Carer requesting no overtime

Well, contractually you've got an agreement releasing him from working mandatory overtime.

The problem is primarily one of trust, in that you've discovered that he works a part-time job outside work. But I think at least some investigation is required. The part-time work might well be very flexible, or very nearby to his home, allowing him to "pop out" if his partner needs assistance. Or it might even be in a setting where his partner receives care or support at the same time as he is working. Or it may just be for fewer hours that your seasonal spikes in demand would require from him.

It may well be easier for him to do regular bar work, say, where he has a degree of control (perhaps it's a zero hours thing) rather than to be committed to 12-hour days for one month per year.

Trust, as they say, cuts both ways and he may not have trusted you (his employer) to understand or appreciate the nuances in his needs that your mandatory overtime doesn't account for. But now you know, and there is an opportunity - either to reach an understanding and simply keep the existing arrangement in place, or to develop an approach to mandatory overtime that accommodates his needs and perhaps pays him better than whatever part time work he's doing to try to keep body and soul together.

I wonder if the problem is not that he has exaggerated the needs of his partner, but that he has underplayed the extent of the financial struggle inherent in supporting and meeting those needs.

Thanks Robey.

I do see the need to be mindful this may be a very difficult time for both him and his wife. We always want to support our staff as far as its possible for us to do so.

The part time role was one close to home, it was pizza delivery and a cash in hand job.

Given how poorly his wife is, I am really surprised he is unable to get any other support. It must be very difficult.

Thank you for your views, its always helpful as a standalone HR professional to get some other opinions.

Thanks Robey.

I do see the need to be mindful this may be a very difficult time for both him and his wife. We always want to support our staff as far as its possible for us to do so.

The part time role was one close to home, it was pizza delivery and a cash in hand job.

Given how poorly his wife is, I am really surprised he is unable to get any other support. It must be very difficult.

Thank you for your views, its always helpful as a standalone HR professional to get some other opinions.

Sadly I wouldn't be surprised at all.

My dad had dementia, and was frankly a danger to himself and my poor mum, and he couldn't dress himself, wash, make meals, literally couldn't do anything. We were offered ONE 15 min visit a day funded, and even that was very begrudgingly after weeks of begging.

Its really disgraceful, that in this day and age, our vunerable people are being treated this way.