Annualized hours

EcosseAlfie

A company has approached me with the offer of annualized hours()

This is a new "thing" to me and from what I can gather, the hours will be set for an year with no overtime. Can fellow members assist me? What I would like to have is more information, what are the positives and the weaknesss about Annualized hours.

Many thanks for your assitance and I bid you all a Happy Bank Holiday!!!!

Sumostar

Hi

Annualised hours means that the business can cope with highs and lows in demand without having to incur the usual costs that go with them - paying overtime when busy or paying staff to twiddle their thumbs when slack.

I think the important questions to ask are:

1 Does your lifestyle allow you to work flexibly, or do you have commitments that are not flexible?

2 How are they going to pay you - 12 equal monthy payments or for hours worked in that month?

3 What is the maximun number of hours you would be asked to work when they are busy? Are they going to ask you to work 12 hours a day for 15 days on the trot?

4 Are the hours completely variable or will you be required to do a minimum number each month.

november

I have annualized hours.

I think the main thing alongside the questions Sumostar asks but underscoring them is 'Do you have core hours'.

For example I have annualized hours but work core hours of 35 a week. That means I work 35 hours per week but its worked out annually. Our core office hours are 9 - 5 (hour lunch) but I frequently do half an hour lunch and start/finish late/early if it suits me and my diary.

The advantages for me are as follows: I have never had overtime anyway. I did have TOIL (time off in lieu) which had to be taken within a certain time. Now I can take back time over the year. Also if, for example, I have an appointment booked and it is cancelled and I'm out and about I can simply go shopping for a couple of hours if I want (log out of work) and log back in later. That suits the organisation I work for and suits me. I don't have to log out and log back in again, I can carry on with other work, but if its a nice day and I've just got paid I can if I want

I have basically flexi working. Flexi workplace (home or office) and annualized hours with core hours. I am paid a set amount each month based on my annual hours divided by 12.

Also although my hours are annualized work doesn't demand I work outside my core 35 hours. That to me is very important - its not like we get 'told' to work an evening even though it would wreck havoc with our personal lives. We plan it (staff) although some flexibility is expected. I couldn't do my job otherwise and agreed in contract that I may work some evenings. I have no problem with doing so if its necessary although mostly if I have an 'out of office hours' appointment I will probably start later so my core hours would still be 35 that week. But I may not if I feel like it or we are busy - I may add up those hours and take them back another month (not supposed to take them back in big blocks though). In fact the expectation is that, within reason, I try to keep within my core hours of 35 a week so I'm not adding up lots of carry over time.

The other advantage is I can actually have negative time. By that I mean if its the start of the year and something crops up I can take a day off as 'TOIL' even though I haven't acrued any and pay it back later. Saves wasting your leave on bits and bobs and family emergencies. I also prefer this to using 'Time off for a Family Emergency' as that would be unpaid. Its better for me to flexi it and get paid!

This is what our policy says (well it says a lot more but this is the relevant bit)

Your line manager will discuss your core work pattern and place of work with you during induction where you will be able to negotiate a work pattern. SGBS staff have annualised hours and personalised flexible working. This means if you need to take an hour out and have no diarised appointments you may do so simply by informing your manager....

My core hours are stated in my contract.

Advantages and disadvantages - if it works the way ours does I think its all advantages particularly on a work/life balance basis. I haven't found a disadvantage yet. If what the company is offering you means they can increase your hours without limit in any week/month that would be a very big disadvantage.

If you need any more info on how ours work do pm me or post.

Iona_Penny

The NHS often offer annualised hours to help working parents with children: so for example if you agreed to work 1105 hours a year this would be 25 per week over 39 weeks (school term) and 10 hours per week for 13 weeks (school holidays) but with equal pay for 12 months of the year.

You probably need to find out exactly what you are being offered..