Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to 9.30 am,
then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour break in the
day when I am not at work during which I have a two hour nap to 'catch up'.
As a matter of course I gave permission for the school to use and give out
my mobile number to anyone so long as it was in connection with work.

Yesterday the mobile phone broke.

By coincidence, I think, this morning a leaflet was given out for everyone
in school to add their home and mobile numbers for 'Emergency Contact'
numbers and that this was simply 'housekeeping' for the office. No worries
I thought, I'll leave the mobile No blank until I get another. However when
I spoke with the receptionist/Office Manager I suggested that I might not
buy a mobile as I never really use it anyway ... she went apoplectic saying
they need to be in contact with me at all times etc etc

So at 9.30, maybe ten minutes after the conversation, I left for my break.
A couple of hours later I was woken by the home telephone ringing (I have a
sleep at about 11.30 to 1.30 ish). This was not an emergency, not an urgent
call, indeed just a run-of-the-mill call responding to some questions the
head had asked of them, it wasn't even me they wanted! They said they'd
been given my number to ring by the receptionist.

So, went back to school at usual time. Ddidn't get chance to see the
receptionist so went to see the Head to complain that this shouldn't happen.
That my home number should _never_ be given out without express permission.
He suggested that the receptionist may have acted in good faith and that she
might have thought she was helping me ...... I think otherwise. The trouble
is that this is almost the straw that broke the camels back and I'm close to
throwing in the towel and going back to engineering.

So, the question ... Is there anything the school (or receptionist) have
done wrong by giving my number out? Whilst I know all that's really
happened is that I've been woken early, would it be worth pursuing some kind
of compensation?

Frankly I'm not that bothered other than I wouldn't want this woman to have
set a precedent and that other people might have their home numbers also
given out so I want to shake her up a bit and I doubt the head will do
anything about it.

I can't contact my union rep at the moment but intend to do so tomorrow, but
thought I'd ask here too.

Am I just being a bit paranoid? Should I take it on the chin unless it
happens again? Actually I can see it happening again and again and again ..
the woman has form.

Thanks.

--
JoeSoul

JoeSoul wrote:
Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to 9.30 am,
then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour break in the
day when I am not at work during which I have a two hour nap to 'catch up'.
As a matter of course I gave permission for the school to use and give out
my mobile number to anyone so long as it was in connection with work.

Yesterday the mobile phone broke.

By coincidence, I think, this morning a leaflet was given out for everyone
in school to add their home and mobile numbers for 'Emergency Contact'
numbers and that this was simply 'housekeeping' for the office. No worries
I thought, I'll leave the mobile No blank until I get another. However when
I spoke with the receptionist/Office Manager I suggested that I might not
buy a mobile as I never really use it anyway ... she went apoplectic saying
they need to be in contact with me at all times etc etc

So at 9.30, maybe ten minutes after the conversation, I left for my break.
A couple of hours later I was woken by the home telephone ringing (I have a
sleep at about 11.30 to 1.30 ish). This was not an emergency, not an urgent
call, indeed just a run-of-the-mill call responding to some questions the
head had asked of them, it wasn't even me they wanted! They said they'd
been given my number to ring by the receptionist.

So, went back to school at usual time. Ddidn't get chance to see the
receptionist so went to see the Head to complain that this shouldn't happen.
That my home number should _never_ be given out without express permission.
He suggested that the receptionist may have acted in good faith and that she
might have thought she was helping me ...... I think otherwise. The trouble
is that this is almost the straw that broke the camels back and I'm close to
throwing in the towel and going back to engineering.

So, the question ... Is there anything the school (or receptionist) have
done wrong by giving my number out? Whilst I know all that's really
happened is that I've been woken early, would it be worth pursuing some kind
of compensation?

Frankly I'm not that bothered other than I wouldn't want this woman to have
set a precedent and that other people might have their home numbers also
given out so I want to shake her up a bit and I doubt the head will do
anything about it.

I can't contact my union rep at the moment but intend to do so tomorrow, but
thought I'd ask here too.

Am I just being a bit paranoid? Should I take it on the chin unless it
happens again? Actually I can see it happening again and again and again ..
the woman has form.

Thanks.


Speak to your union rep and forget about chasing compensation - you'll
just create more problems than you are trying to solve.

