Thanks to you both for the advice. I will dig out my contract and scan it properly. I am also thinking of going along the lines, that if they think I dont need to do my job on a Friday afternoon, why can't I take the afternoon off too. And then when they say no, ask why they are discriminating against me, if her jobs needed and shes allowed the time off. Just a thought, I will see how it goes. Thanks again for the advice and to everyone for taking the time to read my problem. I will keep you updated.

Hi HB, Its a really big company, but what the MD says go's. I have had a big run in with him in the past, which ended up with me going home for three days - i didnt know what else to do then, I just couldnt stay there. At that time he wanted me to create a job out of thin air for his friends daughter. And then had major tantrum when I said I couldnt, told me I wasn't being fair and that if I didnt go away and change my mind, my daughter who had a part time job here would have to go. I didnt back down so my daughter went - This is the type of person I will be up against. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me HB, I just hope I can get this sorted.

Hi HB, My boss is going to talk to hers in the morning. But I think it will then go to the MD, hes the one who had to give the ok for her having the afternoons off. And he can be a really nasty man, and does not like people going against him. So I am expecting to be called in and have the usual tantrums and slamming of fists on the desk. My boss is on my side, but will back down to the MD.

Hi HB, In my contract it says "and adoc duties as required". But I report to the Financial Controller and she comes under the Marketing Director. Does that make a difference? Many thanks

Hi, any advice please. I work in an accounts department, and the receptionist in another department wants to work less hours, she wants to take Friday afternoons off unpaid - Now that in it self is fine. BUT, her boss wants me to cover for her on the Friday afternoons on a rota basis with someone else! My work wont be covered, So my work will pile up and I will have to work harder and faster to try to keep up. Can they make me do this? Any advice would be really appreciated. Many thanks

Thanks for the advice. BT have now put me back on, without charging me. But now Tiscali, after confirming in an email that they would credit the outstanding account as it was their error etc., have now come back to me asking for the payment, saying that they couldnt credit it after all. Any idea where I stand with that, Can they say in writing that they will credit it and then come back later chasing it? I cancelled the order well within the time limit, it was their error, so I don't have a contract with them?

Update - Tiscali said - whoops, sorry our error, will credit you. and now I have no phone line, BT say it wasn't their problem and they are not to blame, and do I want to open up an account with them! Have sent them both emails asking them to sort it out. I expect this is going to cost to be put back on. I looked at various other providers, but they all say that I have to have BT put my land line back on? Any ideas, is there anyone else I can go to without having to pay BT to put me back on.

I rang BT, who confirmed in writing that I was staying with them, and they actually said that Tiscali hadn't put in the order to change over to them. I then got a final bill from BT, I emailed them to tell them they were wrong and that I was staying with them, so they then just cancelled the Invoice. And i thought that was the end of it all. thanks for the advice, I'll see what BT have to say.

I thought we had been, but on checking it this morning they had stopped collecting the direct debits at the end of September last year. So I know we owe someone. I just thought it was still BT, and not actually having received any Invoices from Tiscali, i dont know what they are charging us, and i had only wanted to move to them with the offer of Free Broadband.

I applied on line for free broadband with Tiscali, which also meant moving the land line from BT to them, this was back in August last year. when the confirmation came through the post it said they would charge for the broadband, I rang their call centre who said free broadband wasn't available in my area, (even though on line it said it was), so I cancelled my order, and confirmed with BT that I am staying with them. And now I am receiving phone calls from tiscali saying i have not paid my account, again I rang their call centre, who now say that I only cancelled the broadband and that my land line is with them. They haven't sent me any bills, and the original account details that they sent by email don't work anymore, it says I dont have an account with them. i have emailed and faxed letters across, but no response yet. As anyone else had this happen to them? And advice please. I am worried my land line will be cut off, and i will then end up paying BT to put me back on again.

I just got my charges back from a catalogue, It was only £36.00 but its the principal in these things too. I read through the posts, and am really grateful to everyone for all of the advice thats on there. I started with emails quoting that they were being unfair in their default charges and that I hadn't actually signed any credit agreements, they argued back via email, and then I wrote to their head office and sent a letter to office of fair trading, I haven't actually had a letter back confirming they have credited the charges but I have checked the account and its clear. So a big thank you to everyone for their posts.