Can't go to places open 9-5 when I work 9-5

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RetroGamer87
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24 Nov 2014, 5:04 am

How do you go to places that are only open 9-5 if your job is 9-5? Ever since I started this full time contract I can't go to places that are open during business hours.

I had to cancel appointments with a specialist, I couldn't get to see my GP either so I had to make an appointment to see this weekend doctor and then he said I needed a particular prescription and he was forbidden to write it because he wasn't my regular GP (and Medicare paid him $50 to spend two minutes telling me he couldn't do anything).

I need a new concession card but I can't go into Centralink. This one time last week I got off work early and got to Centrelink just before five only to be confronted with a sign saying they were open weekdays 9:00AM to 4:30PM so now I'm stuck with a concession card that ran out on the 31st of October and the ticket inspector tersely told me I had to buy a full ticket for $5.10 when I've already charged $2.50 to my card. So I get to pay $7.60 to go home even though I still have concession status just because I can't prove it in our paper based computerless society.

(and their stupid ticket machine got a connection error the first try as usual).

It's so frustrating that I finally get a 9-5 job and most of the places I need to go to are only open 9-5 (and no I can't get very far in my lunch half-hour). Why did they set it up in this ridiculous way? That institutions are only open during the hours when most people are unable to use them? I couldn't get a script because the medical problem I had while unpleasant wasn't actually bad enough to prevent me from going to work.

It's like they shamed and shunned me for not having a job and then when I get one I can't go into all the 9-5 places. It's like they're discriminating against the employed? As though they think only employed people have non-emergancy medical problems? I can't take the day off for a minor medical problem and yet I can't get it treated. Or what if I needed to go into the bank or the post office or some such place that's only open 9-5?

So to any nine to fivers reading this I ask you, how do you deal with these sorts of problems?


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L_Holmes
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24 Nov 2014, 5:55 am

I've been thinking the same thing about my job. I get a 30 minute lunch too, and that isn't nearly enough time to do anything other than eat lunch. Even then I usually end up taking 35 because I apparently take forever to eat.

I never thought about it before having full time job, but it is pretty annoying now that I do. I figured it would be a bit easier to get days or at least time off. Especially because I really think I should start seeing a therapist, and they are only open 9-5 too. Not to mention that I haven't seen my primary doctor in months, also only open 9-5. So I can't, unless I request days off, which would mean I'd probably only be able to get one appointment every month, if at all. Maybe for some people that's ok, but I really think I need something a little more frequent.

It would also mean I'd have to tell my boss about every appointment. Even if he doesn't know the exact reasons, I'd have to tell him something about it, and make it clear it was an important reason (which it is). I don't want to do that at all, I should be able to see a doctor or therapist without telling my employer all about it.

I get the weekend off usually, but all the places I need to go are only 8-5 Monday through Friday. How does anyone with a full-time job do anything other than work?

To answer your question though, I don't have any clue how to deal with this. I am just as frustrated about it.


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RetroGamer87
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24 Nov 2014, 6:24 am

You're places are open eight to five? Here in the land time forgot no place opens before 9:00AM (except for fast food joints and the supermarket (at least that means I can still buy food)).

Anyway, I was seeing a psychologist. Not anymore. Actually my appointment with her was 5:00PM to 5:30 but her office is closer to my house than my work and low ranking government employees like me aren't allowed to use the teleporter.

I wasn't so sure about that psychologist. She was good in some ways and bad in some ways. It seems like it's really hard to find the ideal psychologist.


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L_Holmes
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24 Nov 2014, 6:31 am

Yeah, my job is 8 to 5 anyway. It depends on the place, but they open usually some time between 8 and 9. Doesn't make much of a difference for me though :|


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Kiriae
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24 Nov 2014, 6:58 am

Yeah it's frustrating.
There are some places that are open longer though, its called "evening/night duty". For example one of post offices in my city is open till 20:00 and a general doctor accepts patients since 6PM till 7AM. I am not sure what kind of medicine he can subscribe but from my experience - nearly anything. So far he gave me some strong painkillers and antibiotics and I am pretty sure he wouldn't make much problem with subscribing something specific if you shown him the medicine box and said you are working and have no time going for next prescription to your GP. But that might be just him, he doesn't seem to care what he subscribes. I am always having problem with his medicine because he prescribes too big dose for me, I have to customize it later due to side effects.

