Excuses to get out of working weekends

[opus1]

I haven't found one that works yet. I spent 25 years in I/T which meant 24x7x52 availability. Some jobs were better than others, but that was always hanging over my head. The last 15 years or so I have been on the 'business' side of things, and until 4 years ago, that meant late night/weekend work only in dire circumstances, and those were few and far between. Things have changed and now I'm back to night/weekends (in fact I just came off of a weekend) but at least my immediate manager is cognizant of that and will do what she can to make up for it.

 

[andyd]

We work every other weekend, and then have a 3 day weekend the next week. Lots of people try and sneak a 4 or 7-day 'weekend' on that. Thankfully I'm allowed to require Dr.'s notes for it which cuts down a lot on that kind of thing.

Its just dangerous as hell for my employees that do show up when we're unexpectedly short, and I don't think its fair to call someone in from the opposite shift on their weekend off, so I try and avoid that if all possible.

you need more man power or a better planned work schedule

 

[ctechbob]

you need more man power or a better planned work schedule

That's pretty much the standard schedule for law enforcement in these parts.

As for manpower. Good luck.

 

[andyd]

I apologize. I didn't realize you're a LEO. I was thinking about a 9-5 40 hr week.

 

[wpod]

The Herpes is really bad.

 

[ctechbob]

I apologize. I didn't realize you're a LEO. I was thinking about a 9-5 40 hr week.

God I wish. Some days I REALLY miss my M-F office job

 

[jeepman3071]

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?

I agree about the excuses and lying not being a good path to take, I think many in this thread are focusing more on the work/life balance. Completely different scenario being expected to work weekends "to help out" compared to being in a position where working weekends is expected, but balanced with appropriate pay and work/life balance.

I've previously worked for a company where they would expect employees to work additional hours basically for free to "help out the client". There were weeks where I worked all week, then was expected to work saturday/sunday or both because of a crisis, but getting paid for those hours seemed to be a struggle.

 

[jeepman3071]

As the CEO when things hit the fan I go in and stay myself until the crises has passed.
I dont ask my team to do anything I wouldnt do myself.

You are the type of CEO people want to work for, because you take responsibility and likely encourage others to do the same. I had a boss at a previous job who was like this and I loved working for him. It made me want to work harder and take on more responsibility because I admired him.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I do have to work on weekends occasionally. Never Sunday though because we are closed on Sunday. I don’t mind working on a Saturday. I never missed a day of school and don’t plan to ever miss a day of work that’s scheduled. I don’t call in and am very rarely sick. Now have I been called in on my scheduled days off? Yes and it’s sucks having to cancel everything you planned to do to go into work. I refuse to work holidays though which is always guaranteed off because we are closed for holidays. But since I’m not the lowest one on the todem pole anymore since we have a 16 year old working there now who just started Monday. I’m 2nd or 3rd to be called in instead of first now. Just he can’t be underneath a vehicle so if it’s something that has to be underneath then one of us has to do it so if they needed someone for that I would be called in.

 

[Dave Hess]

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.

Does she make good money as a stylist ?

I pay $20 (15 + 5 tip) and it takes less than 10 minutes to cut my hair since I keep it very short.

On Fridays I notice all the stylists are very busy.

 

[Dave Hess]

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.

That’s how it is at my employer. 4 hours minimum if problem is resolved in 5 min.

They also pay $300 per week just to be On Call even if you get zero calls.

 

[ctechbob]

You are the type of CEO people want to work for, because you take responsibility and likely encourage others to do the same. I had a boss at a previous job who was like this and I loved working for him. It made me want to work harder and take on more responsibility because I admired him.

Same here. As a supervisor, I'm not required to work OT, but I do it to show my people that I'm not 'above' them and if I will work it, then they can too. The only small liberty I take with it is unless we are in an emergency mode, I won't work on my 3 day weekend. I seriously need it for my mental health. The few times I've broken that personal rule I and my poor family have paid the price.

 

[fisher83]

I pretty much never miss work and I put in overtime when the team needs my help. On the occasion that I've got other commitments and can't put in OT on the weekend, I just tell them exactly that.

But just for fun here's my idea:

Tell them you have really bad diarrhea and vomiting. Start describing how bad it is, how you don't know what you ate but that it just won't stop coming out, etc. Chances are they'll cut you off before you can finish your explanation and you'll be able to enjoy your weekend!

 

[Wolf359]

I pretty much never miss work and I put in overtime when the team needs my help. On the occasion that I've got other commitments and can't put in OT on the weekend, I just tell them exactly that.

But just for fun here's my idea:

Tell them you have really bad diarrhea and vomiting. Start describing how bad it is, how you don't know what you ate but that it just won't stop coming out, etc. Chances are they'll cut you off before you can finish your explanation and you'll be able to enjoy your weekend!

That actually happened. I happened to be next to HR once and I heard the HR person on the phone yelling at someone who called in sick and telling her she didn't need to know that and that all she had to say was that she was out sick. I heard the whole story afterwards on how she was describing her diarrhea and she's a short fat woman so I guess the mental image of what she was describing wasn't very pleasant. Basically the definition of TMI.

 

[CharlesInCharge]

Duck out early on Friday, and turn your phone off. lol. Name the movie.

 

[Wolf359]

That actually happened. I happened to be next to HR once and I heard the HR person on the phone yelling at someone who called in sick and telling her she didn't need to know that and that all she had to say was that she was out sick. I heard the whole story afterwards on how she was describing her diarrhea and she's a short fat woman so I guess the mental image of what she was describing wasn't very pleasant. Basically the definition of TMI.

Oh yeah, now I remember, she had rotating periods of vomiting and diarrhea and she was describing it to HR. So the HR lady on the phone definitely didn't want to know, she sounded a little mad when she was yelling at her that she didn't need to know.