Possible legal issues

[cyclops 15]

Hello guys I need some advise here. Earlier I just received an email from my manager if I'm OK to change my work sked from the current Monday to Friday to a Sunday to Thursday due to some changes in the priority of the projects I'm doing. The email was actually quite polite but I was ticked off a bit when one of my colleague asked me what my decision was. I asked him how did he know and he said the supervisor was already assuming I would accept the offer and was already scouting around for someone to takeover my Friday sked. I reviewed my contract and while nothing was mentioned there that I should be working Monday to Friday during all my interviews and during the contract signing the "word of mouth" was always I would be working on those said days. So my question is if ever I decide not to accept that offer can they say they have the legal prerogative to have my schedule changed?

[masteff 64]

Employment issues like this can get tricky as certain underlying legalities vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

 

My first question to you is how typical is weekend work there? And is there more than one shift? Which is to say, do any/many people work schedules other than what you're working right now? If 99.9% of people work Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, then you obviously expected that you would be too. If some big % of people work other schedules, then you'd have less grounds to expect to never be changed.

 

Now, putting aside the poor handling of it by your manager and the associated annoyance, are you interested in working the different schedule? (don't put your answer in writing, don't put yourself on record, just consider the question)

 

My approach might be the little white lie method to test how much wiggle-room you have... "gee, I have a regular activity on Sunday afternoons that I'd have to cancel. I'm wondering how critical this change is to achieving the desired results." (if they try to ask about the activity, just deflect them with "it's my personal time on my weekend, the important issue is my understanding why I should agree to cancel it."; they don't need to know it's playing Sacred )

 

Edit: also, how long is the change expected to last? If it's just, say 3 months, then you might "take one for the team" in hopes management will look more positively on you and it furthers your long-term career.

Edited June 7, 2012 by masteff