Any HR bods online?

[Lois Lane]

I was called into a meeting today to say that the PA arrangements were going to be re-jigged and that the current cover of 8am to 5.30pm was going to be extended so there is cover until 6pm. Two PAs I work with do 8-4.30 and I do 9.-5.30 to fit in with my childcare arrangements. My contract says:

" You are contracted to work a minimum of 40 hours per week net of meal breaks. Your precise hours of work shall be detailed to you by your Manager in accordance with the particular requirements of your workplace"

Nowhere on paper does it say my hours are 9-5.30pm - I'm guessing this means that they can extend my hours and I dont have a leg to stand on???? If I work til 6pm my nursery fees will go up - I pay for core hours of 8-6pm - any later and that will cost me around an extra £10 a day which I just cannot afford.

Do I have any rights or can they just make me do it???

Lois xxx

[Cherrypie]

Do you have a letter from when the job was offered to you stating the agreed hours - even if it's not stipulated in the contract.

[Lois Lane]

Do you have a letter from when the job was offered to you stating the agreed hours - even if it's not stipulated in the contract.

No, it was agreed verbally as far as I can remember. I'll try and dig the paperwork out but I'm sure I spoke to HR direct.

ETA - nope, just checked my file, there is nothing stating my hours of work.

[Annie Goolahey]

AFAIK, given that I was lumbered with similar very shitty changing of the goalposts in work (which are constantly changing), you are stuck.

The one thing you could do would be to put in an application for Family Friendly working hours, stating why the extra 30 mins would not suit.

[Cherrypie]

Don't know what else to suggest then, hon. Lola's advice seems good though. x

[Lois Lane]

AFAIK, given that I was lumbered with similar very shitty changing of the goalposts in work (which are constantly changing), you are stuck.

The one thing you could do would be to put in an application for Family Friendly working hours, stating why the extra 30 mins would not suit.

Bum, was as I suspected. I'm going to hold fire atm as nothing has been decided - all I've been told so far is that the current cover needs to be extended (by order of the CEO - which is pants IMHO as I'm there til 5.30pm and more often than not nothing happens between 5 and 5.30pm). I've not been told it's me who has to provide the cover - though the implication is there as I currently work the latest.

Lola - is there a website that gives guidelines on applying for FF hours or is that something unique to your company?

[Annie Goolahey]

THE DTI website should have details.

Any person with parental responsibility/ guardianship for a child under the age of six can make an application.

[Cherrypie]

http://www.eoc.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=15303

The Equal Oppurtunities Commission has quite a lot on their website.

HTH. xx

[Lois Lane]

Thank you both - I've got some useful info from the DTI and EOC sites!:thumb:

[Minky]

Yes Lois, they CAN change your working hours BUT you should be given reasonable notice to do so, and it should be done in consultatoin with you.

There is a wonderful thing called "custom and practice" which is usually used by unions to try not to change things, which should work well for you. By "custom and practice" the work hours of 9 - 5.30 have become your standard hours and to change them should certainly involve some degree of negotiation, and if it causes you financial hardship, then perhaps some recognition of this.

What is the situation of the other PAs? Do they have children? If not, and YOU are the one who is asked to change I would be raising my eyebrows as to WHY it is you. Sure the EEO website would indeed have something to say about that. You might be able to hint at discrimination. I would certainly be asking NOW what the selection process is to decide who will do the extra hours.

HTH

Minky

[Lois Lane]

What is the situation of the other PAs? Do they have children? If not, and YOU are the one who is asked to change I would be raising my eyebrows as to WHY it is you. Sure the EEO website would indeed have something to say about that. You might be able to hint at discrimination. I would certainly be asking NOW what the selection process is to decide who will do the extra hours.

There are potentially 5 other PAs implicated with this change - me and one other are the only two that have young children (the other PA's little one is of school age). When I was brought in it was agreed that I would work 9-5.30pm because the other 2 PAs in my section travelled further and preferred to start and finish early to avoid the traffic. I've never had a problem with this - suits me better as I get to give P breakfast. Nursery core hours are 8-6pm but if I go outside of that I have to pay £10 an hour a day extra which is not viable. Also, by working til 6 there is more traffic about and therefore my quality time with P (which is minimal as it is) will be seriously impacted and I'm not prepared to have that. Even if they make it worth my while/cover the extra cost, it's just not worth doing for my family's sake.

Atm, being pregnant too, I really struggle to get to 5.30pm, and drive home half asleep, 6pm would be a nightmare, with the resulting traffic of travelling at that time.

[Skibunny]

Minky's right - by working those hours, those hours have become part of your contract and any attempt to change them needs to be done with your agreement. They cannot force you to change the hours - and if they sacked you because you wouldn't this would also be illegal. To be honest I'd sit tight and let them work out between themselves what they're going to do - then fight it when you need to, rather than stressing about it now. Worse case, you can drag the negotiations out until your maternity leave starts!

Skibunny
xx

[donna-j]

As it's only really another 4 or 5 months before you finish there would be little point in them making you change your hours now, as someone else will have to cover you anyway. Much better that one of the other PAs makes this change from the start.

If they do, get to your GP and talk to him/her about work-related stress. It sounds like you and under quite a lot of it at the mo.