Reply to: Client Refusing to Pay for Weekend Work

[Svalbaard]

Actually, the single most important person who should have know what you are entitled to in terms of weekend work is you. Most contracts state that additional days worked outside of standard need to be agreed with the client and agency in advance.

In previous contracts - I have handled overtime and weekend work as time off in lieu. This seems to work well as it costs the client nothing extra. I guess this wouldn't work though if you feel that you are entitled to double time or time and a half etc, which it seems in this case you aren't.

Discuss this with your task manager at your client. If they refuse to pay then I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame for not arranging it beforehand.

[2BIT]

It seems unlikely the manager was not aware, unless they don't even talk to each other. Even so, he could simply not work a few days during the following week and it would all add up nicely.

that's what I would do inform them that you are taking the time off worked over the weekend during the week but would probably get the agent to argue this for me.

[TykeMerc]

It seems unlikely the manager was not aware, unless they don't even talk to each other. Even so, he could simply not work a few days during the following week and it would all add up nicely.

It depends, in the last 10 months I've only ever physically met a few of the technical people working on my projects once or twice, they're dotted all over the UK including many who work from home.
For that matter I've only ever met the Programme Director that signs off my time face to face twice and those were pure flukes as we happened to be in the same building at lunch.
I'm sure I've electronically signed off a few hours (or even days) that weren't worked, but bum on seat management is something I hate and micromanaging people is utterly pointless.
Even when I work on client sites I don't find it useful.
What I do expect is to be informed of progress, told if there are issues coming up or unexpected problems arise and to be communicated with honestly.

[d000hg]

I don't agree sorry.

As a PM I'm regularly signing off peoples bookings against my budgets and those budgets have to be worked out pretty carefully, unauthorised bookings cause loads of work including me having to go off to finance departments and change boards to get authorisation to increase the budget and justify the extra spend.

I've no issue signing off weekend working if warned in advance (even late on the Friday)

It seems unlikely the manager was not aware, unless they don't even talk to each other. Even so, he could simply not work a few days during the following week and it would all add up nicely.

[TykeMerc]

This sounds just like a case of tulipe management. If you were not entitled to anything for working the weekend the manager should have made you aware. To be fair you should have bottomed it as has been suggested before but still a decent manager would have discussed this with you. A decent manager manages as well. This guy plainly isn't. So you work weekends and help him and the project out. In my book he should work some agreement that at the very least you can use these days as call off and he will sign your timesheets when you are working from home. There are ways to makes systems work and as you say being a Bob he hasn't a clue.

Really crap situation but I can't see it ending badly. Can't see how they have a leg to stand on to make you do it for nothing.

I don't agree sorry.

As a PM I'm regularly signing off peoples bookings against my budgets and those budgets have to be worked out pretty carefully, unauthorised bookings cause loads of work including me having to go off to finance departments and change boards to get authorisation to increase the budget and justify the extra spend.

I've no issue signing off weekend working if warned in advance (even late on the Friday) or as happened recently getting a call on the weekend by a specialist who was in for some other work, finished much earlier than expected and he had the opportunity to do some on a project of mine. However unless consulted or informed immediately there's no way I'll accept it and I will (and have) flat out refuse to sign a timesheet for work I haven't authorised.

[lightng]

This is one of the few situations in which your agent will be of use to you. If you're not getting paid, then your agent isn't getting paid. So why not give your pimp a bell? Let them do the arguing for you, light your cigar and print off your invoice. Job done.

[northernladuk]

This sounds just like a case of tulipe management. If you were not entitled to anything for working the weekend the manager should have made you aware. To be fair you should have bottomed it as has been suggested before but still a decent manager would have discussed this with you. A decent manager manages as well. This guy plainly isn't. So you work weekends and help him and the project out. In my book he should work some agreement that at the very least you can use these days as call off and he will sign your timesheets when you are working from home. There are ways to makes systems work and as you say being a Bob he hasn't a clue.

Really crap situation but I can't see it ending badly. Can't see how they have a leg to stand on to make you do it for nothing.

[Wanderer]

I have been working several weekends ... refusing to sign off my timesheets, because of the weekend days.

Approach the manager and express your regret for the misunderstanding, tell him that you will take time off in lieu of the weekend overtime payment and that in future extra days worked will be by prior arrangement to avoid any misunderstandings.

[Support Monkey]

Don't do an more weekend work, Simples!!!

[jmo21]

It doesn't help you now, but I simply would never even contemplate coming in at the weekend without asking the question first, and getting it in email as back up.

Hope you get it sorted out.

[BlasterBates]

You need to complain to the agency. If you want to force the issue, you need some proof that you worked there. Remember your dispute is with the agency not the bank. You also need to check the contract, if the contract stipulates 5 days a week, or working days only, you're stuffed.

As above you could ngeotiate time off, cut down on hours to compensate, that probably is the best way forward, can't see the PM going out of his way for weekend working approval.

[TheFaQQer]

Unless the contract says otherwise this isn't overtime... you bill your daily rate for however many days you worked. There is no question of them not paying and so I think you need to make it clear this is absolutely not up for discussion.

Didn't you discuss anything when agreeing to work weekends?

WHS - if you are paid by the day, then invoice for the time that you worked. If there is no overtime then there shouldn't be a problem.

However, most projects are budgeted so that it is only on a 5 day week rather than a 7 day week, so there might be a point here from the client perspective. If they are worried about the budget, then all you can do is take off the next few days to cover the weekend time so that there is no additional cost to the project.

Of course, if you didn't opt out, then this would be a moot point.

[TykeMerc]

I'm always careful to get agreement (in email format) prior to doing weekend work.

I wouldn't be surprised if you're going to learn that lesson the hard way

[TheBarCapBoyz]

Unless the contract says otherwise this isn't overtime... you bill your daily rate for however many days you worked. There is no question of them not paying and so I think you need to make it clear this is absolutely not up for discussion.

Didn't you discuss anything when agreeing to work weekends?

It simply didn't occur to me that there would be a problem, I have been working for City banks
for 12 years and this has never been an issue. Indeed one of the few things about banks that I
have always appreaciated is that they are happy to pay for weekend work. More often than not, they are happy to let you charge for a full day even if you just come in for a couple of hours.

This is a totally unusual situation I must say.

[tulipz]

He is perhaps still in the 'Indian work culture' mind set. I working in India for years before we moved to the UK (yes I am a Tier-1 visa holder and I know a lot of you will hate me from now ). In India, it is quite common for permies to work on weekends and they are not paid for it(well, there is no concept of contract work there except in the public sector so I am sure he doesnt understand how it works). Talk to him and ask him to talk to the HR to clarify things.