There are also "private doctors". Most doctors will open their private cabinets after they finish their 9-5 duty. You just have to know where to go and have money to pay. For example my family dentist accepts patients Monday and Thursday between 18:00 and 20:00 in a flat in one of tenement houses in my town. The flat got changed into 100% dentist office (noone lives there) but to find it you still have to know where to go. It's not easy to find.

Other things you get made by meting a worker in person. For example if you or anyone close to you knows a bank worker, you call him and tell what you need. The worker brings the papers to your/his home and you fill them there. Then he finish it when he gets to work next day.

It is not so easy for people with no social circle like us though... I wouldn't know any of this if my mom was not a classic NT with lots of friends.



MjrMajorMajor
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24 Nov 2014, 7:23 am

It does get difficult. I have set days off so I try to schedule what I can on that weekday. I also burned all my vacation days for appointments that I couldn't.



King_oni
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24 Nov 2014, 8:49 am

Well... all things considering; the places that are open are also occupied by these same people that have 9 to 5 jobs.

I suppose it really depends on where you live; even in my area, which isn't exactly the most densely populated area of the country things are open pretty long hours. Doctors could be visited after hours or on weekends, so yeah... one can wonder how much there's a lack of proper regulation in wherever you live.

That said; when I had a job and really, really, really, had to go somewhere I'd either take up half a day off (preferably paid; if I didn't have any vacationdays, I'd go unpaid). The downside; I had to tell my boss that I was in therapy (and obviously the worst part was; I was in therapy because of my job, lol), so he couldn't really argue that I couldn't leave. To me it was either half a day of paid leave every week or calling in sick and being on paid sickleave for months.

But yeah; I'd probably fit everything in on one day, take up half, or if you need, a full day off and fit stuff in there.

Luckily a lot of government services at least have improved properly here and most things can be done online (well, aside from the fact that they're actually ditching other alternatives; so you have to do it online in most cases) perhaps to make sure people file everything in time.

But seriously, in a 24 hour economy, a 9 to 5 mentality only goes that far and both the consumer and the service industry; be it from the government or even grocerystores should be the first to adapt to wider times (and eventually different hours follow up for different kinds of jobs; this standardized business hours thing is way past due).



MissDorkness
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24 Nov 2014, 9:53 am

King_oni wrote:
Luckily a lot of government services at least have improved properly here and most things can be done online (well, aside from the fact that they're actually ditching other alternatives; so you have to do it online in most cases) perhaps to make sure people file everything in time.

But seriously, in a 24 hour economy, a 9 to 5 mentality only goes that far and both the consumer and the service industry; be it from the government or even grocerystores should be the first to adapt to wider times (and eventually different hours follow up for different kinds of jobs; this standardized business hours thing is way past due).

Yeah, they're a bit slow, but, finally catching on.
I was dreading needing to take like half a day off to go renew my plates (first getting a copy of my personal property tax records)... but, I see for the first time I could renew online, and luckily my county was a participant that would allow verification electronically that my taxes were paid up. WOOHOO!
Five minutes online versus hours in person. Yes, please!

I miss working at my old job, in a hospital. I took less time off for all of my doctor visits, even the specialists, because they were all in the same campus as me. I'd clock out, have my appointment, and be back quickly enough that it was usually equivalent to my lunch hour. And there was a AAA office nearby that did DMV services on a contract basis, which is always better than going to the regular dmv.

My current company has programs in place to try to help at least a little. They bring in the red cross for blood donations, there's a drycleaning drop off, a farmers market delivers here weekly, and an oil-change service. Heck, I'm even about to go downstairs and see the masseuse that sets up here every two weeks. (We have to pay for all of the services, but, having them here at the office where we don't have to clock out makes them so convenient.)



BirdInFlight
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24 Nov 2014, 11:49 am

It's a pain. I once had to admit to my boss that I was attending weekly therapy sessions, because my appointment was the reason I couldn't be placed on the new, later opening hours shift our store decided to implement. Although he was understanding and I kept my earlier shift, it felt embarrassing, humiliating, and like I was giving away my own privacy to have to tell him. But it was a situation where he needed a good reason, not just because or "trust me it's important."

