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Are there any guidelines about work and private life balance? Is there any limit to how much is expected?

I work for a large orgasnisation. The work load imposed upon employees is unmanageable and therefore creates high stress levels. This leads to long working hours - often 12-14 hrs plus each day, with no prospect of being paid for the time or getting it back. This is not the issue I have however. I am now in a position where my job is impacting upon my home life and health. The managers of this organisation are uninterested and appear unwilling to act upon these concerns. Where do I stand as I am fearful of making mistakes as this could lead to disciplinary proceedings, (and possibly the sack) and also of the impact that this is having upon me personally. Is there anything I can do? Very helpful answers and I take your point. However I work for a criminal justice agency andf I trained for 2 years for this job, the qualification is specific, so I am kind of pigeon holed! Beleive me I have been looking for another job and still am, but at the same time feel quite angry that I am almost being forced to leave a career I enjoy because of the bad management of my particular office.

Public Comments

1. Yes. You can spruce up your resume and begin looking for another job. This one will only get worse with stress and the demands of management. You are getting a salary so that is all you will be paid for untold number of hours worked. Tell no one and start looking. Probably all your coworkers are doing the same. With demands like this, the company is probably about ready to go bankrupt anyway. Get going. Be the first to leave, not the last.
2. Sure there are guidelines but none of them will work for you. I agree with Robert 100%. Your company does not care what happens to you and your home and health come second to them. I've been in your situation and the only solution is to get out. You could lose your family over this. No one ever went to the grave wishing they had spent more time at work. EDIT: Thanks for the additional information and that's does change things. I'm a lawyer and I represent a sheriff's department and a detention center. Work to advance to detective or an officer and you'll get regular shifts and get off patrol (if that's what you do). This is a good career with early retirement possibilities. So--you need to stay with your department for another couple of years before moving if you can. If you're a commissioned officer, keep advancing and take all the training you can. Talk to co-workers you admire and pose this question to them. I know my detention center director has time to foster kids and to take 6 years of classes to get ordained as a Catholic deacon. Talk to your family about this situation. Make them understand this is a temporary situation and if you are a strong family team, you can have a great life ahead. Do as little work at home as possible and develop your family time to the highest quality possible. I'll ask some of my officers more about this.
3. The only thing you can do is change jobs. Sorry.
4. You can only ask yourself whether you really want this lifestyle, and what your priorities in life are. If the answer is that you cannot continue as you are, you must look for another job. If you stick at it you will make yourself ill or regret it in other ways in years to come.
5. Look into Working times regulations and if they apply to your job. If they do your entitled to :- The Working Time regulations provide rights to: a limit of an average 48 hours a week on the hours a worker can be required to work, though individuals may choose to work longer four weeks' paid leave a year 11 consecutive hours' rest in any 24-hour period a 20 minute rest break if the working day is longer than six hours a limit on the normal working hours of night workers to an average eight hours in any 24-hour period, and an entitlement for night workers to receive regular health assessments. Workers may complain to an employment tribunal if they are being denied rest periods, breaks or the paid annual leave entitlements. Working time and night work limits are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authorities. Employees may complain to an employment tribunal of unfair dismissal, regardless of their length of service, if they are dismissed for exercising rights under these regulations; and workers who are not employees may complain that they have suffered a detriment if their contracts are terminated for this reason. Both employees and workers who are not employees are also protected from other detrimental action or deliberate inaction by their employer. All in all complain, if nothing happens go further....they cannot sack you for working hard and then complaining if they push you even more. As long as they know your doing what is required and more, I'm sure they will help you to work something out.
6. Sometimes you have to quit and walk away for your own sake. You might have to start over or change careers... only you can determine if it is in your best interest to do so. Your's and your families., that is. g-day!