger

yeah i thought i was entitled to extra on Sundays as dunnes always paid me time and a half but i called citizens info just to be sure and they also confirmed it. i asked about it but the manageress was adamant im not entitled to any extra money on Sunday until ive been here a year, but i didnt say any more about it because i was only fresh in the door and on a probationary period..its a load of dung! but what can i really do? if i whine about it they will prob f***k me over some other way, slash my hours or what not.

yeah he only wants 3 days because he claims part time dole. he has the boss wrapped around his finger surely i dont know why the boss thinks so highly of him to be honest theres nothing he can do that i cant. i spoke to him yesterday about getting a saturday or Sunday swapped with one of the other lads week day each weekend. i would still be doing 2 weekend nights and him one so he surely cant say no to that. it would make this job alot more bearable! anyway meeting now on Wednesday morning heres hoping it goes to plan

berger89

huggy15 wrote: »

according to other workers i asked they think he is a good worker and he knows the manager well and the manager trusts him locking up the shop at night etc, as its only one person working at night. its a bit of favouritism as far as i can see.
I cant see why the manager wouldnt be reasonable enough to see it from my point of view and come to some sort of an agreement. otherwise its the road for me because it is starting to get to me really bad.
never before have i worked for people like this, a bit of a compromise would go a long way and for minimum wage with no extra for Sunday and getting virtually zero breaks i would rather leave.

You are really not getting any of your entitlements. I know it may be difficult to get a job in Donegal, but if I were you, I don;t think I'd stay much longer.

The hours are divided unevenly.
You don't get proper pay for Sundays.
After 4 hours of labour, you are entitled to at least 30mins paid break, or an hour unpaid break.

This manager seems completely unreasonable. I think you should defo say something to the manager, call their bluff. they seem to think that you need them more than they need you. There are a few issues going on here that quite simply, are illegal and could get them into trouble if you take it further.

And I'm assuming you weren't given a contract?

Mrs OBumble

berger89 wrote: »

You are entitled to time and a third on Sundays. You should ask for it!! Its the govt that pays the employer for that.

Can you give us a link to some official source confirming that claim, please?



I don't believe that it's true, or that there is any requirement to divide the hours equally. But I'm open to being corrected if someone can link to an official source.

braddun

look for a day job

mountsky

I did it through most of my college years,but I can certainly see where you're coming from.It didn't bother me so much coz the social life was nearly always a wed night at that time,yeah,it did get to me in that I could only head home (to a different county) once in a blue moon.It was a sickener, I missed my family something shocking really! Its tough going, stick with it,it does get easier!

huggy15

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Can you give us a link to some official source confirming that claim, please?



I don't believe that it's true, or that there is any requirement to divide the hours equally. But I'm open to being corrected if someone can link to an official source.

Its not spcifically time an a third. citizens advice said you are entitled to 'a reasonable allowance' on top of your base rate. every one else in the shop gets 9.65 an hours instead of 8.65.

huggy15

braddun wrote: »

look for a day job

do you not think ive already tried and am trying that? go you try get a day job in donegal and see how you get on.

mountsky

huggy15 wrote: »

do you not think ive already tried and am trying that? go you try get a day job in donegal and see how you get on.

Ignore the negativity, 'some' people on boards have a powerful way of degrading others, again, take no notice

Bandana boy

First there is no requirement to an additional third or any % above for Working a Sunday
There does though have to be some reasonable compensation for Sunday ,I have seen it paid as low as a flat €5 regardless of how many hours you cover.

Manager paid you to work this shift ,so I would not be going in complaining about anybody else’s entitlements as that just redirects the conversation and weakens your argument.
I would go in explain you like working there but are struggling with 3 day cover every weekend ,and ask the manager if you can reschedule your hours to a situation that suits you better. If he says No ,let him know that you are disappointed and will take time to consider your options. If you are working out in a position he has struggled to fill ,then he will do something to keep you ,or not .Either way you will know where you stand and can react accordingly.

Best of Luck

huggy15

Bandana boy wrote: »

First there is no requirement to an additional third or any % above for Working a Sunday
There does though have to be some reasonable compensation for Sunday ,I have seen it paid as low as a flat €5 regardless of how many hours you cover.

Manager paid you to work this shift ,so I would not be going in complaining about anybody else’s entitlements as that just redirects the conversation and weakens your argument.
I would go in explain you like working there but are struggling with 3 day cover every weekend ,and ask the manager if you can reschedule your hours to a situation that suits you better. If he says No ,let him know that you are disappointed and will take time to consider your options. If you are working out in a position he has struggled to fill ,then he will do something to keep you ,or not .Either way you will know where you stand and can react accordingly.

Best of Luck

yeah he did pay me to work the shifts but i realise now after doing it for a few weeks its too much. all im looking is a bit of lea way and have an early day or day off the occasional weekend. i dont think thats really a big ask at the end of the day and if he doesn't agree to it then im going to just tell him the jobs not for me.

berger89

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Can you give us a link to some official source confirming that claim, please?



I don't believe that it's true, or that there is any requirement to divide the hours equally. But I'm open to being corrected if someone can link to an official source.

I can;t find anything however in the job I currently work which I have a feeling is similar to huggy15, two of the guys were getting regular pay for sundays and bank holidays and found out they were in fact owed time and a third for sundays and time and a half for bank holidays. they were back paid so ended up getting like a few hundred euro back

berger89

Bandana boy wrote: »

First there is no requirement to an additional third or any % above for Working a Sunday
There does though have to be some reasonable compensation for Sunday ,I have seen it paid as low as a flat €5 regardless of how many hours you cover.

Manager paid you to work this shift ,so I would not be going in complaining about anybody else’s entitlements as that just redirects the conversation and weakens your argument.
I would go in explain you like working there but are struggling with 3 day cover every weekend ,and ask the manager if you can reschedule your hours to a situation that suits you better. If he says No ,let him know that you are disappointed and will take time to consider your options. If you are working out in a position he has struggled to fill ,then he will do something to keep you ,or not .Either way you will know where you stand and can react accordingly.

Best of Luck

Perhaps yes it depends on the job/manager/company etc..but I could have sworn its time and a third and the govt. pays the extra????

anyways, good luck huggy15, whats for you won't pass you!

Stheno

berger89 wrote: »

Perhaps yes it depends on the job/manager/company etc..but I could have sworn its time and a third and the govt. pays the extra????

It's not.

From Citizens Information

If you do Sunday work your entitlement to extra pay may be agreed between you and your employer. Under the Organisation of Working Time Act, if there is no agreement about your pay, your employer must give you one or more of the following for Sunday working:

A reasonable allowance
A reasonable pay increase
Reasonable paid time off work

What is reasonable depends on all the circumstances. It is a matter for negotiation between you and your employer and, where applicable, your trade union. Some guidance may be obtained by referring, where possible, to an agreement applying to comparable employees elsewhere in similar employment.