--
Robbie

On Tue, 9 Sep 2008 19:00:11 +0100, "JoeSoul"
wrote:

Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to 9.30 am,
then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour break in the
day when I am not at work during which I have a two hour nap to 'catch up'.
As a matter of course I gave permission for the school to use and give out
my mobile number to anyone so long as it was in connection with work.

Do you live in a caretakers house? Do they pay for your phone?

In my experience of this sort of thing it's best to get your number
changed and don't give it them, but get a mobile which you can answer
when you're working.
You can get a cheap payg from somewhere like tesco for about 8 quid.

Union will probably point out they should be able to contact you and
it's better to use a mobile which you can easily switch off rather
than vetting calls on the home phone.



Yesterday the mobile phone broke.

By coincidence, I think, this morning a leaflet was given out for everyone
in school to add their home and mobile numbers for 'Emergency Contact'
numbers and that this was simply 'housekeeping' for the office. No worries
I thought, I'll leave the mobile No blank until I get another. However when
I spoke with the receptionist/Office Manager I suggested that I might not
buy a mobile as I never really use it anyway ... she went apoplectic saying
they need to be in contact with me at all times etc etc

So at 9.30, maybe ten minutes after the conversation, I left for my break.
A couple of hours later I was woken by the home telephone ringing (I have a
sleep at about 11.30 to 1.30 ish). This was not an emergency, not an urgent
call, indeed just a run-of-the-mill call responding to some questions the
head had asked of them, it wasn't even me they wanted! They said they'd
been given my number to ring by the receptionist.

So, went back to school at usual time. Ddidn't get chance to see the
receptionist so went to see the Head to complain that this shouldn't happen.
That my home number should _never_ be given out without express permission.
He suggested that the receptionist may have acted in good faith and that she
might have thought she was helping me ...... I think otherwise. The trouble
is that this is almost the straw that broke the camels back and I'm close to
throwing in the towel and going back to engineering.

So, the question ... Is there anything the school (or receptionist) have
done wrong by giving my number out? Whilst I know all that's really
happened is that I've been woken early, would it be worth pursuing some kind
of compensation?

Frankly I'm not that bothered other than I wouldn't want this woman to have
set a precedent and that other people might have their home numbers also
given out so I want to shake her up a bit and I doubt the head will do
anything about it.

I can't contact my union rep at the moment but intend to do so tomorrow, but
thought I'd ask here too.

Am I just being a bit paranoid? Should I take it on the chin unless it
happens again? Actually I can see it happening again and again and again ..
the woman has form.

Thanks.
--
http://www.freedeliveryuk.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On Tue, 9 Sep 2008 19:00:11 +0100, "JoeSoul" wrote:

-Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to 9.30 am,
-then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour break in the
-day when I am not at work during which I have a two hour nap to 'catch up'.
-As a matter of course I gave permission for the school to use and give out
-my mobile number to anyone so long as it was in connection with work.
-
-Yesterday the mobile phone broke.
-
-By coincidence, I think, this morning a leaflet was given out for everyone
-in school to add their home and mobile numbers for 'Emergency Contact'
-numbers and that this was simply 'housekeeping' for the office. No worries
-I thought, I'll leave the mobile No blank until I get another. However when
-I spoke with the receptionist/Office Manager I suggested that I might not
-buy a mobile as I never really use it anyway ... she went apoplectic saying
-they need to be in contact with me at all times etc etc

In which case they will buy you a mobile phone purely so they can "be in contact
with you at all times". If they won't buy you one then obviously they don't
really need to be in contact with you at all times.

Put it in writing that your home number is to be used for emergencies only,
unless they want to pay you for that 5 hour break, in which case they can ring
you for any reason during that time.

-Rob
robatwork at mail dot com

JoeSoul wrote:
Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to
9.30 am, then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour
break in the day when I am not at work

Then they shouldn't be calling you, unless that's contractually specified

JoeSoul wrote:
Hi, I'm a caretaker at a Junior school, basically work from 5.10 to
9.30 am, then again from 2.30pm to 6pm and obviously have a five hour
break in the day when I am not at work

It's reasonable for a school to be able to contact the caretaker at
any time, for emergencies. However they should pay for or provide a
mobile phone to enable that emergency contact. Unless it is already
specified in your employment contract to the contrary they should also
pay you for the time involved with an emergency contact or call out.

--
Nige Danton
For all your UK legal jobs contact
www.magenta-consulting.co.uk