Tips on heavy workloads and overtime

If you feel that you are working too much

Talk to your manager
It is important that you have a continuous dialogue with your manager so that you agree on what your duties are. It is important that your work task plan is updated so that it can be easily followed and ensure that your workload does not exceed what you have agreed and what is regulated in agreements. If you think your workload is too great and you do not have enough time available to do your work, you must notify your manager of this so that you do not make a decision yourself to work overtime. Excessive workload is a work environment problem and must be dealt with accordingly.
Contact your health and safety representative
If you talk to your manager and he or she does not agree that you are working too much, it is important that you contact your work environment representative as soon as possible. They can support you, for example by referring the manager to rules on psychosocial work environment and workload. Excessive workload is a work environment problem and must be dealt with accordingly
Talk to the union
The final step is to contact your local Saco-S association. They can check whether the employer is in breach of any local or central collective agreements. Is the employer following your work task plan? Do you work more than the permitted annual number of working hours? Does the employer refuse to compensate for worked overtime? If so, your local Saco-S Association may need to call for a negotiation to resolve the matter.

Make sure that you record your ordered overtime
As all overtime should be ordered and to ensure that there are no doubts about how overtime should be handled, or indeed even if it was overtime, SULF recommends that all overtime be documented. Do not accept oral agreements, as these will be difficult for you to rely on as evidence. Ask for written confirmation from the relevant manager that the extra work you are to carry out is outside your work task plan and is to be regarded as overtime.
Dialogue with your manager
It is important that you have a continuous dialogue with your manager so that you agree on what your duties are. It is important that your work task plan is updated so that it can be easily followed and ensure that your workload does not exceed what you have agreed and what is regulated in agreements. If you think your workload is too great and you do not have enough time available to do your work, you must notify your manager of this so that you do not make a decision yourself to work overtime. Excessive workload is a work environment problem and must be dealt with accordingly