Work reducing my pay while on furlough.

Chris_derby

Hi,

I’m currently on furlough (since early May) and my employer said they will reviewing shift patterns throughout the company (I work for a large scale company), any changes to shifts would come into effect at start of June.

I was doing my normal shift pattern up until I was furloughed with a number of my colleagues, some of my other colleagues stayed at work but were put on a different shift pattern (a pattern with reduced pay) and some of my colleagues stayed on the same shift pattern.

I’ve heard a rumour that all of my colleagues who are furloughed will be going onto the shift pattern with reduced pay. I have checked my HR system and it looks like my shifts have changed to this new pattern as well, I waiting for my payslip to come this week to confirm this.

I understand the company said there will be a shift review with any changes coming effect at the start of June, but I haven’t heard the outcome of this review and I have never been informed that my personal shifts are changing. The new shift pattern would be approximately a £9,000 pay drop annually.

I’m just wondering if my company can do this, especially while we are on furlough and haven’t communicated this to us in anyway?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Dox

Chris_derby said:

Hi,

I’m currently on furlough (since early May) and my employer said they will reviewing shift patterns throughout the company (I work for a large scale company), any changes to shifts would come into effect at start of June.

I was doing my normal shift pattern up until I was furloughed with a number of my colleagues, some of my other colleagues stayed at work but were put on a different shift pattern (a pattern with reduced pay) and some of my colleagues stayed on the same shift pattern.

I’ve heard a rumour that all of my colleagues who are furloughed will be going onto the shift pattern with reduced pay. I have checked my HR system and it looks like my shifts have changed to this new pattern as well, I waiting for my payslip to come this week to confirm this.

I understand the company said there will be a shift review with any changes coming effect at the start of June, but I haven’t heard the outcome of this review and I have never been informed that my personal shifts are changing. The new shift pattern would be approximately a £9,000 pay drop annually.

I’m just wondering if my company can do this, especially while we are on furlough and haven’t communicated this to us in anyway?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Before you do anything else, why don't you find out what is actually happening, as opposed to hearing rumours, 'understanding' (based on what?) that the company said there will be a shift review - to whom did they say it? How did you hear?

As to whether they can do it, what does your contract say about changing shift patterns?

Chris_derby

Your right, and that is why I am waiting for my payslip to arrive to confirm this before I approach the situation. However, I’m 99% sure that it will be reduced this month from looking at the HR system, and hearing from other people (in different departments) have been told by there managers that their shifts will be reduced even though they are on furlough.

The company informed everyone that there would be a shift review, but as I say I haven’t heard any outcome from this.

Contract says if I’m required to work any other shifts I will be notified in advance. As far as I’m concerned, I was working my normal shifts when put onto furlough, and I’ve not been notified that anything has changed for me personally.

sharpe106

Is the pay less because of less hours or shift allowance? But for either case what does your contract say about it? Whilst you are on furlough they can't change your pay, they need to carry on claming what they are claming now. If they are topping it up to 100% then that would depend on your contract.

Chris_derby

sharpe106 said:

Is the pay less because of less hours or shift allowance? But for either case what does your contract say about it? Whilst you are on furlough they can't change your pay, they need to carry on claming what they are claming now. If they are topping it up to 100% then that would depend on your contract.

The pay is less because of shift allowance, the new shift pattern has a lesser allowance and in my opinion the shifts are worse.

Contract says if I’m required to work any other shifts I will be notified in advance. As far as I’m concerned, I was working my normal shifts when put onto furlough, and I’ve not been notified that anything has changed for me personally.

They are not topping it up to 100% but they are topping it up to 80% of my current wage (as it’s over the £2,500 government limit).

If they pay me 80% of the new shift pattern, I think I’ll be £18,000 a year down whilst on furlough.

JReacher1

I’m not sure what you can do about this. The situation is covered in your contract and your only complaint appears to be that they’ve not notified you in advance of the change in hours. As you’re not currently working it’s probably debatable whether they need to notify you. Either way all they have to do is notify you that your shift pattern has changed and then everything is covered. 

The fact you’re losing £18k isn’t really their problem and probably shows why they are doing it. Saving £18k per worker will be a decent cost saving. 

oh_really

Has there been trade union consultation and are you a member?

theoretica

The money that the government provide through the furlough scheme is fixed and depends only on what you earned before - and the £2500 limit.  Your work cannot reduce your pay below the £2500 they are claiming from the government.  This would be relevant if 80% of the new shift pattern is less than £2500.

sharpe106

Without taking it further there is nothing you can do, yes they should have told you but that is only a communication issue, your contract says they can change the shitts etc so your only real argument is a) they did not tell you b) if the changes had not be fair i.e who was changed and who was not. 
As you said they are topping it up to 80% as above the government allowance they can change how much they top you up but can't change the amount claimed. Although what did you agree to when you went on furlough/ if you agreed to a set amount rather then percentage you have a better chance of them not changing the amount. 

Chris_derby

JReacher1 said:

I’m not sure what you can do about this. The situation is covered in your contract and your only complaint appears to be that they’ve not notified you in advance of the change in hours. As you’re not currently working it’s probably debatable whether they need to notify you. Either way all they have to do is notify you that your shift pattern has changed and then everything is covered. 

The fact you’re losing £18k isn’t really their problem and probably shows why they are doing it. Saving £18k per worker will be a decent cost saving. 

Thanks for the reply. I totally understand why they have dropped the shifts, even though it’s not ideal for me, it’s a big saving for them and if it saves my job then great. It’s just the way they have gone about it and not notified me personally that the shifts have changed (if they have changed). It’s morally wrong as I haven’t had chance to prepare for the change financially, and possibly legally wrong as they haven’t given me advanced noticed as stated in my contract?

Chris_derby

oh_really said:

Has there been trade union consultation and are you a member?

Thanks for the reply. According to colleagues in different departments, trade unions have agreed the shift changes which is fine, and yes I’m a member. But I’m sure they should give me notice as stated in my contract?