Weirdest thing happened with work, need some advice.

Darlyd

I am a care worker, and we have clients that are supported by the social services, as well as direct payments and some even pay private.

We get many half hour calls (£3.10p), 15 mins calls (£1.55), and hour calls (£6.19). We had to stay at the half hour call minimum of 22 mins to get paid the above, and then use 8mins of that time to travel to our next call (we sometimes struggled to get to next call in time, BTW we got 14p per mile). About 6 weeks ago we received a letter letting us know that we had to stay a minimum of 28 mins to get paid for the above, 43 mins for 45 min call, and 57 mins for an hour call. OR we will get paid a min of 15 mins (£1.55) Plus 5p increments, bare in mind no travel time. . As of 22nd August. Anyway no one agreed to the change.

Weekend just gone on our Rota we were invited into the office separably to discuss this decision, as no body signed and agreed. I had my meeting yesterday morning, and the letter the manager gave me basicly said, "My Employment contact ends as of 21st August, and If I wish to still have a job I would need to sign a new contract with the new changes, which starts as of the 22nd August". I signed it of course, Cus I never through, but when I came home I thought sneaky so and so's.. And To be honest I have joined an agency which I start on 1st September, And I was handing my mnths notice in with the company anyway. I feel a right fool now.

Were they sneaky? And how can i go about this legally to not go back to work as of 22nd August? (Luckily 21st August was the last day for pay for 26th august), and new job pays weekly, so I be ok for money.

avstar

Are you in a union? I'd take advice from them if you are as this sounds v dodgy to me.

Surely in your line of work the travelling between clients is still 'work'. Its not the same as travelling to an office in the morning and evening which is done in your own time. We have sales people in my work and the travelling between clients is still classed as work hours, otherwise your hourly rate will prob drop below minimum wage and that's illegal.

My mum worked as a home care assistant (home help) for a local authority and the travelling between clients was always classed as working, not just the time spent in a clients home.

Darlyd

avstar wrote: »

Are you in a union? I'd take advice from them if you are as this sounds v dodgy to me.

Surely in your line of work the travelling between clients is still 'work'. Its not the same as travelling to an office in the morning and evening which is done in your own time. We have sales people in my work and the travelling between clients is still classed as work hours, otherwise your hourly rate will prob drop below minimum wage and that's illegal.

My mum worked as a home care assistant (home help) for a local authority and the travelling between clients was always classed as working, not just the time spent in a clients home.

NOPE! It's sickening, I am lucky I don't earn enough to pay tax/insurance but the other guys, once they have paid that etc they end up taking less than minimum wage.

Sadly no union. My father reckons they have been very dodgy and reckons I should just tell the office I shall not be back as of Monday, and if they say I need to give months notice then I need not to be timid and tell them, well they practicly gave me a week notice of my termination If I never agreed to the new changes. I feel such a fool.

mildred1978

darlyd wrote: »

NOPE! It's sickening, I am lucky I don't earn enough to pay tax/insurance but the other guys, once they have paid that etc they end up taking less than minimum

NMW applies before tax and NI for everyone.

t0rt0ise

If it were me I'd simply call them and say I've changed my mind and decided not to take the job under the new contract. See what they say.

supermaiden

avstar wrote: »

Are you in a union? I'd take advice from them if you are as this sounds v dodgy to me.

Surely in your line of work the travelling between clients is still 'work'. Its not the same as travelling to an office in the morning and evening which is done in your own time. We have sales people in my work and the travelling between clients is still classed as work hours, otherwise your hourly rate will prob drop below minimum wage and that's illegal.

My mum worked as a home care assistant (home help) for a local authority and the travelling between clients was always classed as working, not just the time spent in a clients home.

I was a care worker going round houses. You mostly dont get paid for the time inbetween, travelling from one house to the next. I didnt anyway.

Darlyd

t0rt0ise wrote: »

If it were me I'd simply call them and say I've changed my mind and decided not to take the job under the new contract. See what they say.

That is what I am going to be doing, have just spoken to the agency my CRB is back, and I told them I am available for work as of Monday. Manager is going to ring me.

Present Manager is busy with care workers at present but will ring me when she is free, am hoping she will rip what I signed. Can't wait to get away from that company, they pay the less out of all of the companies here. Luckily agency is min pay £7.50 hr (some care workers get £10) , and min call is an hour, some all day. Am really looking forward to starting. Friend works for them and she gets many hours. I am only after min of 25 a week but will do more, but I can pick and choose logging into their system and picking. It's really cool.

And at the moment, this weekend with present company I am out from 6.30am-9.30pm (if all goes well) with 1.40 mins break in total through the whole day, but I won't get paid for all them hours, stupid 15 min and half hour calls here and there.. grr

Jarndyce

Were they sneaky? No, they openly gave you the choice as to whether or not to sign the new contract. You chose to sign it.

If you had not signed it you may well have had a case for unfair dismissal, but that is academic now.

Darlyd

I feel such a fool, I never thought there and then, I was put on the spot. Am so blonde!!

I just rung manager and asked if she could rip it up as I won't be working as of Monday 22nd, and with some argument she told me that they can give me a week notice of termination but I have to give them a mnth notice to finish. Apparently I will be leaving vulnerable people without care. I will only have 8 hours next week with them anyway, they have to many carers and not enough hours to go around. Can't believe this. . I know for a fact a carer who only does weekends will work my hours for me to leave, but the manager told me that they may need her to help them. They done this to me before, When I needed an eve off for an appointment, carer offered to work only for me, then the next thing, they sneakily gave her someone else's rota, which left me to work. I hate them!!!!

t0rt0ise

Does the contract you signed say that you have to give a month notice?

Darlyd

t0rt0ise wrote: »

Does the contract you signed say that you have to give a month notice?

unfortunately yes, BUT if I had not of signed that letter yesterday I could of finished this coming Sunday 21st! As new contract starts 22nd August.

I am stuck now. Aren't I?