Excuses to get out of working weekends

[PandaBear]

Exempt means salaried, and a salary is based on X amount of hours a week. Pretty simple...you pay me for 40 hours, so I will work 40 hours (normally). Additionally, if you treat your employees right they will gladly go the extra mile for you...I don't mind the occasional Saturday but it means I just earned comp time to take later.

It is more complicated than that. Often it is about making sure X is taken care of and you are responsible for X. Those typically are in the higher tier pay rank than just show up and work X hours a week. In those jobs typically you have "emergency" that you need to work weekend for and then afterward the boss let you take some paid time off.

If they abuse that people will start leaving, words get out, and nobody wants to work for them again (unless they get paid huge salary like FANG).

 

[PandaBear]

I don’t call in sick when I get assigned a trip that leaves on the Wednesday before thanksgiving and gets back Sunday, or because I’m working December 23-27, or July 2-5, or any other combination of days that regular folks expect to have off. I work those days. People are counting on me to get them to Disney, on vacation, to an important meeting, or wedding, or funeral.

I think it depends on the expectation on both sides. Some jobs like yours have the expectation that work days and off days are not always weekdays and weekends. Sometimes there's genuine emergency bosses call you in during weekends to help out, sometimes people are too polite to say no and want a reason to say no. Sometimes of course, there are people who just want to get out because they want to have fun after they already sign up. I won't lie about why I need time off, and those are genuine (like I cannot find someone to watch my kids).

People do quit when bosses abuse those weekends, and people do get less bonus / laid off / not get promoted as much when they cannot jump into emergency and help out relative to their coworkers' willingness. This is probably the main reason many would work extra, regardless of weekdays or weekends.

 

[bunnspecial]

I guess I've been fortunate.

Back in my single days, I had an unofficial understanding that if they needed me there 12+ hours a day any day of the week, I'd be there and would be in the next day too at 8:00 with a smile on my face.

With that said, I've always valued my weekends and family time-even before married-and just my "me" time to regularly work weekends. I'm very flexible on time Monday-Thursday, but Friday at 4:00(my official quitting time) I'm out the door until Monday.

I worked the occasional Saturday, but it was notice enough in advance and generally a handshake agreement for a day off the following week or at some other convenient time. I positively refuse Sundays. For me, Sundays are for Church and not for work.

My wife is a nurse so is in a bit of a different situation. She works every 3rd weekend, no ifs, ands, or buts, as well as randomly assigned holidays(everyone works the same number, it's just which ones they happen to be). If she wants off a normal weekend, she has to "trade" with someone else-i.e. they work her weekend she wants off and she works one of their weekends. The whole trading deal is recorded and scheduled, it's not just that one shows up in place of another, but that's how it works. As an example, we are taking a vacation at the end of May that goes over one of her weekends off. She's working two in a row in June to cover for it.

With her schedule, though, I value the weekends she's off even more and it takes a lot for me to work a weekend when she doesn't.

In any case, though, I don't make excuses. If it's last minute and won't work, I just say that I already have plans for the weekend and leave it at that. It's none of their business if my plans are to sit around in my underwear watching TV all day or spend the day working on my car or traveling(which we do a fair bit of anyway)-I have plans.

My work gets 100% of me when I'm there, and usually more time than I'm required to give them. My days where my schedule doesn't say I'm required to be there are my days to do with what I want.

 

[PimTac]

I worked every other weekend for many many years. I actually didn’t mind it. In return I got a weekday off before and after the duty weekend. On those days I could schedule things or shop without the hassling crowds and long waits etc.

 

[JTK]

I worked every other weekend for many many years. I actually didn’t mind it. In return I got a weekday off before and after the duty weekend. On those days I could schedule things or shop without the hassling crowds and long waits etc.

That's exactly what I've grown accustomed to. Any appointments, shopping, etc, are so much easier during the week.

 

[skyactiv]

My younger sister is a stylist at a Great Clips. They are franchised and the owner she works for has several locations. It is open 7 days a week.
She works 4 days on, 4 days off and shows up before they close and stays after they close. A few employees float and and cover all locations as needed when someone is off.

