4 day week or unpaid leave????

knitter

My husband has worked for the same firm for 25 years Until 6 months ago hes never in that time had a month were his wage had not included overtime which made a good portion of his salary General he worked 30/40 hrs extra in a calendar month I was made redundent just before Xmas and now on JSA.

We have streamlined Cancelled Sky Only one Pay As you go Phone ..Heating turned only if absolutely needed, Only essential use of car Changed brands on food . Even cancelled holiday despite losing deposit of £240 and were just about managing...

But now with the 4 day week and 20% cut in wages don't know how we are going to keep our heads above water:(
So not sure that adapting life style will work! Bills aren't go to disappear while we enjoy more time with family and friends

Phyzelda

omelette451 wrote: »

You don't, you adapt your lifestyle to make the most of the extra day. Less profligate spending, less extravagance, more time with family and friends.

Not really overly possible when I'd just brought a new car on finance 3 days before being told. Kind of need to keep my income as it was/is.:o

Cassa

Some people were I work have had to do 3 day weeks a couple of times now, but have been entitled to guaranteed pay, see link for details


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/DG_10026693

Simran

KPMG are also doing this in order to try and minimise redundancies. They offered a 4 day week as an when required with a 10% reduction in pay (initially 20% but they offered to reduce this to 10% if they got acceptance to the new terms from more than 75% of staff). They also offered up to 3 months unpaid leave on 30% pay as and when required. Both changes will apply until Sept 2010 but staff could opt out by Dec this year.

omelette451

Phyzelda wrote: »

Not really overly possible when I'd just brought a new car on finance 3 days before being told. Kind of need to keep my income as it was/is.:o

So even in the current economic climate you bought an expensive new car on credit without thinking what might happen if, as with millions of other people, your job were to become less secure? I really don't mean to sound harsh, but people carelessly taking out credit is (at least in part) what's caused this whole mess. Of course it's bad, of course you're right to worry, and I do feel sorry for you, but I personally think that everyone should keep enough slack in their lifestyle and finances to be able to move from a 5-day week to a 4-day week without causing too many problems. I suspect that's why ordinary people in France and Germany are suffering less than we are: they haven't taken on too many responsibilities or 'expanded' too fast without considering the risks.

Phyzelda

omelette451 wrote: »

So even in the current economic climate you bought an expensive new car on credit without thinking what might happen if, as with millions of other people, your job were to become less secure? I really don't mean to sound harsh, but people carelessly taking out credit is (at least in part) what's caused this whole mess. Of course it's bad, of course you're right to worry, and I do feel sorry for you, but I personally think that everyone should keep enough slack in their lifestyle and finances to be able to move from a 5-day week to a 4-day week without causing too many problems. I suspect that's why ordinary people in France and Germany are suffering less than we are: they haven't taken on too many responsibilities or 'expanded' too fast without considering the risks.

Actually it was not an EXPENSIVE car, and I'm sorry to be straight, but if your not going to help and support people on this bored please don't comment.

I was not careless, and have worked out my finances for many months now. It's just in my role of work, it was never 'in the pipe line'. But I will survive, but I'm not going to lay down and not doing anything to try and get other work to make up the money, even if it means starting up working from home.

For some people it's not a case of 'just having to cope' and not do anything about making up the time and money, some of us can't just sit at home and not do anything.

knitter

We had our car 5 years and it was second hand then....
But it is because people have stopped buying cars and luxury items that more people are on short time working and being made redundent.

omelette451

Phyzelda wrote: »

It's just in my role of work, it was never 'in the pipe line'.

Obviously it was 'in the pipeline', because it's happened.

Actually it was not an EXPENSIVE car, and I'm sorry to be straight, but if your not going to help and support people on this bored please don't comment.

Actually I think you'll find the OP on this thread wanted opinions as to what other people would do, which is precisely what I did. My advice may be no good to you in hindsight, but it may help other people think about their own situations and work out if they could afford to have to move to a shorter working week if such a need arose, so I absolutely will not refrain from saying what I think. People need to understand that stretching themselves and leaving no slack in their finances is a risk, and while I freely accept it's one some people are happy to take, it doesn't make it any less of a risk.

Then there's the whole issue of free speech: you may not like what I have to say, but that doesn't mean you can or should tell me not to say it...

some of us can't just sit at home and not do anything.

I didn't say you shouldn't do anything. It's always said that British people don't spend enough time together as families and that it's causing problems in society; in my opinion, the current situation is the perfect time to rectify that. I don't know your family, but it would be perfectly easy to find worthwhile things to do with the extra time.