Im in the Public Service. Do I have to work overtime if asked?

Re: Do I HAVE to work overtime if asked?

if its written into your contract that you have to travel then you have very little leeway unfortunately as that is what you signed up to
 
Re: Do I HAVE to work overtime if asked?

Scubachick said:
The problem is that as I have been decentralised I am living in another provance from all my friends and family. Anyone I know is atleast 3 hours drive away. We only moved house last November and dont know any neighbours or friends who we can ask to take the kids overnight. We cant afford to pay a professional. If we weren't decentralised we would have friends and family around.
Click to expand...
The decentralisation was voluntary - right? I didn't think anyone was forced into such a move.

When you say 'we', I presume you have a partner around. Can he/she cover these nights away?
 
Hubby and I both work in the same place, but he is on 24/7 shift work and really not able to work childcare around his shifts.

Decentralisation was voluntary.

Card, it would be easier for me to travel, if I could do it during office hours rather than on my own time. The organisation is asking me to do a full days training or work and then travel outside these 8 hours. As I have to bring the kids it means their day is 12 hours or more, depending on where I have to travel to, which I why I am asking about overtime, rather than travel, IYKWIM.

Does anyone know if I HAVE TO work overtime, or is it voluntary?
 
but how you manage to be back at work the following day if you stay overnight?

how about you offer a compromise, you travel during work hours but you look after your own accomodation or something similar

if your contract states you are expected to travel then unfortunately its there in black and white, I imagine as well that your Employer doesn't want other employees to go looking for the same
 
How can you bring the children on your training day? That doesn't make any kind of sense. As someone who worked shifts for years and had three children , I'm sorry I think for a once off or occasional training day that turns into twelve hours you will have to ask the father of the children to take a day's holidays. If your employer feels that the training is necessary and travel is in your contract and said employer is prepared to pay overtime then I think you have to understand that your baby sitting is not the employer's problem. Some people have children and spouses, some have parents and others have health issues and pets. Working full time with children is not easy and to do it involves compromise. Presumably as decentralisation was voluntary you saw some benefit to doing it. This just happens to be a snag.Get over it.
 
Scubachick said:
Does anyone know if I HAVE TO work overtime, or is it voluntary?
Click to expand...
To be honest, I think you are asking the wrong question. It is unusual to be offered overtime for travel in the public sector - the normal policy is time-in-lieu. I'm guessing that they may be offering you the overtime to try to sweeten the deal for you.

If you contract says that you are required to travel, then you are required to travel, and you need to look after your own domestic arrangements. Like Brianne, I'm wondering how you are bringing your kids to a training day. Who will mind them when the training is on?
 
I've had to start travelling in my job after 3 years of not doing so - I was in the UK for a couple of weeks (was supposed to be 1 week) and was told I needed to stay an extra week with no notice. A year ago I'd have gotten out of it by complaining to my manager - today? I didn't open my mouth. We've had 2 rounds of redundancies already, I know if I'm not billable for even a week that I'm gone - regardless of the long term consequences for the company.

Unexpected trip to Mayo in the morning, up at 5 am, back at 23:00, without overtime or time in lieu? Yes sir, no sir, 2 bags full sir. Don't worry about my personal responsibilities...
 
Brianne said:
How can you bring the children on your training day?
Click to expand...
I pay for the hotel babysitter
Brianne said:
you will have to ask the father of the children to take a day's holidays.
Click to expand...
I cant - he also works for same organisation - sometimes he is on the same training course other times he works shift work. He is based 2 hours drive away from childminder and none of his shifts allow him to drop off/ or collect the kids. Also, he has a company car which is not insured to carry the kids. I know nobody who can do the run with the kids as I am new to the area.

Brianne said:
baby sitting is not the employer's problem.
Click to expand...
I agree - that's my problem, but the fact is that I HAVE to bring the kids and pay for a hotel babysitter anytime I travel with work. I am out of pocket and I know that is my problem, nor my query here. The nub of the situation here is that up until now I was able to travel with work by staying overnight before and/ or after my work or training. I am now being asked to travel the same day as the meeting or training. This means that I am being told to do 2-4 hours of travel, then a full 8 hour days work, then travel back another 2-4 hours. This is an arduous day for an adult and there are many single people here not happy with doing these hours. My kids cannot do a day like this - which I understand is just my tough. But, am I within my rights to say "no" to a day like this? Do I have to work these hours if asked? Normally, as RMelly puts it I say "yes sir, no sir 3 bags full sir" to everything that is asked. But I just cannot do a 12 to 20hour day with the kids in tow. Are employers using the recession to bully us into submission and scare us into working excessive hours to our personal limits and beyond our family's capabilities?
 
Scubachick said:
I pay for the hotel babysitter
I cant - he also works for same organisation - sometimes he is on the same training course other times he works shift work. He is based 2 hours drive away from childminder and none of his shifts allow him to drop off/ or collect the kids. Also, he has a company car which is not insured to carry the kids. I know nobody who can do the run with the kids as I am new to the area.