 

[ctrcbob]

This all reminds me of the guy who went to his boss and asked for Friday off. He even offered to take it without pay. His boss asked why and he said that he was serving as best man for his friend at a huge Polish wedding. His boss agreed as he had a good work record but told him to be in early every day the following week.

So the guy takes of Friday. Monday comes and he does not show up for work. Same on Tuesday. Wednesday, he straggles in and looks like he hasn't slept in days. Naturally, is boss is quite upset.

"Where the heck were you for the past two days?', he asks

"I'm sorry I didn't show up Monday and Tuesday but it was because they had door prizes after the wedding and I got second prize,"

The boss says, "How does winning second prize make you two days late?"

Guy answers, " Second prize was three days in bed with the bride. That's where I was."

"Holy crow," says his boss. "what was first prize?"

"A canned ham."

I thought you were going to tell about the guy who wanted Saturday off to get married. Boss said sure, and take the rest of the week for your honeymoon.

Saturday comes around and here the guy shows up for work. Boss said” I thought you were getting married”. Guy said he changed his mind. “Why did you change your mind”? Guy said “ I found out she was a virgin “. She’s a virgin you say, what does that have to do with it”.

Well, if she’s not good enough for other men, she’s not good enough for me!

 

[IndyIan]

I’ve worked weekends and holidays my entire life.

Weekends off sure sounds nice, but I’ve got no idea what that’s like.

Making excuses just isn’t in my nature. If I can’t work, and it’s for a good reason, then I call in sick.

But it must be a good reason, like, actually being sick.

I don’t call in sick when I get assigned a trip that leaves on the Wednesday before thanksgiving and gets back Sunday, or because I’m working December 23-27, or July 2-5, or any other combination of days that regular folks expect to have off. I work those days. People are counting on me to get them to Disney, on vacation, to an important meeting, or wedding, or funeral.

Weekends off sounds nice but doesn’t apply to all sorts of career fields. You get hurt on a weekend, do you expect doctors and nurses to be at the hospital? You want to travel, do you expect the airline, or hotels, to allow you to book on a weekend or Holiday? How about a gas station? Should they be open on weekends or holidays? Restaurant?

Of course you do, you use those businesses and service more on weekends and holidays.

I’m not sure what I find most shocking in this thread, the idea that folks are entitled to weekends off, or that lying and making excuses is acceptable. If the work needs to be done, why are you better than your co-workers, or other employees that will be called in when you lie your way out? Why do you deserve better than them?

Some jobs you sign up for working some/many weekends and holidays ,and others you don't. If more work needs to be done on a regular basis in a non-service industry, than an employer has capacity for in a regular work week, they need to hire more people or get more efficient. Sure its a good thing to do for a genuine emergency but not as a regular occurance. If someone doesn't want to work outside their contracted hours its not anyone else's business IMO. The employer can either make it worth their while to come in or hire someone else.

 

[ctrcbob]

I worked at a company whereas if they called me in, after hours, they paid me time and a half (Sunday’s double time) for a minimum of Four Hours Pay, even if you only stayed ten minutes. Never minded them phoning me at 3am to come in to fix a problem.

 

[ctrcbob]

I had a friend who had a production job. Worked 12 hour shifts, ONLY ON WEEKENDS. One week, 12am to 12pm. Next week, 12pm to 12am. He was paid DOUBLE TIME. (So, 48 hours pay for 24 hours work).

 

[Wolf359]

I worked at a company whereas if they called me in, after hours, they paid me time and a half (Sunday’s double time) for a minimum of Four Hours Pay, even if you only stayed ten minutes. Never minded them phoning me at 3am to come in to fix a problem.

Depends on the state law. We had people who covered the help desk on weekends and same thing, if they had to come in for 10 minutes, they got paid for at least 3 hours which I believe is what is required by state law.

