Work advice, free overtime?

[terestrife]

I hope my post doesnt upset anyone, as i know so many people are without jobs. I am grateful to still have my job so i hope its ok to post this.

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My question: i work for a college as a secretary and we are going remotely. My college is very picky about people not doing overtime and only working the hours you are meant to work. My boss sent me an email that he wants me to answer our office phones (from home) from 8 am to 7 pm (M-Th) and F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Normally i work M-F 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

So he is asking me to work 8 hours for free, he told me specifically in the email to clock in at later m-th, but he also said he wanted the phones watched from 8 am. My first instinct was to just say yes since im grateful to have this job at all. Is that the right thing to do though?

The message i was sent:

"Teresa, I need you to cover the office phones0800am until 0700pm M-Th and 0800 – 0430F. That means that you’ll actually start work around 10am M-R."

 

[KittyFriday]

Ohh that’s not cool. Thankfully if the university I work for tried that my boss would FLIP but not all bosses are that cool.

I would recommend telling him you are happy to watch the phones, but that you can’t work unless you are clocked in. Ask if maybe you can take comp time for overtime instead of extra pay (which is how it works at my school).

 

[kittyluv387]

That sounds illegal if you're an hourly person. Know your rights.

 

[susanm9006]

I would respond back, acting like you are confused . Does he want you to start at 8:00 or 10:00. If it’s 8:00 is he okay with the overtime? At least that way you will get a clear statement from him of whether he intends you to work the extra hours with our without pay. If it’s without pay I would let him know that isn’t ok.

 

[LTS3]

I'd contact HR and ask for clarification on overtime rules and then explain the situation you are in.

 

[terestrife]

Ohh that’s not cool. Thankfully if the university I work for tried that my boss would FLIP but not all bosses are that cool.

I would recommend telling him you are happy to watch the phones, but that you can’t work unless you are clocked in. Ask if maybe you can take comp time for overtime instead of extra pay (which is how it works at my school).

i'll try that! Going to email him tomorrow for clarification.

That sounds illegal if you're an hourly person. Know your rights.

Thank you!

I would respond back, acting like you are confused . Does he want you to start at 8:00 or 10:00. If it’s 8:00 is he okay with the overtime? At least that way you will get a clear statement from him of whether he intends you to work the extra hours with our without pay. If it’s without pay I would let him know that isn’t ok.

Thats a good idea, i will try that! i will reach out in the morning. Hopefully i just misunderstood the way he phrased his email.

I'd contact HR and ask for clarification on overtime rules and then explain the situation you are in.

thank you for the advice! I am reaching out to him tomorrow. I will keep that in mind just in case.


- Thank you everyone!

 

[Willowy]

I would respond back, acting like you are confused . Does he want you to start at 8:00 or 10:00. If it’s 8:00 is he okay with the overtime? At least that way you will get a clear statement from him of whether he intends you to work the extra hours with our without pay. If it’s without pay I would let him know that isn’t ok.

Yeah, do that. Play dumb and make him put it in writing. It's not legal to have people work off the clock or falsify timecards.

 

[terestrife]

Yeah, do that. Play dumb and make him put it in writing. It's not legal to have people work off the clock or falsify timecards.

Something weird happened. I sent him an email asking for clarification. He calls the office phone (set up to my computer now) and says he was meaning to call someone else. But took the time to talk to me.

I had sent him an email this morning clarifying what hours i should work. So on the phone he told me only one person can have the software to answer the phones, and that they need someone to cover from 8am - 7pm. He said "we would figure out how to manage the hours later". He didnt mention anything about over time, all he did was send this response to my email."Great thanks. You’re an ANGEL!!"


I am not good when confronted so i didnt ask again about clocking in. I know i am dumb, i tend to forget everything when i sense an uncomfortable conversation coming up, which is why i prefer emails.

In the email i asked if i should do the afternoon shift. But on the phone he said again he needs someone to watch the phone from 8am - 7pm. Do i send him another email? He's being so vague and not putting in writing for me to work outside my hours that its now rubbing me the wrong way.

i dont know if i should send him another email that i dont mind watching the phone the entire day, but would like to know if overtime is possible?

sorry, this is my second job, and dont have much experience with things like this.

 

[susanm9006]

Something weird happened. I sent him an email asking for clarification. He calls the office phone (set up to my computer now) and says he was meaning to call someone else. But took the time to talk to me.

I had sent him an email this morning clarifying what hours i should work. So on the phone he told me only one person can have the software to answer the phones, and that they need someone to cover from 8am - 7pm. He said "we would figure out how to manage the hours later". He didnt mention anything about over time, all he did was send this response to my email."Great thanks. You’re an ANGEL!!

i dont know if i should send him another email that i dont mind watching the phone the entire day, but would like to know if overtime is possible?

sorry, this is my second job, and dont have much experience with things like this.

I would just send him an email saying you are okay with the hours and can use the overtime. With a big THANKS and a smiley face. Let him try to back down from that!

 

[terestrife]

ok, i asked again to clarify. i told him i didnt mind the extra hours, but i acted dumb like i wasnt sure about clocking in and my work hours. now he is saying he will try to see if someone else can help with the phones in earlier hours. He isnt sure if the application can be on two computers.

he told me to work the later shift, this time he didnt act vague. i think he noticed that i could tell he wanted me to work for free. LOL too bad he didnt offer me the overtime, it would have been great right now. I mentioned to him i didnt mind the hours.

 

[susanm9006]

ok, i asked again to clarify. i told him i didnt mind the extra hours, but i acted dumb like i wasnt sure about clocking in and my work hours. now he is saying he will try to see if someone else can help with the phones in earlier hours. He isnt sure if the application can be on two computers.

he told me to work the later shift, this time he didnt act vague. i think he noticed that i could tell he wanted me to work for free. LOL too bad he didnt offer me the overtime, it would have been great right now. I mentioned to him i didnt mind the hours.

Good for you. Not cool for him to take advantage of you and at least this way you can get out for a walk in the morning before you start work if you want to. Even with the shorter hours that is still nine hours and technically if you are answering all of those hours you should get an hour a day of overtime.

 

[terestrife]

Good for you. Not cool for him to take advantage of you and at least this way you can get out for a walk in the morning before you start work if you want to. Even with the shorter hours that is still nine hours and technically if you are answering all of those hours you should get an hour a day of overtime.

i clock out for "lunch hour" =) it gives me an hour to get away from the computer, or go out to the store if i need to get anything. I try to stick to the hours i have always kept just in case.