I think I am being exploited at work
Forgive me for all the 'bullet points' but I feel like to help me, you need all the facts.
I have recently got a job in a competitive industry, after gaining a degree and taking an additional qualification. I should be happy, but I have found that due to the commute and the long hours, it has taken over my life and making me thoroughly stressed.
The job is 30 miles away from where I live- it takes an hour to get to on the train+ half an hour walking costing me £220 a month.
The hours on my contract are 9-5.30, with an hour lunch break. This would be fine and dandy, however, they expect me to work longer, and have no lunch- unpaid. My contract says that due to the nature of the business I may be expected to work outside my contracted hours, but it should be pre-agreed in writing.
I wake up at 6:30, and leave my house at 7:20 to get the train at 7:40. The train is an hour, and then I need to walk to the office, which is 10 minutes away from the station.
I work the whole day, only breaking to go to the toilet, and I eat my lunch at my desk. The reason is because most of the other workers seem to do the same thing.
When it gets to 5:30, I am given additional tasks to do, even though I should be going home. The trains home are every half hour, and after 6pm they take longer- 1 hour and 15 minutes rather than an hour.
When I have left at 5:30 I have had comments, such as, 'don't expect this everyday.' Everyone else in the office is still stuck into their work, so I feel guilty, but at the same time I am knackered.
If I leave at 5:30, and am lucky to get the next train, I get home at 7. If I don't run to the station in time, I get home at 7:25. If I stay late like everyone else does, I get home between 8 and 10, depending on what time we leave (sometimes it's 8pm). I am exhausted in the evenings, I sometimes don't even have the energy to shower. Most days I am asleep by 9:30.
I have become incredible stressed and sometimes break down before/after work. My family think I may have bipolar- I have diagnosed depression already but I'm not sure if I have bipolar.
I don't know what to do- these long days are already killing me, and I feel it is unfair for them to make me work outside of my contracted hours. Is this legal? I am worried about getting fired if I do leave at 5:30, as I am only on a temporary contract as I have just started.
The pay isn't even that good either, so I don't even have that perk.
I am thinking maybe I should quit, I thought the day was 9-5:30 which is long enough, but any longer than that is going to make me ill.
Any advice, about laws and contracts etc, would be appreciated.
I have recently got a job in a competitive industry, after gaining a degree and taking an additional qualification. I should be happy, but I have found that due to the commute and the long hours, it has taken over my life and making me thoroughly stressed.
The job is 30 miles away from where I live- it takes an hour to get to on the train+ half an hour walking costing me £220 a month.
The hours on my contract are 9-5.30, with an hour lunch break. This would be fine and dandy, however, they expect me to work longer, and have no lunch- unpaid. My contract says that due to the nature of the business I may be expected to work outside my contracted hours, but it should be pre-agreed in writing.
I wake up at 6:30, and leave my house at 7:20 to get the train at 7:40. The train is an hour, and then I need to walk to the office, which is 10 minutes away from the station.
I work the whole day, only breaking to go to the toilet, and I eat my lunch at my desk. The reason is because most of the other workers seem to do the same thing.
When it gets to 5:30, I am given additional tasks to do, even though I should be going home. The trains home are every half hour, and after 6pm they take longer- 1 hour and 15 minutes rather than an hour.
When I have left at 5:30 I have had comments, such as, 'don't expect this everyday.' Everyone else in the office is still stuck into their work, so I feel guilty, but at the same time I am knackered.
If I leave at 5:30, and am lucky to get the next train, I get home at 7. If I don't run to the station in time, I get home at 7:25. If I stay late like everyone else does, I get home between 8 and 10, depending on what time we leave (sometimes it's 8pm). I am exhausted in the evenings, I sometimes don't even have the energy to shower. Most days I am asleep by 9:30.
I have become incredible stressed and sometimes break down before/after work. My family think I may have bipolar- I have diagnosed depression already but I'm not sure if I have bipolar.