 

[doitmyself]

"Dear, I'd love to help you paint the bathroom and weed the garden, but I need to pop into work to help with a problem. The golf clubs? Oh, they're in the car in case I drive by the pro shop and want them to make some adjustments"

 

[SeaJay]

Unions and government employee contracts often have these things with double time, etc. as well as other screwy work related conditions. Back in the day I had a union job in a grocery store paying $2 an hour that paid me an extra $1 an hour for time after 6:00 pm in an 8 hour shift plus 1.5 OT after 40. For a 48 hour work week I made as much as a lot of 40 hour blue collar full time jobs were paying at the time.

A lot less of those types of deals going on these days, fewer union jobs is the prime culprit.

 

[cjcride]

I worked at a company whereas if they called me in, after hours, they paid me time and a half (Sunday’s double time) for a minimum of Four Hours Pay, even if you only stayed ten minutes. Never minded them phoning me at 3am to come in to fix a problem.

This was how our contract worked.

 

[JustinH]

Time for a new job if you need excuses to do anything.

 

[Cujet]

"no"

That's the correct answer and the only answer you need to give.

I'm an older salaried employee, with no children and no additional burdens. My employer knows this and abused it, it is why I'm at this job. I've been asked, pushed, coerced, yelled-at, screamed-at, threatened and more to work when it was "my time". I'm owed a full year+ vacation! (I will never see it) (in 2016, I had only 19 days off all year)

Employers will target their abuse. Only you care about your time off.

Then my health failed (mitochondrial dysfunction and crushing fatigue). 25 years of missed weekends/holidays/vacations/adventures, the family gatherings I missed... I can't get any of it back, and many relatives are now dead. Now, even the slightest activity exhausts me. My life now consists of sitting down, because I can't do anything else, and quite simply I ALLOWED MYSELF TO GET SCREWED. Thinking that I'll do the things I want later. Well, I can't. Chances are quite good you won't be able to either.

If I survive, the money I made will be spent on a nursing home, with me lying there, out of my mind and exhausted. For those who know me, that's not a life for me.

My suggestion #1, don't give them one additional minute.
My suggestion #2, get very comfortable saying "NO" and if asked, say "that's my time", and not a word more.

You will never hear an old guy say anything approaching: "I wish I worked more".

 

[Cujet]

I’ve worked weekends and holidays my entire life.

You bring up a great point. It's not the weekends and holidays that really matter. It is appropriate time off as a whole. I know for a fact that airline pilots get appropriate time off. Along with appropriate salaries, nice travel benefits, retirement benefits and the benefits that a "pilots union" brings.

Sure, many (most?) pilots love to fly. But flying is a job, often a stressful job, and after the honeymoon is over, most pilots would rather be home, out on the boat, riding the motorcycle (or horse) or enjoying the beach, or whatever, than working.

 

[PandaBear]

Unions and government employee contracts often have these things with double time, etc. as well as other screwy work related conditions. Back in the day I had a union job in a grocery store paying $2 an hour that paid me an extra $1 an hour for time after 6:00 pm in an 8 hour shift plus 1.5 OT after 40. For a 48 hour work week I made as much as a lot of 40 hour blue collar full time jobs were paying at the time.

A lot less of those types of deals going on these days, fewer union jobs is the prime culprit.

There still are but pay based on hours are now something that doesn't pay the best anymore. There are a lot of automation going on these days and with that it means the responsibilities are what they pay you for (make sure something doesn't break) and you get paid the same regardless of hours put in, and you get a bonus if your responsibilities are fulfilled well.

To work around unions there are always those contractor jobs you can put on there these days, by the miles or by the pieces, etc. Then there's always those uber like jobs that you get paid by the trip so you pretty much bypass those labor laws and turn you from a worker into self employed. And you know self employed is actually not a boss these days, other than you can refuse to turn on your phone whenever you feel like.

 

[Leo99]

One could use Bartleby's retort, "I would prefer not to."

 

[Lubener]

One could use Bartleby's retort, "I would prefer not to."

Wouldn't work with my old boss.