I agree - that's my problem, but the fact is that I HAVE to bring the kids and pay for a hotel babysitter anytime I travel with work. I am out of pocket and I know that is my problem, nor my query here. The nub of the situation here is that up until now I was able to travel with work by staying overnight before and/ or after my work or training. I am now being asked to travel the same day as the meeting or training. This means that I am being told to do 2-4 hours of travel, then a full 8 hour days work, then travel back another 2-4 hours. This is an arduous day for an adult and there are many single people here not happy with doing these hours. My kids cannot do a day like this - which I understand is just my tough. But, am I within my rights to say "no" to a day like this? Do I have to work these hours if asked? Normally, as RMelly puts it I say "yes sir, no sir 3 bags full sir" to everything that is asked. But I just cannot do a 12 to 20hour day with the kids in tow. Are employers using the recession to bully us into submission and scare us into working excessive hours to our personal limits and beyond our family's capabilities?
Click to expand...


I think the kids will manage fine, bring them and get on with it.. You're not really bringing anything to the table in as far as solutions. I have to do training courses the odd time and i've kids and babysitting problems but i just get on with and if the kids get put out for a day well so be it..
 
This thread is just incredible!!! Where do ye people get off- MARS? Has anyone in the public sector been alerted that the entire nation is in recession & you are looking for a "get out clause" to avoid overtime?

By djingo you guys would hate me if I was minister for finance- worried about overtime? You should be worried about keeping your job............maybe a dose of the private sector realities should be administered.

I cannot beleive this post!
 
I cannot believe this post. Suck it up!
You have a job. It is not a right or entitlement to bring kids to work.
Where does insurance stand if you have kids in car when you are going to or from the training day ??
 
Scuba chick - Do your self a favour and sort out your child minding options!
You should have taken it into consideration when decentralising. Why should your employer have to make special arrangements for you ?
 
Red said:
Scuba chick - Do your self a favour and sort out your child minding options!
You should have taken it into consideration when decentralising. Why should your employer have to make special arrangements for you ?
Click to expand...
Scubachick I wouldn't be as harsh as this poster but myself & my wife both work & we have kids. I am self employed & my wife is an employee & we can appreciate where it may be difficult for you.................BUT

To even come on here with that query is typical of a public service attitude which never ceases to amaze me.

If this is effecting you that badly then did you consider resigning & telling your employer that you are no longer in a position to commit to work due to childcare commitments?

Do not mean to be cruel or hurtful but why should your employer (and hence me as a tax payer) be held responsible for your childcare?
 
Yellow Belly said:
By djingo you guys would hate me if I was minister for finance- worried about overtime? You should be worried about keeping your job............maybe a dose of the private sector realities should be administered.

I cannot believe this post!
Click to expand...

As in Djingo Reinhardt? LOL:p

To OP, if you are finding it difficult to manage home/work commitments, then speak to your employer, and as being in the public sectoryou won't get a dose of private sector realities, you may be offered an alternative arrangement or perhaps a different role. But on the issue of childcare, you will need to source something local, I have kids and weird shift arrangements and live far away from my friends and family. When I moved here first it was very difficult to find reliable and "affordable" childcare, but I realised that I couldn't find out what was available locally if I only lived here at night and commuted to work every day. You'll have to take time out to see how you and your partner are going to figure it out and check out the locality for childcare. You could end up burning yourselves out trying to juggle all that.
 
<> My query does not relate to childcare.

<> My query is "do I have to work overtime?". Its not that I don't want to. I find it very difficult in my present personal circumstances to put in 12 hour days.

<>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Scubachick said:
I generally come in early, dont take breaks, work through lunch and stay late. I can hear you all now, "Boo-hoo, doesn't everyone do that". Yes, and that's my point - whether I am public, civil or private the query is the same. DO I HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME. Its not that I dont want to. I find it very difficult in my present personal circumstances to put in 12 hour days.
Click to expand...
If I were you I'd stop coming in early, start taking my breaks, not work through lunch and not work late. No offense but maybe you're a 'soft touch', your manager might see you as malleable, susceptible to pressure. I don't believe that you have to work overtime. You should do what suits you. If it doesn't suit at a particular time then tell your manager calmly but firmly, 'Sorry but I'm not in a position to today'.

If I were in your position and being badgered or pressured over it I'd engage whatever mechanisms and supports that are available (HR, counseling, mediation) re work/life balance policies, stress management, anti-bullying policies.
Scubachick said:
But, am I within my rights to say "no" to a day like this? Do I have to work these hours if asked? Normally, as RMelly puts it I say "yes sir, no sir 3 bags full sir" to everything that is asked. But I just cannot do a 12 to 20hour day with the kids in tow.
Click to expand...
AFAIK the European Working Time Directive necessitates that one must have a minimum 11 hour rest period in every 24 hours.
 
Scubachick said:
DO I HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME. Its not that I dont want to. I find it very difficult in my present personal circumstances to put in 12 hour days.
Click to expand...
As I've mentioned above, this is the wrong question to ask. Your contract says that you have to travel, so you have to travel. If you don't want overtime, they can give you time-in-lieu instead, but you still have to travel.

BTW, are you sure that hotel babysitters are geared up for 8 hour shifts. They normally do a few hours in the evening, not a full day shift.
 
If this is causing you so much bother , then your best bet is to ask to speak to your line manager and explain the situation. If you are as diligent as you say then they may be able to defer the training to another time. I think you might find that you have to do these training days and while with two small children they are no doubt difficult to organise, if they are part of your job contract then you will have little choice. Have you thought about arranging back up babysitting in your local area. If this is going to be a regular feature of your job, you might find that a neighbour who is flexible is much more suitable than creches etc. Your line manager and your union rep should be able to look at your contract and give a definitive answer.Best of luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top