Work on the weekend?

At my job, I really have the best of both worlds and I have taken advantage of this since I started in March. I work for the Distribution department, but since I am dealing with planning systems and other long-term projects, the day-to-day stuff doesn’t effect me. So when there is tons of work in the warehouse, like this week, my workload is still the same. Actually, my workload is lees since no one has time to stop for meetings. When there is no work in the warehouse, everyone in the department is sent home early. Since the entire department is sent home, I get to go home too.

When I first noticed this, I felt a little guilty. To clear my conscience, I would remind myself of the other places I have worked for the last 10 years and the enormous number of hours I worked (50 to 120 hours a week). It’s about time I worked for a place that allowed me to have a life. After being here for 10 months now, I am finally starting to feel a little guilty. This week the entire department has been starting 2 hours early (5 am) and leaving late. I never know when they will be coming in early, because I am not notified. I still feel a little guiltily though, because I am a part of the department and I am probably working fewer hours than anyone else.

In addition to this, about 4 times during the year they all need to work on a weekend. I have never needed to come in, because there isn’t really a lot I can do with my job on the weekend. I was told today that they would be working Saturday and possibly Sunday. I told my boss that I am willing to come in if they need me. I am willing to come in and do manual labor in the warehouse if they feel I can be of help, but I don’t want come in on my days off just to sit in my office and do nothing. I guess I just don’t want the rest of the department to be upset that they have to come in and I don’t.