Wages in education

bmj191

Can anyone help me with this please?

I work at a college and I'm normally paid from September-June. I arranged with HR to thin out my payments, to ensure I could receive a payment every month, September to August.


My wages worked out at £600.79 per month because of this, which was due to carry on until the end of August. (But finish working June)

I left to go on maternity leave this June 1st and started on maternity pay, obviously I stopped being paid wages, however I'm certain I am owed money from hours I've worked September-June.

Surely I should be owed money? My friend who left at the same time (job share work colleague) Is being paid June-August at same rate. Therefore, we;ve worked the same hours, over the same amount of months yet when we leave, she continues to get paid and I don't.

HR will not entertain this but I feel really angry. Can anyone help please?

Bennifred

So how many hours did you work from September until you went on maternity leave, and how many hours were you paid for until the end of August?

bmj191

Well, 18.5 hours per week from September until June. This total wage was then calculated and divided by 12 to give me a less amount per month than I had worked, but ensured a September - August wage.

Bennifred

So - just to get this straight - you were being paid less monthly than you were earning, in order that you could be paid over the holidays (i.e. annualised hours) but they stopped paying you when you went on maternity leave? That doesn't sound right!

I think you should actually work out in detail how many hours in total you worked, and how many hours pay you have actually received for that year (e.g. if you worked 100 hours and your contract states £10 per hour, but you were paid £800 - 80 hours pay -because they were spreading the payments, then it is immediately obvious that you haven't had your full wages for that annual period). Then put those basic, simple facts and figures into a letter to your finance department and request that they pay you the difference. Keep a copy of the letter.

I'm guessing that the fact you went on maternity leave at the start of June rather than the end has confused things (although it really shouldn't have!:rolleyes:). Can't explain why they have treated your colleague differently!

bmj191

Thanks for you help Bennifred, you've got it exactly. It's so difficult to explain so I'm relieved someone can understand what I'm trying to say! I will do that, thank you for your help

elisebutt65

This also depends whether you are on a full time/pro-rata contract - are you on 0.75? or a zero hours contract like me? The union is trying to stamp out the zero hours contracts as they can't keep calling you back year after year for the same hours without the benefits of a proper contract such as sick pay, holiday pay etc. Totally fed up as I will have to lose pay completely if I catch Swine Flu (for example) yet we are told never to come in sick! I usually hobble in regardless and then spread it around as I can't afford to lose pay!

One of the benefits you don't get on a zero hours contract is maternity pay - hence why the unions are trying to stamp them out. I'm giving it anopther year so I can demonstrate how I am actually required to work the same hours year in year out, without the stability of a full time contract - college has a hiring freeze on and this is how they get around it. No other occupation seems to allow this legally!

It could be that they don't know when you are coming back and are using your normal salary to cover you for maternity leave and then you may get the rest back when you return to work? You really need to sit down with your union rep and representative from HR- are you in UCU?