Part-time workers - positive discrimination?

sarah_barker

During a recent meeting in work we were advised that in order to incentivise part-timers to work overtime, senior management has offered them time off in lieu and will also allow them to use during booked up busy holiday periods such as the school holidays. Surely this is considered positive discrimination and is not fair on the rest of us who just don’t happen to have kids/kids young enough to have to work part time. What do you think? Is it work speaking to the Union?

mcfisco

What's it got to do with having kids?

Speak to the union and see what they say, I personally don't see anything wrong with it.
Companies will often offer incentives to one group of workers to suit their needs, that's the way it is.

You could always go part time - that'll teach 'em

FBaby

Is it offer only to part-timers then? It does sound unfair if it is, not sure about discrimination though as not all part-timers are parents and vice-versa, even if the majority is.

sarah_barker

The way it has been marketed is 'for those with kids in school', so really it is completely about having kids!

We would all like time of in the summer, unfortunately not everyone is lucky/quick enough to get a substantial amount of the availability. Why should the part timers be able to go over and above the given allowance simply because they are part time? If only I could borrow a child for these conveniences!

Dogger69

FBaby wrote: »

Is it offer only to part-timers then? It does sound unfair if it is, not sure about discrimination though as not all part-timers are parents and vice-versa, even if the majority is.

Part time workers can be a protected group as the majority of them tend to be women - there is case law on the subject.

Having said that I fail to see a case for (positive) discrimination here, but rather a sound and justifiable business decision.

Cycrow

sarah_barker wrote: »

The way it has been marketed is 'for those with kids in school', so really it is completely about having kids!

We would all like time of in the summer, unfortunately not everyone is lucky/quick enough to get a substantial amount of the availability. Why should the part timers be able to go over and above the given allowance simply because they are part time? If only I could borrow a child for these conveniences!

i know how you feel about holidays. When i worked at a supermarket my summer holiday was in november as that was the only free time i could book off.
the summer months were all booked off years in advance

mcfisco

Cycrow wrote: »

i know how you feel about holidays. When i worked at a supermarket my summer holiday was in november as that was the only free time i could book off.
the summer months were all booked off years in advance

I've never come across anywhere that allows holidays to be generally booked years in advance, certainly the odd special one once in a while but not as a general policy.
Booking for holidays at our place opens on Jan 1st each year and all requests are looked at on the first working day after that, any over-subscription is dealt with on a lottery basis.

tonyalcock

It sounds strange, and not fair to many, however it is not discrimination.

maninthestreet

It isn't discrimination based on any identifiable human characteristic, but that doesn't mean it isn't illegal. Your employer seems to offering more favourable terms and conditions to part timers than they are offering to full timers peforming identical work duties.

scooby088

I think being part time has more advantages in the fact that they can be flexible with work do more hours etc always been the case really, ask the part timers to do more hours. Would you as a full timer be prepared to take less hours in return for more time with the kids etc.

I think it has always been the case in many place like supermarkets where they give you 8 hour contacts but often offer you more hours. Part timer in general earn a whole lot less than full timers so i guess the extra money will come in handy.

Cycrow

mcfisco wrote: »

I've never come across anywhere that allows holidays to be generally booked years in advance, certainly the odd special one once in a while but not as a general policy.
Booking for holidays at our place opens on Jan 1st each year and all requests are looked at on the first working day after that, any over-subscription is dealt with on a lottery basis.

This was at Tesco, 1st of Jan was too late to book holidays for the following year. that was generally the deadline, not when it opened

althou they did start stopping people booking 2/3 years in advance.
not that it helped me thou as there wasn't enough time over the summer for everyone to have holidays so the ones with kids got the priority.

there were lots of changes all the time in my last year so i wouldn't be surprised if it was completly different now