Computers down - told to make up hours
Discussion
A random question, which doesn't concern me but concerns my mother.
She's recently started a new job compiling various products and text for printing marketing material. As you can imagine this is heavily reliant on IT- and reliable IT at that. However, in that last week the company's IT has failed twice, once for a period of three hours and once for a period of 5 hours.
During this down time the staff were not allowed to go home, and had to stay in work as per normal- less the IT.
The company has now told my mother that she has to make up this shortfall in working hours(!) on weekends and evenings, despite not allowing her to go home during the downtime.
As I'm not in civilian employment I'm not terribly au fait with the legalities of this.
Surely by not allowing her to go home she is in essence already working those hours that she's been asked to make up?
Where does the legislation with regards to this sit?
Many thanks
She's recently started a new job compiling various products and text for printing marketing material. As you can imagine this is heavily reliant on IT- and reliable IT at that. However, in that last week the company's IT has failed twice, once for a period of three hours and once for a period of 5 hours.
During this down time the staff were not allowed to go home, and had to stay in work as per normal- less the IT.
The company has now told my mother that she has to make up this shortfall in working hours(!) on weekends and evenings, despite not allowing her to go home during the downtime.
As I'm not in civilian employment I'm not terribly au fait with the legalities of this.
Surely by not allowing her to go home she is in essence already working those hours that she's been asked to make up?
Where does the legislation with regards to this sit?
Many thanks
Are they going to pay her for this?
It could also depend on the contract she has, it might say something like "The company might reasonably ask you adjust your working hours to suit the needs of the business"
Someone who knows more than me will be along but i would hazard a guess this is above board!
It could also depend on the contract she has, it might say something like "The company might reasonably ask you adjust your working hours to suit the needs of the business"
Someone who knows more than me will be along but i would hazard a guess this is above board!
My take on this is that by not being able to go home during these hours she has indeed worked them (especially if catching up with non IT dependant admin) and was the rule I took with my staff in a historic role - there may be a contract clause insiting on extra hours though!
However....you mention she hasn't been there long, thus I assume that she is still in her probation period?
For the sake of a few extra hours I would go along with it and hope that some of the other people affected (been there longer) would kick up a fuss such that they back down without it being reflected badly on your mother.
However....you mention she hasn't been there long, thus I assume that she is still in her probation period?
For the sake of a few extra hours I would go along with it and hope that some of the other people affected (been there longer) would kick up a fuss such that they back down without it being reflected badly on your mother.
geeks said:
Are they going to pay her for this?
"The company might reasonably ask you adjust your working hours to suit the needs of the business"
They're not going to pay her to sit around while the computers are down, no. Which is why I'm puzzled- surely they can't reasonably ask her to remain in the office and not pay her? I understand the reasonable adjustments- but working double the hours for only normal pay...?"The company might reasonably ask you adjust your working hours to suit the needs of the business"
kiethton said:
My take on this is that by not being able to go home during these hours she has indeed worked them (especially if catching up with non IT dependant admin) and was the rule I took with my staff in a historic role - there may be a contract clause insiting on extra hours though!
However....you mention she hasn't been there long, thus I assume that she is still in her probation period?
For the sake of a few extra hours I would go along with it and hope that some of the other people affected (been there longer) would kick up a fuss such that they back down without it being reflected badly on your mother.
I agree with your views! However....you mention she hasn't been there long, thus I assume that she is still in her probation period?
For the sake of a few extra hours I would go along with it and hope that some of the other people affected (been there longer) would kick up a fuss such that they back down without it being reflected badly on your mother.
She's worked there for a couple of months and handed her notice in today since they're amazingly unreasonable in a number of ways, this being one of them.
It does seem a little odd- if they had sent staff home when it was apparent the systems would be down for several hours you could understand them wanting people to make that time up, but not letting people go home and do other work - hard cheese for the employer as they've worked ...
Many people have periods of working time where there isn't equipment, material or orders to hand and employers either let you go home or make you do other work to fill your contracted hours ...
Many people have periods of working time where there isn't equipment, material or orders to hand and employers either let you go home or make you do other work to fill your contracted hours ...
dudleybloke said:
she turned up for work so its not her fault she couldnt do it.
bosses should take the hit or pass the bill to their IT guys.
This.bosses should take the hit or pass the bill to their IT guys.
I work in IT Service Management and I've sadly had to deal with major IT Incidents when critical systems have been down for hours, and luckily, only on a couple of occasions, days.
There has _NEVER_ been a requirement for people to make up hours. Its IT's fault, if you present yourself for work and can't, hardly your fault.
That said, one would presume all prudent employees would naturally work hard to catch up on lost time.
No legal advice, but an opinion.
If you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
If you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
Mobsta said:
No legal advice, but an opinion.
If you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
fIf you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
k me. mobsta in good advice shocker!Mobsta said:
No legal advice, but an opinion.
If you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
appears she told them to get fIf you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
ked, which is exactly the right way to deal with s.jjones said:
Mobsta said:
No legal advice, but an opinion.
If you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
appears she told them to get fIf you work for someone else, an arse with their own opinion on what she should do perhaps, for the sake of 8 hours, go along with whatever they suggest.
When someone stands their ground, their act is likely to be remembered, for far longer than the 8 hour sacrifice she would have to make, in order to keep the peace.
Depends on the boss. A decent boss might say "Good point" and drop his (possibly spontaneous and ill thought out) idea that staff should make up the time out of hours.
ked, which is exactly the right way to deal with s.Unfortunately there are plenty of people lining up for that job if someone doesn't fall into line.
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