Employer cutting everyone's hours 'so that he can afford to pay holiday pay'

sahararose

Hi. My employer has now told all his staff that we have to take a reduction in hours because that is the only way that he can afford to pay us holiday pay. Because 'there is a change coming up' that means we're entitled to 5 weeks holiday, if we want to have holiday pay we have to accept a reduction in pay. (yes, I know his info is wrong but that's what he's like). If we don't take the reduced hours we can't have holiday pay. None of us have contracts, some of us have no breaks at all in a nine hour day, they're overloading everyone with work and now this.

Who should I contact, if anyone?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

jdturk

1) Everyone is entitled to 5.6 week holiday (which can include bank holidays)(pro rata)

2) You are at minimum allowed a 20 minute break for working over 6 hours

3) even though you have no written contract you have a contract by the fact you turn up and work, you need to find the statutoy allowances

4) Your boss can change your contract but needs to do it in the proper way and can you can disagree with it but it gets messy from there and you need to do research on it.

The people to talk to are ACAS

getmore4less

How much holilday are you getting now?

sahararose

Hi everyone-

I'm getting 4 weeks now (and had to fight to get the final week). They actualy did me out of holiday in my first year as they told me the holiday year ran Jan to Dec, when it's actually Apr to Mar. So I had no time off in the first 4 months I worked there (I started early December 2008). When I found out from another member of staff a few weeks ago that I'd been told the wrong holiday year dates, I approached the managers about it who told me 'tough' - I'd lost any holiday from those few months because I hadnt asked for it.

I'll go to ACAS - we're all getting treated like dirt. Thanks for your input :-)

paulofessex

Sounds to me that its time you all started looking for other employment, l know easier said than done. I just wouldn't trust your employer, god l hope it don't happen but l can see it now....turn up for work and a notice is stuck to the door advising of the companies closure

jim_jim_2

if you get paid every week/month then thats all you need in the present climate.
I'd look at a new job, maybe a bit of extra training when you're not working to improve job prospects.
Importantly, don't worry!! You have a job.

getmore4less

You should allready be getting 5.6 weeks/28 days so that needs to be 20 + bank holidays.

how much have you had this holiday year(April-March)?

No new changes due AFAIK.

Uncertain

jim_jim wrote: »

if you get paid every week/month then thats all you need in the present climate.
I'd look at a new job, maybe a bit of extra training when you're not working to improve job prospects.
Importantly, don't worry!! You have a job.

???????

So how far would you take this argument?

We can't afford to pay you this week but that is OK because they sent some bread and water round?

An employer not even providing the basic legal minimum is a sign of one or two things.

Either the employer is a total cowboy

or

The firm is about to go under.

Is it operating in other illegal ways? Health & Safety?

Uncertain

getmore4less wrote: »

You should allready be getting 5.6 weeks/28 days so that needs to be 20 + bank holidays.

how much have you had this holiday year(April-March)?

No new changes due AFAIK.

To clarify

28 days in total. Yes

Although this is often thought of as four weeks plus the 8 bank holidays it doesn't have to be.

There is no automatic right to the bank holidays but there is a right to a minimum of 28 days paid holiday per year.

sahararose

I only work one day a week, so technically I understand I have 5.6 days a year holiday. Because I only work Saturdays I've never had a Bank Holiday off, so I understand (I think ) that my holiday should include bank holidays pro rata.

The one day a week that I work helps to keep our heads above water, as it were. I've had 4 days holiday so far this year Apr/Mar - including two weeks (well, days) when I was ill so they paid me for it as holiday so that I wouldn't lose out on wages.

There are SO many things that this employer does wrong that I wouldn't know where to start to explain. I hate the feeling that they think they have one over on us - treating us as they wish.

I went in work this weekend, starting one hour later than usual as per my new 'agreement', to find out that they're actually paying a manager who normally only comes in for 1/2 hour in the morning to stay on for an extra hour until my new shift starts!!

jdturk

that 5.6 days can include bank holidays and they are not an extra on top of the 5.6 days you currently get unless it is in your contract