I don't know what to do- these long days are already killing me, and I feel it is unfair for them to make me work outside of my contracted hours. Is this legal? I am worried about getting fired if I do leave at 5:30, as I am only on a temporary contract as I have just started.
The pay isn't even that good either, so I don't even have that perk.
I am thinking maybe I should quit, I thought the day was 9-5:30 which is long enough, but any longer than that is going to make me ill.
Any advice, about laws and contracts etc, would be appreciated.
No it's not legal, and yes it is exploitation.
Original post by Anonymous
Forgive me for all the 'bullet points' but I feel like to help me, you need all the facts.
I have recently got a job in a competitive industry, after gaining a degree and taking an additional qualification. I should be happy, but I have found that due to the commute and the long hours, it has taken over my life and making me thoroughly stressed.
The job is 30 miles away from where I live- it takes an hour to get to on the train+ half an hour walking costing me £220 a month.
The hours on my contract are 9-5.30, with an hour lunch break. This would be fine and dandy, however, they expect me to work longer, and have no lunch- unpaid. My contract says that due to the nature of the business I may be expected to work outside my contracted hours, but it should be pre-agreed in writing.
I wake up at 6:30, and leave my house at 7:20 to get the train at 7:40. The train is an hour, and then I need to walk to the office, which is 10 minutes away from the station.
I work the whole day, only breaking to go to the toilet, and I eat my lunch at my desk. The reason is because most of the other workers seem to do the same thing.
When it gets to 5:30, I am given additional tasks to do, even though I should be going home. The trains home are every half hour, and after 6pm they take longer- 1 hour and 15 minutes rather than an hour.
When I have left at 5:30 I have had comments, such as, 'don't expect this everyday.' Everyone else in the office is still stuck into their work, so I feel guilty, but at the same time I am knackered.
If I leave at 5:30, and am lucky to get the next train, I get home at 7. If I don't run to the station in time, I get home at 7:25. If I stay late like everyone else does, I get home between 8 and 10, depending on what time we leave (sometimes it's 8pm). I am exhausted in the evenings, I sometimes don't even have the energy to shower. Most days I am asleep by 9:30.
I have become incredible stressed and sometimes break down before/after work. My family think I may have bipolar- I have diagnosed depression already but I'm not sure if I have bipolar.
I don't know what to do- these long days are already killing me, and I feel it is unfair for them to make me work outside of my contracted hours. Is this legal? I am worried about getting fired if I do leave at 5:30, as I am only on a temporary contract as I have just started.
The pay isn't even that good either, so I don't even have that perk.
I am thinking maybe I should quit, I thought the day was 9-5:30 which is long enough, but any longer than that is going to make me ill.
Any advice, about laws and contracts etc, would be appreciated.
I have recently got a job in a competitive industry, after gaining a degree and taking an additional qualification. I should be happy, but I have found that due to the commute and the long hours, it has taken over my life and making me thoroughly stressed.
The job is 30 miles away from where I live- it takes an hour to get to on the train+ half an hour walking costing me £220 a month.
The hours on my contract are 9-5.30, with an hour lunch break. This would be fine and dandy, however, they expect me to work longer, and have no lunch- unpaid. My contract says that due to the nature of the business I may be expected to work outside my contracted hours, but it should be pre-agreed in writing.
I wake up at 6:30, and leave my house at 7:20 to get the train at 7:40. The train is an hour, and then I need to walk to the office, which is 10 minutes away from the station.
I work the whole day, only breaking to go to the toilet, and I eat my lunch at my desk. The reason is because most of the other workers seem to do the same thing.
When it gets to 5:30, I am given additional tasks to do, even though I should be going home. The trains home are every half hour, and after 6pm they take longer- 1 hour and 15 minutes rather than an hour.
When I have left at 5:30 I have had comments, such as, 'don't expect this everyday.' Everyone else in the office is still stuck into their work, so I feel guilty, but at the same time I am knackered.
