Unacceptable delays from employer regarding my request

PeggyMay

I asked my employer in September last year if they would consider putting my hours up a bit, as I am only working 18 hours a week and struggling to afford my bills. I have explained to them that I can work up to 25 hours a week but that 21 would suffice, and have put together what I think is a really solid business case for them giving me more hours.

More than 8 months later, they STILL haven't got back to me about this, despite me chasing every month since then. Their excuse is that they still 'haven't found the capacity to undertake a review '.

I wrote to the CEO last week pointing out how long I've had to wait, making it clear that I need an answer asap. She has arranged to meet with me at the end of this month to discuss. I had assumed a decision would be made at this meeting, but now I'm told it's just to 'talk me through the process I can expect'.

Is it actually legal that they have been keeping me waiting so long, and continue to make me wait for a decision? If they do increase my hours, am I entitled to any back pay for what in effect amounts to loss of income as a result of them making me wait so long for an answer? (Since I originally made my request, I've had to make up the shortfall in my salary from my house savings.)

Thank you.

Comms69

PeggyMay wrote: »

I asked my employer in September last year if they would consider putting my hours up a bit, as I am only working 18 hours a week and struggling to afford my bills. I have explained to them that I can work up to 25 hours a week but that 21 would suffice, and have put together what I think is a really solid business case for them giving me more hours.

More than 8 months later, they STILL haven't got back to me about this, despite me chasing every month since then. Their excuse is that they still 'haven't found the capacity to undertake a review '.

I wrote to the CEO last week pointing out how long I've had to wait, making it clear that I need an answer asap. She has arranged to meet with me at the end of this month to discuss. I had assumed a decision would be made at this meeting, but now I'm told it's just to 'talk me through the process I can expect'.

Is it actually legal that they have been keeping me waiting so long, and continue to make me wait for a decision? If they do increase my hours, am I entitled to any back pay for what in effect amounts to loss of income as a result of them making me wait so long for an answer? (Since I originally made my request, I've had to make up the shortfall in my salary from my house savings.)

Thank you.

Yes of course it's legal. They aren't going to give you any extra hours. That much is obvious.


Why would you be entitled to backpay? You didn't do the work.


Ultimately this situation is resolved by you finding a better / more suited job

polgara

Surely you would have been better served to have got a second job whilst waiting for whether you would get additional hours?


You aren't entitled to increase your hours so wind your neck in and play nice otherwise you could really tick them off.

Exodi

I'm surprised they didn't just say "OK, we deny our request", you're not entitled to an increase?

The back-pay suggestion did make my morning though so kudos to that!

bigisi

It's hilarious how many times across these forums people think something might be illegal just because they don't like it.

Typical entitled attitude of today.

TELLIT01

PeggyMay wrote: »

Their excuse is that they still 'haven't found the capacity to undertake a review '.

That's not an excuse, that's a perfectly valid business reason. I read it as meaning they haven't found additional work to justify reviewing your current hours. They have absolutely no obligation to give you extra hours just because you want or need them.
If I was the manager I would simply there is no requirement for you to work additional hours and end the conversation.

[Deleted User]

All that time for you to wait? If it was that much of an issue you would of looked for a job with more hours or a second job in the meantime.

Course your getting no back pay, even if they agreed to more hours now, your paid for the work done not that work you could have done.

Id be laughing at you if you asked that of a CEO.

PeggyMay

Thanks for your replies. I didn't think it was illegal actually, or that I'd be entitled to back pay, but it was strongly suggested to me by someone who seemed to be very experienced in these matters, so I thought I should check to see if they were correct.

I am not an expert in employment law, so please don't scoff just because you happen to know more about these things than someone else does.

Of course I have sought alternative employment and continue to do so. But I have a very specific skillset, and a health problem which means I can only work part time. So it's not easy for me to find other suitable employment and so I have found nothing. So I really need to try and make this job work for me or eventually I will run out of savings, run into debt and possibly lose my home.

Comms69

PeggyMay wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I didn't think it was illegal actually, or that I'd be entitled to back pay, but it was strongly suggested to me by someone who seemed to be very experienced in these matters, so I thought I should check to see if they were correct.

I am not an expert in employment law, so please don't scoff just because you happen to know more about these things than someone else does.

Of course I have sought alternative employment and continue to do so. But I have a very specific skillset, and a health problem which means I can only work part time. So it's not easy for me to find other suitable employment and so I have found nothing. So I really need to try and make this job work for me or eventually I will run out of savings, run into debt and possibly lose my home.

Presumably you're claiming benefits?

TBagpuss

Unfortunately, your employers will be looking at it from a business perspective - do they have the extra hours available, and do they feel that the additional cost to them will be justified by the return.

The fact that you need the hours isn't relevant to their decision.

I thin kthat the friend you were talking to may have been confuised and been thinking of felexible working requests, where there are timescales for employers to respond, but yours is not a flexible working request, it is a request to increase your hours which is a purely private matter between you and your employer, to which they can say yes, or no, or 'not now'.

And while they could have abeen clearer about it, by not coming back to you they are effectively saying 'not now'.

If you are struiggling finacially, then it may make sense for you to look for part time work in a different filed, evne if that meansnot using your particualr skill set for the second job.

PeggyMay

Thank you TBagpuss for your friendly reply.

Although many of the replies here have been less than friendly, they have been helpful in the sense that I now know not to listen to my friend. He told me it was illegal for them to not get back to me and that it would be reasonable to ask for backpay. So I'm glad I checked.