How to Tell Your Boss You Are Not Working on Weekends (with Examples)

If you’re like most employees, you probably dread Mondays. But if you’re like some employees, you dread Fridays too. Why? Because those are the days when you may be required to work weekends.

There are many good reasons why you don’t want to work on the weekends, but for some people, it is unavoidable.

If this is the case for you, you’ll need to know how to tell your boss that you’re not available for weekend work.

How to Tell Your Boss You Are Not Working on Weekends

When you want to say no to working on the weekend, your best chance for success is to make your feelings known politely, professionally, and timely. It is important to be clear and concise when communicating this information to your boss so that there are no misunderstandings or awkwardness.

Here is how you tell your boss you are not available to work on weekends.

1. Be a stickler for boundaries

Know your workplace rights and read the fine print of your contract. If you advocate for yourself and set firm boundaries from day one, you are more likely to succeed in any later requests to avoid weekend work.

• Be clear about what you are willing and able to do, and make sure your boss understands your reasons.
• Be honest about the reason why not working on the weekends is important to you.
• Be capable of completing all your required tasks during the work week so that you will not need to work on weekends due to your inability to complete your assigned task.

If all things fail, you might also consider transferring to another department or finding a new job that better accommodates your work schedule.

2. Be firm but kind

Stick to your guns. There’s a popular proverb that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. This means that it’s easier to get what you want by being polite rather than rude or aggressive.

When you tell your boss that you are not working on the weekends, be polite and explain why you cannot work those days. You can also ask your boss if you can work different days during the week instead of the weekends.

• Be prepared and respectful to ensures a positive conversation.
• Be prepared for any pushbacks and be respectful to accept any decision coming from the discussion.

Frame it as a discussion about optimizing work hours for better efficiency and well-being rather than just about you and you getting a better work-life balance.

3. Explain your plans

If you have a rare but valid reason for not wanting to work on the weekend, let your manager know. They’re more likely to be sympathetic to your situation if they understand why.

Seeking a common understanding between you and your boss with honesty and sincerity will often lead to a desirable outcome.

If you are unable to work on weekends, tell your boss why. Claiming you are ill or have other commitments is not an acceptable reason to miss work. List the specific reasons you cannot work on the weekends and be sure to provide documentation if possible.

• Maybe you’re getting married in a few weeks and need to be free for the wedding.
• Maybe you have a doctor’s appointment.
• Maybe you need to take care of your kids.
• Maybe you need to travel out of town.
• Maybe you are feeling burnout and need the weekends to recharge.

No matter why it’s important, to be honest with your boss about your availability so that there’s no confusion or conflict.

If your boss is not satisfied with your explanation, offer to work from home or take a leave of absence.

4. Support your claim with statistics

According to World Health Organization, burnout is the most frightening syndrome resulting from workplace stress caused by overworking.

• 79% of all employees had work-related stress that impact their daily lives.
• 3 in 5 employees say work-related stress has impacted their work productivity.
• 38% reported emotional exhaustion
• 44% reported physical fatigue

You may be feeling overwhelmed at work and struggling to find the time to yourself. You have been putting in long hours and are starting to feel burnt out.

There will be times in our working lives when we feel overwhelmed, overworked, and overstressed. There’s no shame in saying that you cannot perform your job to the best of your ability without having a regular weekend break.

Be honest with your boss, don’t try to deceive them by pretending that you are only taking a few days off for vacation. Tell them the full truth about why you are not available for work on the weekends.

Burnout at work can be dangerous.

Burnout is a condition that can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. It is an often-undetected problem that can have serious consequences for your health and well-being.

Some warning signs of burnout include feeling drained after work, diminished enjoyment in life, feelings of hostility and cynicism, and reduced productivity. To prevent burnout, take some time for yourself each week. Rest and relax by doing things you enjoy outside of work.

5. Offer an alternative plan

Try the carrot, not the stick. Sometimes, your best strategy is to provide your employer with a better alternative than working on the weekends.

Alternative plans to work on weekends:

• Working nights for a week in exchange for not working on the weekend.
• Working on-call for a month in exchange for not working on the weekend.
• Working an odd shift in exchange for not working on the weekend.

The most important thing to remember is to be polite and open to discussing your needs.

How to Say No to Work on Weekends (with Example)

If you know that you are not able to work on Saturdays and Sundays due to personal commitments or any other reasons, it’s important to let them know ahead of time if you won’t be able to work on the weekends.

You can either talk to your boss face-to-face or send a simple email explaining why you can’t work during the weekends. Below are some email samples you can use to make the request.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Working on Weekends

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