If I leave at 5:30, and am lucky to get the next train, I get home at 7. If I don't run to the station in time, I get home at 7:25. If I stay late like everyone else does, I get home between 8 and 10, depending on what time we leave (sometimes it's 8pm). I am exhausted in the evenings, I sometimes don't even have the energy to shower. Most days I am asleep by 9:30.
I have become incredible stressed and sometimes break down before/after work. My family think I may have bipolar- I have diagnosed depression already but I'm not sure if I have bipolar.
I don't know what to do- these long days are already killing me, and I feel it is unfair for them to make me work outside of my contracted hours. Is this legal? I am worried about getting fired if I do leave at 5:30, as I am only on a temporary contract as I have just started.
The pay isn't even that good either, so I don't even have that perk.
I am thinking maybe I should quit, I thought the day was 9-5:30 which is long enough, but any longer than that is going to make me ill.
Any advice, about laws and contracts etc, would be appreciated.
Your legal hours are all you are obligated to do walk out at 5:30 like you own the place, because you own your time.
Are you the same person as this?
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3232345
As for your situation. 9am - 5.30pm is not over the top. Working a bit over that would be considered normal in some industries as would working through lunch. Most contracts will stipulate that additional hours of work may be required to fulfil projects etc and before you know it, there is a culture of working long hours.
You do however have a choice. Yes, you can leave and go elsewhere but if you wish to pursue a career in this competitive world you are going to have to suck it up to a certain extent.
The other option you have is to live a bit closer to work. Throughout my 15 years in work, I have always lived within a few miles of where I work with the exception of a period where I commuted 40 miles each way. Without doubt that was the worst 4 years of my career. Being close to home makes all the difference to your energy levels and your pocket too.
Think hard and start taking some big decisions.
Good luck!
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3232345
As for your situation. 9am - 5.30pm is not over the top. Working a bit over that would be considered normal in some industries as would working through lunch. Most contracts will stipulate that additional hours of work may be required to fulfil projects etc and before you know it, there is a culture of working long hours.
You do however have a choice. Yes, you can leave and go elsewhere but if you wish to pursue a career in this competitive world you are going to have to suck it up to a certain extent.
The other option you have is to live a bit closer to work. Throughout my 15 years in work, I have always lived within a few miles of where I work with the exception of a period where I commuted 40 miles each way. Without doubt that was the worst 4 years of my career. Being close to home makes all the difference to your energy levels and your pocket too.
Think hard and start taking some big decisions.
Good luck!
they have no legal right to insist you stay late or work through lunch and if you do then you need to be paid for it
however, it is fairly accepted in most workplaces that you work extra hours, I earn a very low wage and I still end up working through lunch and staying late regularly because it is needed to get my job done to a high standard... it's not fair at all but it depends what your priorities are, if you leave when you are entitled to then you risk being let go when our contract is up (you might be able to stop this by being efficient in the time you have?) and you will risk your colleagues disliking you, there is someone who is always out the door bang on home time where I work and people really resent her because those extra things then tend to get left to us to do
why not try and compromise for now, stay late 2-3 nights, work extra hard and just give yourself 1-2 lunch breaks a week (and keep them short) then you will seem willing but look for a new job which is closer to home as the extra hours wouldn't be so tiring if you were still home by 7
however, it is fairly accepted in most workplaces that you work extra hours, I earn a very low wage and I still end up working through lunch and staying late regularly because it is needed to get my job done to a high standard... it's not fair at all but it depends what your priorities are, if you leave when you are entitled to then you risk being let go when our contract is up (you might be able to stop this by being efficient in the time you have?) and you will risk your colleagues disliking you, there is someone who is always out the door bang on home time where I work and people really resent her because those extra things then tend to get left to us to do
why not try and compromise for now, stay late 2-3 nights, work extra hard and just give yourself 1-2 lunch breaks a week (and keep them short) then you will seem willing but look for a new job which is closer to home as the extra hours wouldn't be so tiring if you were still home by 7
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