MY LIFE IS JUST WORK

Q I’m a personal assistant and my boss expects me to work until 8pm every day and to come in on weekends. He usually arrives at 9am while I start at 8am and usually end up working until 8pm. My boss says if I can’t get my work done during the week I should come in on weekends, but my workload is simply too much to get done in normal working hours no matter how diligent I am.

It feels as if my life consists of work and nothing else. On top of this he doesn’t pay overtime – I’m simply expected to work extra hours without compensation. I’m starting to feel depressed. Gerty, email

A Your employer is abusing you. Expecting you to work extra hours without additional compensation is against the labour law.

You have to be more assertive – tell him the amount of work he expects you to do can’t be completed in normal working hours and that you’re no longer willing to work until 8pm every night or on weekends.

Your employer has to understand he can’t continue to abuse you in this manner.

A happy employee is a productive one and if he wants you to work more productively he’ll have to treat you fairly.

Working long hours every day will just make you less productive, so it’s in his best interests to allow you to have a better life/work balance.

Familiarise yourself with the basic conditions of employment act and stand up for your rights.

The law covers working hours, overtime pay and more. You’ll find it on the labour department’s website at labour. gov.za.