Zero hours contract, but no shifts for two weeks........

t0rt0ise

LittleVoice wrote: »

So you are working as bank staff.

You are entitled to paid leave. NHS bank staff are normally paid this every payday - itemised separately on the payslip. Does your employer not do this?

The NHS hospital where I work on the 'bank' pay us less than the regular workers and the extra for holiday pay brings it up to.. gosh.. exactly what the regular workers get. Except they get actual holidays on top. That's clever and cheap.

Also I had a contract for half-time hours covering a full-time workers maternity leave. They wouldn't cover it full-time. Now she's off on a second maternity leave they won't cover it at all.

I'm lucky and have a temp contract for 3 days a week elsewhere but finding a permanent contract is proving difficult.

dktreesea

One good thing about zero hours contracts is that it has enabled employers like the NHS to not have to pay agency middlemen whenever they need a few extra staff to cover permanent employees who are off for some reason. And there have been plenty of people who have worked like that long before the term "zero hours contract" came into being. Supply teachers, freelance professional staff working through agencies, pretty much anyone who has ever been temping.

The change though has been in the pay. Before, you could get quite a bit more for temping. Nowadays, it is just as likely you would get less than a permanent member of staff.

Gingernutty

Since my contract wasn't renewed, I've scattergunned the West Midlands with job applications including for internal jobs and others in the NHS.

I've had offers (not internal) but they've all been withdrawn because of the reference given by my last line manager.

Her mother also works in the hospital where we both work - she's in the HR section.

I've never received an offer for an internal position (even though the feedback was very positive) and I suspect I never will.

I'm paid a Band 2 wage for a Band 3 position. There are a confusing set of entries on my pay slip including

[STRIKE]Working[/STRIKE] Acting up for cash - the bit which supposedly brings my Band 2 wage to Band 3 level

WTD - not sure what it stands for, but that's my holiday pay increment

and then a variety of Sunday and Saturday pay enhancements if I work a weekend.

From week to week, I've not been paid the same money even if I've worked the same hours.

Earlier this year, I had an assessment by HMRC and found I was still being taxed under last year's tax code! I've had a rebate.

The vast majority of the admin staff are on part time contracts and are always ready for a bit of extra money by working 'on the bank'.

Bank working hasn't taken off amongst the clinical staff. There are agency workers all over the hospital despite a recent pay rise for the clinical bank staff and a recruitment drive.

dktreesea

Gingernutty wrote: »

Since my contract wasn't renewed, I've scattergunned the West Midlands with job applications including for internal jobs and others in the NHS.

I've had offers (not internal) but they've all been withdrawn because of the reference given by my last line manager.

Her mother also works in the hospital where we both work - she's in the HR section.

I've never received an offer for an internal position (even though the feedback was very positive) and I suspect I never will.

Is your last line manager deliberately giving you a bad reference out of malice (as opposed to some misconduct on your part), thus preventing you from obtaining employment elsewhere? Is she able to prove what she is saying about you?

Maybe check this out. http://www.lawdonut.co.uk/law/employment-law/dismissals-and-redundancies/giving-references
You do have some possible remedies in cases where you are being given a malicious reference, both against the person providing the reference and the organisation it's being provided on behalf of, i.e. your old employer.

tir21

i worked for a hire car company. zero hours was reasonable because when all cars were delivered there was nothing else to do

i now also work for a company on zero hours at a hospital but do the same shift pattern every 4 weeks and never leave early because there are always patients to book in on the system

no way should this be a zero hour contract, but it suits than not having to pay sick pay

the stupid thing is that if i ever went to an industrial tribunal it would be deemed as a full time contract

tir21

Quote:
Originally Posted by dktreesea
Is that legal, to employ people for over 8 hours a day, but then decide only a few hours is subject to holiday pay?
"Yup. Overtime doesn't accrue holiday pay."


on a zero hour contract there is no such thing as overtime - so every hour works should accrue holiday pay

sunflower1283

Sorry to hijack post but re holiday entitlement.holiday pay. I can't find anything on my payslip relating to holiday pay except for WTD. Is this holiday pay? Also how many days would I be eligible for? How does it scene.

Ginger nutty - I'm sorry to hear your contracts ended. I hope you find something soon.

tir21

wtd - working time directive ?

anamenottaken

tir21 wrote: »

wtd - working time directive ?

Correct - that's why it is used to describe the holiday pay element on the payslip.

sunflower1283

anamenottaken wrote: »

Correct - that's why it is used to describe the holiday pay element on the payslip.

Ah okay thanks.