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Do I have to work a Saturday external event after handing in notice?

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  • 31-01-2020 10:14am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I handed in my notice to my job this week, and to be honest, it hasn't been the best experience. I told my boss Monday I had been offered another job, and that I was letting him know and before I took the other job I wanted to find out if there was anything we could do with my current role, as I am very underpaid in it. All he said was that he 'might be able to give me a pay increase in Sept' and that was it.

    He never contacted me the rest of the day, nor Tuesday, until Wednesday, when I had my regular catch up with him Wednesday afternoon. In this, he had a normal meeting with me, and then last thing moved back to the topic of me leaving, asking if I had 'thought about things'.

    Right before this in the meeting, he asked if I was free next Sat to come to an external event. I am not essential. He just wants company and assistance really. I said I could come, and now I'm kicking myself. I have no idea why I said yes. I handed my written notice in Thursday and he hasn't as much as acknowledged it - why should I now spend my Saturday at something for a company which I am in the notice period of? How can I get out of this?

    I feel upset and disrespected at how this week has gone, and completely not valued.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 24,395 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    Well while it might not be pleasant - you are still employed by this company..


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,075 ✭✭✭joeguevara


    Is Saturday a working day or is it additional. If additional say that something has come up and are unavailable. If it is a working day then work it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭cottonsocks


    lawred2 wrote: »
    Well while it might not be pleasant - you are still employed by this company..

    Hi - this would be for a day in lieu, so not essential, he asked as a favour.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,395 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    Hi - this would be for a day in lieu, so not essential, he asked as a favour.

    just say that something family related came up...


  • Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Hi - this would be for a day in lieu, so not essential, he asked as a favour.

    Depends how strongly you feel about it IMO. Leaving as a bigger person and with dignity is always a good thing.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭deandean


    Do it. Work the Saturday.
    He still has your reference to write :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 20,325 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    You have the new job and you're working your notice so you have nothing to lose by pulling out with a lie as an excuse. But you said you'd do it so it's just a matter of whether you'll do what you said or not.

    If you had thought about it and refused to do the Saturday, that would have been completely fair enough in my opinion. But you said you'd do it so I think you should probably soldier on and do it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭cottonsocks


    joeguevara wrote: »
    Is Saturday a working day or is it additional. If additional say that something has come up and are unavailable. If it is a working day then work it.

    Hi! It's not a working day. I work Mon - Fri. I would get a day in lieu. However, I am moving from London to Dublin in April and to be honest, knowing now that my weekends in London are limited I REALLY don't want to give one up to a boss who doesn't even respect me enough to properly look into the prospect of getting me more money for my already underpaid role.


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭cottonsocks


    deandean wrote: »
    Do it. Work the Saturday.
    He still has your reference to write :)

    Luckily this part is already done!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    You shouldn't have said yes then.

    But you did, so stick by your word. Finish up a day early as your day in lieu.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,609 ✭✭✭stoneill


    Don't leave a job by burning bridges, you never know what the future has in store and you may be back there.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,219 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    It's one day. Keep your word and let that be the last memory of you - someone who gave a dig out when not strictly required to.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 890 ✭✭✭Johnny Sausage


    your word obvioulsy means nothing, if you are moving to a job in the same industry word can spead informally

    also bad form to be doing this on a friday and he will have to find a replacement last minute, a bit of notice wouldnt go astray


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭cottonsocks


    your word obvioulsy means nothing, if you are moving to a job in the same industry word can spead informally

    also bad form to be doing this on a friday and he will have to find a replacement last minute, a bit of notice wouldnt go astray

    Sorry - it's Saturday next week, the 8th Feb. I'm moving to a different country and different industry :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 890 ✭✭✭Johnny Sausage


    Sorry - it's Saturday next week, the 8th Feb. I'm moving to a different country and different industry :)

    ah right, sorry, well a weeks notice is plenty of time for him to find somone else, just explain to him that youhave had a change of heart, be honest, no need to lie,

    best of luck with the move


  • Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭cottonsocks


    ah right, sorry, well a weeks notice is plenty of time for him to find somone else, just explain to him that youhave had a change of heart, be honest, no need to lie,

    best of luck with the move

    Thanks very much! Yeah I do feel like my heart would not be in being there at all!


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,305 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    one up to a boss who doesn't even respect me enough to properly look into the prospect of getting me more money for my already underpaid role.

    Nobody owes you a living, you took on this role at a certain salary, it was not forced upon you and you stayed in it until now... the reason he has not come back to you is that you and/or role are not worth much more to them and they feel you can be easily replaced.

    If you don't want to work at the weekend then make your excuses and stop whining.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    Hi all,

    I handed in my notice to my job this week, and to be honest, it hasn't been the best experience. I told my boss Monday I had been offered another job, and that I was letting him know and before I took the other job I wanted to find out if there was anything we could do with my current role, as I am very underpaid in it. All he said was that he 'might be able to give me a pay increase in Sept' and that was it.

    He never contacted me the rest of the day, nor Tuesday, until Wednesday, when I had my regular catch up with him Wednesday afternoon. In this, he had a normal meeting with me, and then last thing moved back to the topic of me leaving, asking if I had 'thought about things'.

