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What are my working rights as a parent??

I've been clashing with work over this for a while now but it's getting stupid now.

My shifts are scheduled on a rota and I could be working any 3 days out of 7 but I never know which days or hours until about 3 days before the beginning of the week so it's impossible to make appointments.

I always get out of work 10 minutes late, usually 20, despite complaining my arse off!! If I didn't complain I would NEVER get taken off my till or have someone replace me in the kitchen or lobby.

I even told the area manager about this and told him that if I had to collect Lo from a child minder or nursery (luckily we work childcare between OH and his mum & dad) they wouldn't be happy at all about me always arriving 20 minutes late (understandably) but all he said to me was "I'm lucky if I only get out 20 minutes late" and "Well maybe this isn't the right job for you" (!!!!). He was expecting me to be customer-focused rather than focused on going home on time, but getting paid ??4.87 an hour, yes, I DO want to get home on time. I do get paid for staying late, but that isn't the point.

I'm also desperate for the same hours every week to have some routine and familiarity for lo because at the moment it's ridiculous. I asked my manager but she only offered me 2 days (friday and saturday evenings as well :roll: ) and I need 3 to make working worthwhile!

I don't mind working weekends and have said I will do thurs, fri, and sat 9-5 or mon, tue, wed 11-7 or something like that or sun, mon, tues anything really!!! But she says she cannot afford to take me on for a SET 3 days only the rota. But I'm sick to death of working to a rota and I'm sure parents can demand proper, routined working hours??

Im not lazy, I honestly wouldn't care what hours I worked if I didn't have lo to think of but I do!!! So many of the older people working there have set hours simply because they have been there longer but their kids are grown up so it is not fair if you ask me, priority should be given to those who need it but because I'm only 21 they treat me really badly.

If I was a manager it would be different as it'd be something I signed up for, but this really is just a job to me to earn money for me & my family!

Replies

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    might be worht having a check on www.direct.gov.uk incase you can find anything out on there!
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    you need to check your policies at work. there should be one on flexible working etc. If there are other staff there on set hours and doing the same job as you then in my eyes you are being discriminated against and in some respects you would be in your rights to take out grievance against your team leader/manager if you have spoken with them about the situation and they are doing very little to help you. Is there a HR dept you can talk to about it? If not perhaps advice from Citizens Advice.
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    hi haven't got any advice but ACAS specialise in this sort of thing (well employment law in genral) they are like CAB in the sense that they are free, and like union for those without unions, iyswim? my mum had an awful time with bullying at her old job and they actually sent a represenatitve to go in with her to all the meetings about it, to make sure all was above board etc and a friend of mine was unfairly dismissed and they helped her get her job back...

    http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1410

    hth xx
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    keep a note of all the extra time you do for every day and then claim for it at the end of the month...you work it then you have a right to be paid.
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