My gut instinct is to take the offer but make it a wind down to retirement ie reduce hours.

tjagain

Member

My gut instinct is to take the offer but make it a wind down to retirement ie reduce hours.

I agree tj but its not on their terms i.e. offer I will insist that we have a meeting with our Operations Director to formalise it, he’s also a keen mountain biker who I have had a good working relationship with over the last 5 years

I agree

Check your NI contributions to ensure you have a full pension allowance on Gov.uk
Then ask for a phased reduction in hours starting in July and dropping down by 1 day a week every 3 months . Then you all know where you stand, you won;t let down the team you work with. You can mentor in your replacement , and look out for other part time opportunities that interest you.
Bet you feel like a weight has been lifted and you feel relaxed and at ease ( for the first time in many years )
Hope it works out for you

Yes I feel a fair bit better
For once I’m going to be forceful
I would never use the “stress” route in going on the sick I am quite capable of explaining why I don’t want to do something.
If I was to drop my hours it will be on my own terms.
I have said that my health is suffering (not said what)
As a few others have said I now feel in a position of having the upper hand and now know how desperate they are to keep me.
I will set out how I want it to progress over the next 15 months and if its not met the final letter will come out.

Will you still be able to look after Mrs Overshoot with the new arrangements?

drnosh

Member

Will you still be able to look after Mrs Overshoot with the new arrangements?

Weekdays are not really a problem as we have carers in 3 times a day and the house has all the adaptions for that, through floor lift, ceiling track hoists etc.
Its evenings & weekends being on call 24/7 and the point of never relaxing and no matter how hard I work all day once I leave in the evening I could get called at any moment.
I’ve spent a fortnights holiday either on the phone talking people through problems or on my laptop plugged into the PLC control system trying to stop it going haywire!
Like I said yesterday I’m glad its out in the open now and feel a little more in control, its still going to be hard over the next few months as even if I get more staff they will have to learn loads and as ever I’m the person they turn to for help & advice whatever the hour.

Just make sure that they don’t make the promises now only for them to ramp up your work again in the next few months. Look after you and yours first, i have suffered with current employee and days off i’ve had to look after sick daughter, they are always lovely to my face only for HR to then give me grief from an office other end of the country.

scud

Member

Just make sure that they don’t make the promises now only for them to ramp up your work again in the next few months. Look after you and yours first, i have suffered with current employee and days off i’ve had to look after sick daughter, they are always lovely to my face only for HR to then give me grief from an office other end of the country.

Like I said yesterday

“As a few others have said I now feel in a position of having the upper hand and now know how desperate they are to keep me.
I will set out how I want it to progress over the next 15 months and if its not met the final letter will come out.”

I’ve already had a phone call (through one of my suppliers) from a firm just down the road from me who said pop in for a “chat” anytime

I’m still getting over how much money you’ve managed to tuck away…. you obviously have never met my wife or 3 daughters!!

Hope you get sorted and that MrsO makes a speedy recovery. Go and have some fun – we’re only here once!

sharkbait

Member

I’m still getting over how much money you’ve managed to tuck away…. you obviously have never met my wife or 3 daughters!!

Hope you get sorted and that MrsO makes a speedy recovery. Go and have some fun – we’re only here once!

Well you have answered the question yourself really 😉
We have no kids & my wife spends no money these days as she cant even use a tablet these days 🙁
We only had a small mortgage which is all but paid off and going out for meals etc is not an option these days so apart from the usual food & household bills I spend very little.
I give about £100 a month to various charity’s and have a few subscriptions that if I was to stop working I might stop?

Sadly my wife’s condition will only get worse that’s the nature of Secondary Progressive MS how she remains cheerful I just don’t know, she never complains about anything other than being a bit bored.

negotiate away the stressful bits, negotiate a pay rise and/or cut in hours and stay… if not offered or convinced your bos will deliver then stay in control and walk. remember if you sty, you are doing the boss a favour. you are in the driving seat, use it.

They have been taking the P for ages, on call all the time isn’t sustainable or right. Feeling sorry for the people left as you have been short handed for a while, not in any hurry to get people in. Hmm the business has been doing well, getting people on call all the time, working on their holiday’s and so on, making targets while short handed perhaps?

I learnt my lesson on this about ten years ago, don’t pay me to be on call, don’t expect me to even to speak to anyone in work over a weekend or my time off, my line manager and direct cover has my personal number and if anyone but them call’s me it’ll be hell to pay.

N, give me a call, I’ve been thru some major changes myself over the past couple of years as you know and perhaps we can share some advice with each other.

R

A new bike would help surely?

Good luck and good on you for putting you and your family first!

In my experience when people say they are looking for a complete change what they really need is the same sort of thing but with some of the bad things taken away and a bit more of the nice stuff.

Just give your notice and go when time is up.
If you are financially secure don’t bother with reduced hours.
Look after your family and enjoy yourself.
100 % certain your company will manage without you.

I’m in the same boat employment wise as you, but I would see your GP before handing your notice in. Going sick because of what you have been through will help the fog clear, will give you breathing space to help your wife out, and help you reprioritise what is important for you in your life.

Plus you may highlight the fact that others are suffering because of your manager’s short comings.

I’ve spent a fortnights holiday either on the phone talking people through problems or on my laptop plugged into the PLC control system trying to stop it going haywire!

I would go now and **** ’em. That is so disrespectful and falls well inside harassment definitions. Go and make your remaining time with Mrs O the best it can be.

I agree with the above post. YOu could point out to your employer that he now owes you that holiday back and has a legal requirement to pay you for being on call. Its not a holiday if you are still dealing with work issues.

Don’t stay, you’ll regret it. Your boss is just telling you what you want to hear to get you to stay and protect their business. Nothing material will change and if you were planning on going in 15 months and have plenty of reserves it’s not worth considering

Turns out you were the one who wasn’t to be pushed 😉

23 years is enough loyalty and it seems like they’ve been taking you for granted. Sounds like your time could be better spent with your wife.

Walk, today. **** ‘em.

Its always easy to give advice on others situations but I’d just stop doing the on call all the time business. Good luck. Marko is threatening to come out in the week!! Makes anything possible.