ali-s Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I am going to see my boss tomorrow to ask if I can cut my hours at work I am a dinner lady at a boarding school and I am contracted to work 371/2 hours a week, starting at 7am and finishing at 3pm. Often there are functions to work in the evenings finishing as late as 10pm, still have to be at work for 7am the next day even after a late finish. My afternoons and early evenings are taken up with driving DD to and from swim training sessions which means I do not spend much time at home. Often our evening meal is eaten after 8pm and then I am too tired to do other things. A couple of weeks ago I worked a 50 hour week as there was an outbreak of piggy flu at the school and the vunerable staff who work in the kitchen were told to go home. OH works so hard, he leaves the house at 4am and finishes after 6pm, quite often later. He is also involved in DD swimming club as a coach which then means he doesn't get home until after 9pm having gone to the pool straight from work. He then has to get to bed after a re heated meal ready for his early start the next day. It is my weekend off this week and yesterday was spent cleaning as nothing and I mean nothing had been done for over a week and a half My chickens have been neglected also, so today my first chore will be to clean out the Eglus once my back ache has eased (from too much scrubbing yesterday I think)then back to more housework. My garden is turning back into the field we came to when we moved here last year Sorry for the moan . I am feeling quite anxious about seeing my boss tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 oh heavens, thats a lot of work for both of you. good luck talking to boss tomorrow. I think I would start talking about loving the job, but the family is suffering for it, and you not knowing what to do as the family is suffering. im sure the boss will be sympathetic to your thoughts ((hugs)) cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Your job does seem to be very demanding - no wonder you feel that nothing else gets done. I would certainly want to reduce my hours too. Good luck with the boss and don't be put off if he doesn't want you to, be honest about the reasons why. I'm amazed that they expect you to work late like that too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Poor you, that really does sound like too much . You really have to get your work/life balance back on an even keel or you'll make yourself ill . It doesn't sound like you have any time to enjoy your family life at the moment . Could you ask if you have to do the functions or at least have a later start the next day if you do? Or could you suggest a jobshare? (Or don't you want to drop that many hours?) Or perhaps a 4 day week? Good luck . I'm sure they won't want to lose you so hopefully they will be prepared to compromise . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 That is a lot of your time - and you'll make yourselves ill if you carry on like that. Fingers crossed for you and for a more relaxing time ahead (my OH is a workaholic - he cannot be still and even at the weekend he is up early doing paperwork or setting up for the following week). He has just told me that he wants to discuss work - see my eyes glaze over . . . Hugs for you and your hubby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Hope it all goes well for you tomorrow, be firm and know what you are/are not prepared to do Family life is more important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Try to remember that what you are asking for is completely reasonable. You need a healthy work/life balance. I pushed myself too hard for a couple of years and ended up in hospital with glandular fever. One year later, and I'm still not back to normal, if I could ever be classed as normal , and I sometimes struggle to do the three days a week I do now. Don't leave it until crisis point , it takes so long to come back from, believe me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Sometimes it is difficult to not work too many hours but if you have a choice then go for it. Hope it all goes well tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 My Oh is such a workaholic and even though does not work weekends will pop in for and hour or five just to make sure things are ticking over. He is very good doing housework and as long as there is a footy match on the TV and a bottle of beer within reach will stand and do the ironing(thank goodness for sky sports channels ), he is not afraid of the toilet either He is away this weekend with the swimming club and will not get back until after 6 o'clock, he phoned this morning and said he will cook supper tonight even though he has probably had little sleep all weekend ( 20 plus swimmers sleeping in a scout hut) and will have driven one of the minibuses back (4 hour journey) . I am going to ask the boss if I can start at 9am three days a week and still finish at 3pm. The other two days I will still have to start at 7am as that part of the job couldn't be done in less time. I do love my job and it is very close to home, takes 7 minutes in the car or 20 minutes if I cycle. If I looked for other part time work I will have to go to town which with the travelling time would cancel out working part time. There is no chance of starting later after a function, the boarders still need to be fed breakfast. Feeling a bit better now, the pain killers have kicked in so my back pain has eased. It is a lovely sunny warm day so I am off out to clean the Eglus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Good Luck with talking to your boss. Sounds like you need a good rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Oh Ali I hope you can cut your hours - there is a thing about working too many hours which is now illegal I think - have a look on the puter for it as the hours you have been working is too many - I often find myself not getting home till 7.30 and after it and still have to cook - it saps the energey from you and you dont want to do anything other than sit and sleep! Hope it all works out for you susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 The 'legal requirement' for working hours is 48 (still too many in my book) but you can work more if you sign an agreement to do it. In practice, it has had little effect on most people who do the same kind of work as Ali - they are just expected to do it and a couple of hours either way isn't noticed. But go for it Ali, he/she can only say no, and then you have to look at what other options are available. But no one ever went to their grave wishing they'd spent more time at work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Good luck for tomorrow, your health and sanity is far more important than money, if something has to give it shouldn't be you I hope you have an understanding boss who will be keen to compromise rather than lose you I left my job in May, I'd worked there for nearly 7 years but the company changed hands and the new boss made lots of changes & made what had been a nice job into a very stressful one. I've worked for 20 out of the last 25 years & brought up 3 children & we thought we'd struggle financially without my money, but to be honest it's not been too bad, I'm realising just how much money we wasted through lack of time Decide what you want the outcome to be and be firm but polite, I hope you get your wish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Good luck Ali, you are doing the right thing by going in with a suggested solution rather than just asking your boss to sort it out. Family life is important, and your health will start to suffer if you keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Snowy is right about the European Working Directive being 48 hours. Where I work, we have to sign a non-compliance waiver to it before we start. It sounds as though you may be doing more than that some weeks because of the split shifts, so stick to your guns because I bet your employer has not asked you to sign a waiver. Good luck! There's more to life than work...... There's chickens! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I think you suffer from a bit of - I love my job - 'itis Your "boss" should be totally supportive and understanding, given all the extra you have done recently. This smacks in the face of start of term "hectic" mode to me - you should log all extra time for taking in lieu I did this for the 1st year of work - doing loads of extra - with no pay. Turns out now they will pay me and love what extra I bring ..... . Go forth with reasonable grounds and evidence, not on the defensive - and I think tomorrow will be a better day - also the evening stuff - if really affects YOUR family, then try to get a compromise or don't do it. Whats in your contract after all ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Well, I am on a two week trial working less hours If it all goes smoothly and the work gets done my boss doesn't see why I can't do the new hours all the time I came home feeling really good. My back pain disappeared after I had spoken to him Now I think about it I have had little niggly illnessess for a few months now which never amounted to anything. A couple of times I had to say I was going home as I didn't feel at all well, a day away from work and I would feel better. A bonus today was that DD didn't have swim training. What a difference that made this afternoon/evening. We had eaten before 6pm, housework, chicken stuff finished just after 7pm and I was able to sit down in front of the TV and knit Even better OH arrived home before 6pm and cut the grass This is how family life should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 So glad you've got a result! Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Brilliant - hope it lasts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Great news Ali, hope it works for you - I work 10hrs & it's 10hrs too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Sounds very positive , keep up the good work, don't fill your family time with other jobs . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 That's great news . What a brilliant result . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Great, hope it works out - your boss sounds very understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
