OMG i'm on sick leave...causing anxiety at work.
my job is very stressing (i'm engineer), but since i started that one (i worked for the same company before, in another town, and everything was going pretty well-i left to live with boyfriend again), i'm over stressed all day long, going to work like straigh to hell. i have sleep problems too.
the boss is a fucking asshole making us working as hell at least 55 h/week, paid 39.5 hours!!), and telling us we do bullshit all the time.
i may say my co workers are fed up too, and every one want to leave, but can't (because they need money for any reason). so, nobodies do, and things are going on. Boyfriend, friends and family tell me to not care about him, and but that's not easy as i like my work been well done.
i don't know what to do. my doctor gave me a few days to relax and think about it in a relaxed atmosphere.
i fucking don't know what to do.

have you ever lived something like this?

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mY sPAzZe

Yeah, I have had extensions and stuff at college because of my anxiety. It's mostly social anxiety though, which causes the former, because I end up being scared of going to college and talking to my tutors which makes my work suffer which causes the general stress.

I would make sure you don't leave it too long without working, because it might relax you, but the more time you have off, the more daunting going in seems. To me anyway. Tbh I think it would be better to go in part-time, but I'm not you and I haven't had time off actual work, and the problems I have aren't caused by someone else. So I don't know how much my situation applies to you. I guess the most valuable thing you'll get out of it is sorting out your sleep routine, which might help with the other stress issues as well.

Btw, doesn't France have quite strict laws regarding working hours? Maybe there's something you can do about it?

well i'm coming back to work on monday.
france has strict laws regarding working hours for a few jobs only, like working class, secretary,...not for engineers. for example, in my job contract it's written i have "no working hours as i work on my own(!!??,)". to be clear, i'm free to work more, as no one work less.
my job is well known for hard working, which i don't deny, as i like my job. but too much is too much. and this is too much to me.

thanks for your advice.
i have a few days to think about it all.

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mY sPAzZe

i left a really shit job because it was very stressful and making me very unhappy. i didn't see what else i could do. i couldn't change it.

i thought long working hours were illegal in france. do you have a union?

wait.. so he's making you work hours that he's not paying you for?
thats illegal here in america.
it really does suck to be stuck in a position inwhich you arent being treated faily but you cant say anything for fear of losing your job.
does france have any sort of agency that handles workforce complaints? if so maybe you could file one with them? i'd say it sounds like your best bet is to go to a higher authority on the matter.

I find it hard to believe your contract has no defined working hours in it. Likewise, with your job, you'll be subject to the European Working Time Directive, which means you legally can't be made to work more than a 48 hour week (you can opt out, but opt back in at any time and if you can demonstrate work pressured you), it all sounds dodgy as fuck and frankly I'd be looking at legal advice.

Do you have any records or evidence of your boss pressuring you into these hours? 55 hour weeks are only really appropriate where its matched by a reward (e.g. sales-based commission) or your actual presence is needed and paid appropriately by the hour (e.g. phone support, security), and even then you should have the option of backing off your time to an average level and getting a fair living wage. One of the reasons behind the WTD is people in high skilled jobs (like yours, by the sounds) are shown to greatly diminish in their performance if they work extended hours.

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His last request was a bulletproof vest or a god

i'm paid for 39.5 hours, but it is also written i have "no (specific) working hours as i work on my own"

thanks for the link. but it is more complicated than that. my boss knows very well he can't make us working that much. he answers us we don't work as fast as we should, as we are "unorganized" on our work (well ,it's our fault!). he's insincere, it is not possible and constructive to talk with him.

i did wrote my working hours on my agenda for a few weeks (only...i should started before i regret) as i'm fucking fed up of all this shit.

thank you very much for your post.
i told him yestoday morning i was fed up of working so much, but he said i'm "unorganized", i have to do better (oh well, like my co workers). i'm coming back on monday, i'll see what will happen. if it goes the same, i will leave. i don't feel like doing something legally, i don't have enough force for it. i would my co workers and i doing something together (it would be easier and more efficient), but each one think about him/herself, and nothing will happen...

anyway, i thank you very much reminding me legal texts and what cannot be done.

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mY sPAzZe

That's exacty the sort of thing the working legislation was brought in for. He probably knows the pressure is seriously dodgy if no illegal.

Are you on any sort of schedule? If not he can't really say the goals aren't reasonable, if so there should be room for negotiation. Be careful because if your boss is a bullying dickhead it probably will run your performance down which becomes a vicious cycle.

I'd honestly suggest you find another job, prefferably whilst still at this one (makes it easier not to get a reference and all that).

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His last request was a bulletproof vest or a god

what sort of an engineer are you? lots of 'professional' people are expected to work long hours. especially if you're not experienced.

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bitten inner lip

i work as environmental engineer for 1 year now (except interships i've done by the past).
yep i don't have that much experience. working very much in a crazy atmosphere is not really relaxing, you know. that's what i mean.

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mY sPAzZe

well, sorry, but i think your employer is probably of the view that he could get someone with 1 years experience in that job anywhere, and is under no obligation or requirement to make work "relaxing" for you. i understand that french is most likely your first language and relaxing might not be exactly what you were trying to say.

i understand and empathise with most of what you are saying, but you need to get real about it.

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bitten inner lip