Help - primary employer wants me to quit second job

Oldfield_Parker

Hi, hoping someone can possibly help me please. I've been working for my primary employer for just over a year and my second part time (one day a week) job for two years. I've now received an email saying that we can't be offered preferred days off basically saying that I need to quit my second job. However, I made it clear bef9re I started that I had a second job and wanted to continue with it and also have a saved email confirming that I could continue which I have passed on to the person who wants me to quit. I've not heard back yet abd just wondered if anyone knew where I stood woth this? Thank you!

martinthebandit

Which job is more important to you?

RichardD1970

If you have been working there for under 2 years then you have very little in the way of rights.

As far as I'm aware they can get rid of you for any or no reason (notwithstanding protected characteristics).

Some one with more expertise may be along with more info.

TBagpuss

Does your original contract specify which days you work?

I suspect that the answer is probably that they cannot make you give up your other job, but they may well be able to tell you they cannot guarantee to fit round it

polgara

As I read it they aren't forcing you to give up the second job but what they are saying is that you aren't guaranteed to have the days off that you use for your second job. If this is your primary job then I assume that it pays more? Its really your choice which is more important to you.

getmore4less

If you want to keep both jobs you need to approach this a little carefully.

What sort of work pattern
Is the 1 day fixed or variable day can it be made variable if fixed.

Which days do you typically work

How many hours are each job.

What are the rates of pay

Will primary job expect more hours once they know you have given up 2nd job.

do they need you ie if you quit the primary job how big a problem would it be for them.


One thing you need to know is the business need for this change.
Why do they need your days to be more flexible and in particular the you do the other job.

Any new proposal should try to address the business needs.

Exodi

I'd also check if your 'primary job' contract has any clauses regarding other employment.

The last few jobs I've had have explicitly stated that I held no other employment without the express permission of the employer.

TELLIT01

The 'main' employer can simply say that business needs mean they are no longer able to keep to the previous working days. As you have only been there about a year you have no security of employment so trying to fight the change is a high risk strategy.

PasturesNew

The trouble is, employers want "flexible staff" - which is a euphemism for "they want to own you".

In the long run ... you'll have to end up choosing whether to give up your other job, or find another primary job. That's the way employers are these days "if you can't/won't be 'flexible' (they never are), then somebody else will".

getmore4less

Exodi wrote: »

I'd also check if your 'primary job' contract has any clauses regarding other employment.

The last few jobs I've had have explicitly stated that I held no other employment without the express permission of the employer.

The contract term would have been overridden by the fact they had the second job when they started and let then know.

Oldfield_Parker

Hi all,

Thanks for all your replies!

I think this is pretty much what I was expecting. The business has grown and we are struggling to answer all incoming calls (I work in a call centre) it's not really going to make a difference to them hours wise if I quit my second job as it's a Sunday job which is not particularly busy calls wise anyway and I can't work more hours for them anyway because I already work full time for them and obviously won't be offering to help out with overtime! They really just need to take on more staff as it's not physically possible for us to handle any more calls ourselves I don't think.

There's nowhere in my contract or handbook which states what days I have to work, not even one of those '5 from 7' contracts. There's also no policy in either handbook or contract about second jobs so not sure where that leaves me either. I guess I need to wait and see what they come back with having forwarded the original email confirming second job.

I think Pastures New is certainly right that employers basically want to own you! I've been looking for a new job for a little while now as they are a pretty bad company to work for on the whole so hoping to get something soon!