some very important advice please

[rozia]

I have been under a lot of stress regarding work recently. I only work part time and its a clerical post, i finish work at 2.30 just in time to pick the kids up from school and get the eldest to mosque. Yesterday, my line manager emailed me and 4 other admin staff to ask us what times we can work, she wants us all to work till 4 some days. One member of staff already works 11 to 4. I emailed her back to say i can work till 3 the latest and i explained why. She replied to me'saying she has to be equitable and equal to all members of staff and suggests i look into my hours again, if not, HR will have to determine what hours i do.

At this email, i was annoyed, felt a little bullied into making a decision that i don't agree with, and i cant do. I have since looked at my statement of particulars of employment and there is nothing in there to state flexibility or that my manager can change my hours.

i started this job at 16 hours and ended up being moved around so many times and was eventually pushed to do 25 hours, i struggle as it is, due to suffering from depression and anxiety some times, i cant go shopping without feeling anxious sometimes.

i have applied for other jobs, but they already had people lined up for them, and my only option is to fight back/put up with it/or do a voluntary post somewhere else (its available) but i don't know where i stand with that in regards to an income.

sorry for the long and dreary blog, please give me some advice, does anyone work for NHS HR, where do i stand? i am not a union member.

THANKS

[boxtops]

well done rozia - you've had your say. Don't stress though - this is now completely out of your hands.

You could still have a quiet word with your staffside person, which is a different conversation altogether - did you manage to find them?

[Old_Geezer]

I think that is often the case. Folk like to think they control their own future but they can only make decisions within the limits imposed on them. And it is my experience one reason why you need to have good relationships with folk in your workplace, in order to avoid management imposing unreasonable demands. But ultimately they seem to hold all the trump cards. The world seems to think you should be grateful to be employed rather than the company be grateful they have you working for them. Best of luck persuading those you need to decide in your favour.

[rozia]

Thanks Boxtops, yeah i found them on intranet, will contact them tomorrow. It is out of my hands for now, and i am looking for another job as from today, whatever the decision. All i seem to hear from people is 'you should be grateful for a job' i can only say, i would not have this job if i wasnt good at it, they know that, and they are testing the boundaries.... Old Geezer, you are so right, and i agree with you, and i will not go down without a fight, even if it means leaving, at least i will have my dignity and principles intact.

[boxtops]

rozia - see what happens before you look for another job. Despite all the upheaval we're all going through at the moment, the NHS does remain a good place to work, with a good long-term pension - you won't find such good terms and conditions of employment in many other places at the moment. If your employer is downsizing as so many are, there may be opportunities for redeployment, or people leaving - don't jump too soon.

[rozia]

so,an update for you all...

i am still no nearer to finding out my future with the department. I have been aware that meetings have been taking place with my team leader and the business manager (that's what she calls herself) regarding what i said, and its being made into an "issue". I was in the kitchen the other day, and i could feel the frosty reception towards me from the boss, and the manager. At this moment the whole department is depressed, especially admin staff, but they don't speak up if they are unhappy. I haven't spoken to HR yet, i feel if it doesn't go that far, then there's no need to instigate it.....i will update you more as information comes to me. Thanks everyone, really appreciate your support and advice xx

[boxtops]

Thanks for the update, rozia. If I were you I'd speak to HR though, or at the least, your staffside rep - that's what they are for, and people shouldn't feel victimised. There may be things going on in your department that others need to know about.

[rozia]

i feel absolutely crap today about going into work tomorrow. I wonder what they have planned, just hope i win this one. I haven't slept a proper wink for a few days now.

[boxtops]

Even more reason, rozia, for talking to staffside....

[rozia]

I cant seem to find the details on intranet for staffside on our website?

I got to work early today, due to bad weather etc.....got in at 9.13 (normal 9.30) and wanted to leave at 2.15 (normal 2.30), we are allowed to go 15 minutes early if we come in early, but has to be 15 minute slots, or half an hour. Anyway, just as i tell team leader im packing up for the day, she says what time did you come in, i said 9.13, she looked at me as if i was lying, and made an issue of it, so i stayed till 2.30, instead of leaving 15 minutes early, she kept wanting to explain why she did not want me to go early, but i said i don't want to discuss it. She said she would rather i stick to my work times, and not shift em about......and i never do that!!!...Another colleague came in at 9 and left at 2, works in another office and rules are the same for us all. she should start same as me. It makes me think that they don't trust us when we tell em the time we came in, i really hate it there now....i haven't heard anything about the other issue, no news is bad news!!!

[boxtops]

Ring HR and ask them, rozia - they'll tell you where to find staffside.

[rozia]

i found staffside, they have informed me that i can fight it, but it all depends on how tough things are on the department, big day tomorrow, as meeting bosses to determine my destiny, HR not coming!!lol i need the luck to flow my way.....will let you know how i get on. thanks boxtops.x

[boxtops]

Good luck!

[rozia]

Hi guys, had problems getting on this site in the last few days, so was unable to update you. Manager and clinical director set up a meeting for all admin staff to explain the changes they want to implement. What i told them about not able to work till 4 was mentioned, and another staff member also said she couldn't work over 3.30 due to grand childs school pick up. Any way, the clinical director said that we could finish work at a time we need to and then come back to work later till 6 if needs be, i found this disgusting, as she said she was flexible, and giving us enough slack, i thought (i didn't say this) it doesn't justify what we are paid, petrol costs up and down will build up, and it wont be cost effective for me, therefore it would not be feasible for me to work, they seem to be trying to play a game and make us do what they want us to do, and not think about our circumstances. Anyway, i wil tell the bosses what i think at the next meeting, only that it doesn't fit well with my situation. She mentioned out contract does not state hours to and from, but says that we have to work 5 days and certain hours, i told her i had researched this!!! she was surprised... Also some good news, i have a job interview on weds 15.2.12, 22 hours per week, its something i would like to do, and i have another one on 24.2.12, also 18 hours per week, wish me luck....and thanks xx

[Andyvon]

It's quite apparent that the days of a settled work environment are over.

My brother works for a large American (!) computer firm here in the UK and for the last couple of years he has been on a three-month rolling contract. Every three months his post disappears and he has to reapply for a very similar post in the company - for another three months! He says most of his colleagues have the same contracts. His wife works for another company on a nine-month rolling contract (to get around childcare laws obviously). They have a mortgage, daughter and the usual bills and live in a state of constant stress.

[boxtops]

Good luck with the new interviews, rozia. There is so much change in the NHS at the moment but these patterns (coming back etc) don't sound reasonable to me, it's almost going down the constructive dismissal route where you have no choice than to resign. Do keep staffside informed - otherwise your boss may find that she has a department but no staff.

It's very easy to forget - amidst all the huge employment uncertainty at the moment, when people are worried for their livelihoods - that patient care is central to everything that we do - if the staff leave because they are unhappy, then patient care suffers in one way or another. It's not just at the lower levels - everyone's jobs are uncertain at the moment, and it's giving rise to a lot of stress and worry.

[rozia]

thanks boxtops, i must tell you, the patients i deal with always say to me that im good at my job, so losing me wont be beneficial to them in terms of patient care, the budgets and status means more to the NHS than the patients.

[rozia]

andyvon, i agree with you, we cant go to work now, without being unsettled, we never know what's going to happen from one day to the next, the bosses can have a 9 day fortnight, but we don't even get that, and we work the hardest

[rozia]

and my line manager is two faced, she just been promoted to operations manager, so she will deal with these issues and she not getting paid more, but again its the power tripping that gets to their heads