Am I right to feel undervalued ?

It seems to me that there's been a good bit of misunderstanding. The charity seems to be seeing the situation as a problem they need to solve, rather than the loss of a valuable member of staff. It's not surprising you feel undervalued, but they are approaching your retirement from a different point of view. It sounds like you all need to talk it through and clear the air.

you most probably are undervalued but draw a line under it and retire and do what the hell you want
enjoy your retirement!

A charity is still a business and I suppose they are not considering you as a person, just as an almost ex employee. I wouldn't get worked up over it. You worked one day a week, you expressed your desire to leave and that is what has happened. I would tell your line manager that you feel hustled out though.

Charities are no better or worse than anyone else in my experiences. In fact some can be a lot worse because they use a lot of volunteers. What they have done is pretty rude in my book and I think I would actually leave sooner rather than later !Like now.

I think is awfully unfair of them. Accept what is gracefully, you can’t sour it now, look forward to tge future, you know where you stand.

Yes you are right to feel undervalued but wrong to think as an employee it would be any different. As the others have said sadly it’s still just a business managing it’s day to day stuff and they didn’t communicate well.
I agree get the hell out and have your time now.

Why create an atmosphere that you will not enjoy working in for the sake of a couple of extra months? The charity need certainty as to when you’re leaving because they have to get a replacement. Just let it go and retire in May.

Your employer's representative who decided on the date your employment will be terminated has not valued you enough to be courteous to an employee who obviously gave her heart to her job.

You have reason to feel disappointed, and did right to send that email. However as you will know there are discourteous managers. Others have advised you to let it go and enjoy your almost immediate retirement and that is good advice.

Is it really worth working the extra couple of months? You feel they do not value you and as you only work one day a week I don't suppose the money makes much difference.

I assume this is a charity shop mostly staffed by volunteers, maybe they are going to make the role you had unpaid so would rather you left sooner to save money.

Elizabeth27
Yes ,it is a CS & we do rely on volunteers & that is where the "Lone Working" comes from. But I doubt that they will save money on my leaving as the situation with Volunteers cannot be relied on .

Thank you for all the positive comments ,they are really appreciated .

Very good advice from everyone & I take it all on board .
But ,Yes Onwards & Upwards . I did understandably feel deflated & aggrieved but will take all the advice given & bow out gracefully .
As I suspect nothing will come of the email sent yesterday . Also I was doing the job as I enjoyed it & the £££'s were for me not a driver & there is my answer " as I enjoyed it "not I do enjoy .

I had a similar experience when leaving a long-term job a few years ago. I was only required to give one half term's notice (unusual, it's usually a term). I'd been offered a job overseas. I didn't want to hand in my notice until all my visa, work permit, travel bookings, housing etc had been confirmed by my overseas school, in case it didn't go through. But a colleague's girlfriend had been training with us and the school saw her as a potential replacement, with no need to advertise, ability for an extended handover.

I was pressured into handing in my notice before I was ready, in order to help the school. I was quite hurt by this. I understood for practical reasons why they needed to do it, but I didn't feel it was fair or kind.

As it was, everything worked out OK, but I still have some hurt left, almost 10 years later. The colleague was a friend and it affected our friendship.

i don't quite understand what happened.
why did you agree to the end of may leaving date if you did not want to go then.
also i think i would have studied the terms and conditions and sent my notice by email to head office/HR at the appropriate notice period.
i'm sorry you feel aggrieved, but it seems you lack assertiveness, and are then annoyed at the result.

Many of my friends and myself gave years of unpaid work to a charity shop did even one of us get any thanks when we retired ....no . Not even a card .

I take it you gave notice verbally? If so it is your word against theirs that you were only advising them of your intention to leave at the end of July. I would challenge them again and ask if you could remain until your desired leaving date. If not then just walk out. They can't force you work a notice period and you don't need the stress of working in what will likely be an uncomfortable atmosphere.
Best wishes for a long and happy retirement!

welbeck

I did find actually contact HR re the amount of notice I needed to give & followed that up by going in to see my Mngr to discuss my thoughts on Retirement . I did put in 4 weeks notice via email & then realised very quickly that I wanted to leave later rather than sooner . It was an oversight on my part as my Manager had not asked "When" just assumed & my thoughts are that Retiring is quite a different thing to 'Just upping & leaving your job" .
So Yes ,I felt aggrieved . When told "Its Processed" !!
However "Alls well that Ends Well" as I have had a response from the Person who can help & I will be retiring in July .

Floradora9 S
That is awful to hear , I am sorry that was the case for you & your friends .
I can assure you we do Value or Volunteers & treat them very well . I personally have had People who will only come in while I am working for various reasons & I always always remember Birthdays & Buy gifts & Chocolate for everyone .

I always felt under more pressure during my ‘volunteering years’ than I ever did in paid employment.
“I need to change my day next week” reply - oh well that’s going to be difficult.
“I’m going on holiday next August”reply- well that going to be difficult.
“I’m popping to Waitrose lunchtime do you want anything” reply - well that’s difficult as I’m going out to lunch with a friend.
There’s only so much you can put up with and after I left I was blanked if I went into the shop as a customer.
But the paid staff did what they wanted when they wanted and expected the volunteers to cover at a moments notice.

Nanatuesday2

welbeck

I did find actually contact HR re the amount of notice I needed to give & followed that up by going in to see my Mngr to discuss my thoughts on Retirement . I did put in 4 weeks notice via email & then realised very quickly that I wanted to leave later rather than sooner . It was an oversight on my part as my Manager had not asked "When" just assumed & my thoughts are that Retiring is quite a different thing to 'Just upping & leaving your job" .
So Yes ,I felt aggrieved . When told "Its Processed" !!
However "Alls well that Ends Well" as I have had a response from the Person who can help & I will be retiring in July .

Glad you have a happy outcome. Thank you for letting us know. Enjoy retirement in July.