    Right before this in the meeting, he asked if I was free next Sat to come to an external event. I am not essential. He just wants company and assistance really. I said I could come, and now I'm kicking myself. I have no idea why I said yes. I handed my written notice in Thursday and he hasn't as much as acknowledged it - why should I now spend my Saturday at something for a company which I am in the notice period of? How can I get out of this?

    I feel upset and disrespected at how this week has gone, and completely not valued.

    Either tell him you've changed your mind or call in sick.

    What's he going to do? Fire you?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭sondagefaux


    Luckily this part is already done!

    Then he's got no power over you. Do as you want.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,543 ✭✭✭Seanachai


    deandean wrote: »
    Do it. Work the Saturday.
    He still has your reference to write :)

    Are written references not now restricted to just a confirmation that you were employed by a company and the time period you worked there?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,000 ✭✭✭skallywag


    Hi - this would be for a day in lieu, so not essential, he asked as a favour.

    Be that as it may, I do not see anywhere in your post where you say he put you under pressure to accept, it sounds like you did so completely voluntarily. To change your mind now, with nothing having happened in the meantime to move the goalposts, just comes across as completely unprofessional, and points towards someone who cannot be trusted. I think you need to learn that when you make a commitment to someone you then need to follow though on it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,000 ✭✭✭skallywag


    Seanachai wrote: »
    Are written references not now restricted to just a confirmation that you were employed by a company and the time period you worked there?

    In some companies, yes, though anyone really wanting to know how the employee performed is going to call the referee as opposed to requesting something in writing. I myself will always call a referee.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,305 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    Then he's got no power over you. Do as you want.

    Unless a future employer decides to check up on your reference letters... never burn a bridge you don't have to.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,636 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Seanachai wrote: »
    Are written references not now restricted to just a confirmation that you were employed by a company and the time period you worked there?
    No. Some companies have instituted that policy to avoid the possibility of being sued for defamation. If you say something that would damage a person's reputation, the person can sue for defamation, and the onus is on you to prove that your statement is true.

    Say you mention in a reference that an employee was regularly late. If they take you to court over it, and you can't produce actual records showing that they were regularly late, you're going to lose the case

    There's no real benefit to a company to provide an accurate reference, and in cases like the above it could backfire, so most of them have started playing it safe and doing the bare minimum

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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,570 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Seanachai wrote: »
    Are written references not now restricted to just a confirmation that you were employed by a company and the time period you worked there?

    Written references tend to confirm duration of employment. A phone call with the loaded question “would you employ him/her again?” Is a killer.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Always Tired


    Would I fudge go in on a Saturday under those circumstances. I always hear this arse licking nonsense about people saying, 'don't burn bridges', 'you never know' blah blah. This isn't burning a bridge. Expecting an employee who is leaving because they are underpaid to give up free time on their way out the door is a joke, not turning up to some stupid thing you dont need to be at isnt burning a bridge, it's silly of your boss to ask you if you are leaving.

    They already skimped you on your time for however long you were there, and you left because you wanted to call time on that, you've done that successfully, you owe them no favors, and in fact you already did them one by letting them know you were offered another job and giving them the chance to keep you on. When they didn't take that chance then I don't know why they would expect you to work a Saturday.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,570 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Would I fudge go in on a Saturday under those circumstances. I always hear this arse licking nonsense about people saying, 'don't burn bridges', 'you never know' blah blah. This isn't burning a bridge. Expecting an employee who is leaving because they are underpaid to give up free time on their way out the door is a joke, not turning up to some stupid thing you dont need to be at isnt burning a bridge, it's silly of your boss to ask you if you are leaving.

    They already skimped you on your time for however long you were there, and you left because you wanted to call time on that, you've done that successfully, you owe them no favors, and in fact you already did them one by letting them know you were offered another job and giving them the chance to keep you on. When they didn't take that chance then I don't know why they would expect you to work a Saturday.

    I don’t get the sense that it is expected, though I could be wrong, and I thought I read earlier it will be given back time enlieu, but again, I could be wrong.

    As for the blah blah part, a lot of employers do think references are important.

    You are only underpaid if the market says so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,833 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    Try for a win-win: go back to him and say that instead of being paid for a day in lieu, you'd like to take that day on the [Friday|Monday of your choosing] before you leave. If he agrees, work the Saturday knowing that you've kept the moral high ground and you're going to get a long weekend for yourself out of it; if he doesn't, ask him if it's really necessary, because there are things you'd appreciate having the extra time for before you leave London.

    I've burnt bridges before, thinking that it'd never matter in the future, only to find out that time and geography doesn't matter; now I make a determined effort not to go back on my word, even if it causes me some short-term inconvenience.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,000 ✭✭✭skallywag


    Dav010 wrote: »
    A phone call with the loaded question “would you employ him/her again?” Is a killer.

    It's always the last question I ask. Just a yes/no answer. speaks volumes without any comeback on anyone if it's a no.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,075 ✭✭✭joeguevara


    Although the OP has had their question clearly answered, it should be noted than a new employer can only request a reference or contact a referee from the referees provided by the applicant. They can’t ring up or email everyone on the CV.

    Also, if you are in employment and moving without your employer knowing, a different referee is normally used.


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