The Student Room Group

My boss is trying to triple my hours

Hi, this may get long, I will do a TLDR.

I started working for Chessington as a bartender in October and on my contract I am only meant to have 15 hours (I don't know if even that is too much) but yesterday my manager put me on the rota for 44 hours next week as it is very busy. When I went in to work I had the intention of fixing it but when I went to talk to her I sort of froze and I couldn't put me foot down on the issue. When I said I couldn't work that long, she sweet talked me, saying it is because I am very good and she trusts me to be able to get my head down and deliver excellent service without a manager looming over me but I hardly feel that way most of the time. I asked if she could at least cut it down to 25 and she said she will try. I still feel even 25 is too much. That is equitable to working 2 full time jobs back to back. Additionally, I am sometimes working 10 hour days on saturday or sunday. This is my first job and I haven't had any guidance on how much I should be working whilst doing my a levels which is making me panic and I also don't know what steps I can take to make sure my hours stay down.

TLDR: I am not assertive enough to tell my boss to keep my working hours down to a reasonable amount, but I don't really know what a reasonable amount is.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 1
The average working week is like 38 hours a week for a full-time employee.
Im sure you will be fine for doing it just 1 week just make it clear to her that it is a one off.
That way she gets what she wants and you dont leave her understaffed.

In regards to working whilst doing A-levels you just have to find the balance yourself.
You will know after next week if its too much. Personally though I'd say 16-24 is probably the max you should be working while doing A-levels.

That being said I do abour 46 hours a week while doing an Access course but I am a bit older than you.
Don't stress, I'm guessing she's put you down because she knows you've broken up for christmas? If that's the case, assume its a one off and put it down as being a bit of a taster of what that particular job is like full time.

I'm down to work 31 hours next week and as a university student on a normal week I work about 16 hours, give or take 4 either way.

As for reasonable, it depends quite how much you need to do alongside work. You can still fit in some effective study time alongside 28 hours with plenty of sleep (assuming you have mocks in Jan) but I know some people can work full time of 37+ hours and still do the same. It's entirely down to what you feel you can do.

I had one job where I felt if I worked above 20 hours I'd collapse, and another that if I did 40 I'd still feel like a functioning human being.

Quick Reply

Latest