Here’s a good example of the way casual employees are expected to give up their rights, but companies are unwilling to acknowledge the allowances they are required to make in return.

In this instance I was addressing a concern by a supervisor that my NPT (non productive time) was too high. A slightly Kafkaesque situation where I could walk into the building on time, sit at my desk on time, and suddenly be considered late because I wasn’t taking calls the minute my shift started.

You can see that the final response was Cc’d to two team leaders. I was called by the HR department two days later and told I was no longer required due to lack of work available.

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Wednesday, 25 July 2007 8:57 PM
To: Collections – Resourcing
Subject: XXXX’s NPT

Meeting
100 mins

Computer startup
15 mins

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Friday, 27 July 2007 12:08 PM
To: XXXXXX, XXXX
Cc: XXXX, XXXXXX
Subject: RE: XXXX’s NPT

Hi XXXX,

As previously advised in the email about NPT, if you have any problems logging in, or have to restart the computer or anything similar that results in time off dialler, it’s important to let someone know, and note their approval in your NPT email.

Cheers,
XXXX

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2007 9:16 AM
To: XXXXX, XXXX
Subject: RE: XXXX’s NPT

There wasn’t a problem logging in. The computer just took a long time to start up, like today.

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2007 9:33 AM
To: XXXXXX, XXXX
Cc: XXXX, XXXXXX
Subject: RE: XXXX’s NPT

No worries, It’s definitely NPT, but again, you need to let someone know if you aren’t able to start at your allotted start time due to computer issues, as approval needs to be noted for NPT to be granted.

Also, it’s expected you are logged on ready to go at the start of the shift, so if you are only starting the computer up at the start time of your shift, you’re always going to be below your expected time on system..

Cheers,
XXXX

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2007 9:37 AM
To: XXXXX, XXXX
Subject: RE: XXXX’s NPT

I’m a casual employee and it would be illegal to ask me start a shift before my rostered start time. Login time is your time.

—–Original Message—–
From: XXXXX, XXXX
Sent: Saturday, 28 July 2007 9:52 AM
To: XXXXXX, XXXX
Cc: XXXX, XXXXXX; XXXXX, XXXXXX
Subject: RE: XXXX’s NPT

I’m pretty confident being ready to work is not considered starting your shift before your rostered time.

We expect you to be ready to work when your rostered shift starts, and, like all our staff this involves getting set up and ready before. As previously stated, by turning on your computer and logging on after, you will continually fail to meet the required standard for time on system.

This is one of your KRA’s, so if that’s your interpretation of the laws regarding casual work, you should take this up with your team leader not me, but right now our expectation of you is that you are ready to work when your shift starts.

If you haven’t started up and logged in, then you are not ready to work.

Meanwhile, at Sensis…

Okay, not really a overHEARD, but an overSEEN. In the building I work in is Sensis. Not only is it a soul-sucking place to work (or so I’ve been told), but now they’ve got this sh-t to look at as soon as they walk through the glass doors every day (and I swear I’ve not photoshopped this at all):

This is something’s that’s in full view of the public. I’m sure its true meaning is very innocent, but I find it weird that not one single person in that meeting said “uhh … don’t you think that could be really easily misconstrued? Do you really think it’s a good idea to put something like that where members of the public can see?” From Overheardinmelb

File a memo on any workplace tales of woe, HR madness or gripes about your neighbour over the partition to boss@crikey.com.au or submit them anonymously here.

In the meantime, be sure to put that cover sheet on your TPS reports.