Hello

My boss wants me to come in for long meetings on my day off (I work part time). I have refused and I keep getting very stern emails about 'not being a team player' etc.

Other members of staff are not coming in for them either, but I am the one that is being picked up on for this. I also have a hospital appointment at the same time as the meeting so didn't want to cancel that.

Is my boss within their rights to force me to come in? Can they make me put work before a hospital appointment?

Thanks very much

Hello there, welcome to CAG.

What does your contract say about hours and possibly meetings please?

My best, HB

Hi

Thanks so much for replying.

I will double-check my contract later, but I know there is no mention of extra meetings on there, but I can do extra, paid overtime on the days I am in.

Under the rules of the contract, I work three days a week, and then charge for any overtime I do in the evenings after my shifts. However, my boss wants me to come in on my day off and not charge for it. Also, there was no acknowledgement in their emails about me having a hospital appointment - I am just expected in for the meeting as I've had plenty of notice about it (but the hospital appointment is more important to me). I know that the other members of staff who are not coming in are not getting forceful emails about it.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Dawn,

NO your boss can't make you come in on your day off..... Any boss worth their salt will arrange meetings around you - if you need to be there.

I am not a qualified person to say yes or no to your question, but I am pretty confident if you have various days off they should stand, especially if you have worked your (essential) appointments around them.

I don't know who you work for or what sort of contract you have, but I'm sure you have probably waited for your hospital appointment. (good old NHS)

Does your job know about this?

If you gave them prior warning (for an appointment on your scheduled day off) they should accept this and not expect you to change, and even if your contract stipulates something like 'works two days but more if/when required' this would still be on the understanding that you have no prior engagements (whatever the reason)

Does that make sense?

Tell them, you've waited x amount of time for your appointment and you can not change this. Because Hosp app these days are like winning the lottery.....

(No offence, but your health is meant to last longer than your job - oh god, I'm the minister preaching to the choir)

Is the meeting that important? I attend meetings where loads of people are travelling far and wide and have a video conference around the world, if I can't make it a colleague takes notes....

Check your contract, I'm confident it wont say work 3 days etc etc, unless there's a meeting. - Or even say, I'll come to the meeting but I'm giving up this.... and I expect this to be counted as overtime,

If a meeting is so important that you need to be there, they would work around you. No offence but if you arranged your hosp app in your work time, they would soon kick up a stink !!!!!

Good luck

IAP

Hello

Thank you so much, I really do appreciate your help and advice. Thanks.

I did book the hospital appointment after everyone got told about this meeting. However, I had the choice of seeing a consultant on the day of the meeting, or on a day when I'm at work, so I chose the earlier one because it meant I wouldn't miss work time (so I thought I was doing a good thing). I did give them notice that I was unable to attend the meeting.

I think this boss just has a bee in her bonnet about it - as I know of two other people who weren't at the meeting but haven't received the horrible emails about it.

I agree that a hospital appointment is far more important - I chose that because my health comes first. So feel very disappointed that my boss can't see that.

Thanks again.

Dawn