I've solved a lot of 9 -5 problems by becoming self employed, but that's not the solution for everyone.



RetroGamer87
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24 Nov 2014, 4:03 pm

BirdInFlight wrote:
It's a pain. I once had to admit to my boss that I was attending weekly therapy sessions, because my appointment was the reason I couldn't be placed on the new, later opening hours shift our store decided to implement. Although he was understanding and I kept my earlier shift, it felt embarrassing, humiliating, and like I was giving away my own privacy to have to tell him. But it was a situation where he needed a good reason, not just because or "trust me it's important."

Yeah, I didn't want to tell anyone in meatspace I was seeing a psychologist so I told them all I was seeing a podiatrist and now they all ask me how my feet are going.
BirdInFlight wrote:
I've solved a lot of 9 -5 problems by becoming self employed, but that's not the solution for everyone.

It's not for me. I'd prefer the safety of a regular paycheck although I've got an electrification friend who insists being self employed is the best thing ever.


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blackomen
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03 Jul 2019, 6:57 pm

I used to work for a financial firm and this dilemma was madness since i only got 2 weeks pf vacation and I couldn't always leave during the day because the stock market was open. I now work for a more reasonable employer who often lets me work remotely if I had appointments that day. If your job can be done remotely, ask if your employer will allow it. Actually this is definitely a fight worth fighting for since how will you be able to attend interviews at other companies which are almost held during the day. You won't want to be stuck here due to this stupid policy.



Dial1194
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03 Jul 2019, 8:13 pm

It's one of the reasons I liked working for the federal government - most of the time I could just say "I have an appointment; I'll be back in three hours" and walk out the door. I could put it down against the time-in-lieu I'd built up (usually of the order of 100+ hours) or against vacation time (which had no minimum amount you could take at once).

Admittedly, part of that was that I was mostly working in back-room jobs where either there were ten other people who could pick up the slack (and I'd do the same when they needed time off), or it was the type of work where there weren't sub-24-hour deadlines.



AspieSparkle
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04 Jul 2019, 3:05 pm

I usually find that my employers are flexible if I need time off for a doctor's or dentist's appointment. I make the appointment either first thing in the morning or last thing in the afternoon, so I only need an hour or 2 off work. I tell my manager I will make up the lost time over the coming week. Occasionally, I even use a day's/half day's holiday for appointments, but I try to avoid that when possible as I'd rather use my holidays doing fun things!



Mona Pereth
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07 Jul 2019, 11:36 pm

RetroGamer87 wrote:
How do you go to places that are only open 9-5 if your job is 9-5? Ever since I started this full time contract I can't go to places that are open during business hours.

That's what "sick days" are for. Are you not allowed any sick days, e.g. for doctors' appointments? You should ask how many sick days you are allowed, if any.

You'll probably need to do a bunch of errands all in one day, in addition to a doctor's appointment, to avoid taking too many sick days.


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08 Jul 2019, 4:30 am

I find it helpful to schedule doctors appointments around each other so I don't forget.

Luckily I can tell a co-worker and walk out the door.



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09 Jul 2019, 9:22 am

Mona Pereth wrote:
RetroGamer87 wrote:
How do you go to places that are only open 9-5 if your job is 9-5? Ever since I started this full time contract I can't go to places that are open during business hours.

That's what "sick days" are for. Are you not allowed any sick days, e.g. for doctors' appointments? You should ask how many sick days you are allowed, if any.

You'll probably need to do a bunch of errands all in one day, in addition to a doctor's appointment, to avoid taking too many sick days.
I'm was gonna suggest this. Some places here require a doctors note/excuse but you should only have to turn that in to personal/human resources or your supervisor/manger & they should keep the specific reason secret.

Luckily I never worked a regular 9 to 5 job. I worked afternoon & evenings at my 1st job, worked nights at my 2nd & my supervisor was willing to schedule me different nights off if I requested it a couple weeks in advance(I worked longer hours when allowed & sometimes came in on my off nights to when my department was shorthanded so I really deserved to get the nights off I wanted), & my hours & off days fluctuated at my 3rd job which was my last(me & the one other person in my department asked for a consistent schedule but there was some BS reason we couldn't).


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