Making time up if work decides to close.

MyNamesNotSteve

Hello

The shift patterns at my work are weekdays and one in three Saturdays. For some of us our working Saturday this month is the 24th, Christmas Eve. The company never closes on Christmas Eve so we were all prepared to work it and had made our Christmas plans to fit in with it.

They have now however decided to close on Christmas Eve and told us that we have to make up the time on the 17th. Can they do this? We were willing and prepared to work on the 24th as we do every year, if the company has decided to close for the day are we within our rights to refuse to make up the time on the 17th?

Thanks

lincroft1710

Look in your staff handbook or at your contract, I would bet there is some clause which says or implies that your work pattern can be altered to meet the business needs. In this case the business needs to close on Xmas Eve.

theoretica

Your employer can inform you when to take holiday. Are they insisting you work the 17th, or giving you the option to work the 17th rather than use a holiday day?

NoNoDrama

Very tin-pot from the company. Expecting people to just do an unscheduled Saturday on a whim? Would be laughed at if it was suggest at mine. They should just say you can do your Saturday on the 17th or if you can't you'll have to do one an extra in January and then hope people turn-in on the 17th.

They may legally be able to ask you to work the Saturday, but its a dreadful way to go about it.