Started new Job, just got contract not what agreed to advice needed

Mickey154

I applied for a new Job back in Febuary. It was advertised as £30,000 per annum. So a proper yearly salary paid monthly.
I got offered the job and started on 16th March.
Barely worked a week then they had to close due to covid.
I have just gone back to work after over 3 months of no income. Not even for hours I did work. 
I was given my contract to sign yesterday. I bought it home to read first. But on reading it, it's not what I agreed to when accepting Job.

They have given me basically a zero hours contract.  It states they will pay me £12.50 per hour which they say equates to £30000 per year. But on next page they say they cant guarantee any minimum or maximum hour.
If they cant guarantee a minimum amount of hour how can it equal £30000 per year.
They are only giving me 30hr per week at moment next week I could have zero hrs.
If I continue working just 30hrs per week this would equal £18000 per year no where near £30000 per year. Also job was advertised as straight shifts only no split shift.
But they are making me work split shifts.

Can they change wages and terms that were stated when I accepted job or not.
I only accepted job as wanted to get away from a zero hour contract to be on a proper yearly salary for more security.
Now I'm going to be stuck on a zero hour contract earning less than was before.

I know it's a difficult time right now with covid and the lockdown but seems unfair.

I'm happy to work with them and would accept a pay cut to £28000 if can be on a proper salary job not zero hours.
Or I guess would accept being paid buy the hour if they state in contact a guaranteed minimum amount of hours.
Am I bring un reasonable.
I have a family 4 children to support, we need security not the worry as to if I will have any hours each week and if we will have money to pay Bill's.

Is there any thing I can do. Or should I try looking for another Job.  Can they do this.

Any advice much appreciated 
Thanks in advance

Comms69

Yes they can do whatever they please in the first two years basically.

AW618

What did they state the salary arrangements were when it was offered?  Was there anything in writing?    What it was advertised as isn't really important; they can make the offer dependent on the applicant.

LittleVoice

Mickey154 said:

I applied for a new Job back in Febuary. It was advertised as £30,000 per annum. So a proper yearly salary paid monthly.
I got offered the job and started on 16th March.
Barely worked a week then they had to close due to covid.
I have just gone back to work after over 3 months of no income. Not even for hours I did work. 
I was given my contract to sign yesterday. I bought it home to read first. But on reading it, it's not what I agreed to when accepting Job.

They have given me basically a zero hours contract.  It states they will pay me £12.50 per hour which they say equates to £30000 per year. But on next page they say they cant guarantee any minimum or maximum hour.
If they cant guarantee a minimum amount of hour how can it equal £30000 per year.
They are only giving me 30hr per week at moment next week I could have zero hrs.
If I continue working just 30hrs per week this would equal £18000 per year no where near £30000 per year. Also job was advertised as straight shifts only no split shift.
But they are making me work split shifts.

Can they change wages and terms that were stated when I accepted job or not.
I only accepted job as wanted to get away from a zero hour contract to be on a proper yearly salary for more security.
Now I'm going to be stuck on a zero hour contract earning less than was before.

I know it's a difficult time right now with covid and the lockdown but seems unfair.

I'm happy to work with them and would accept a pay cut to £28000 if can be on a proper salary job not zero hours.
Or I guess would accept being paid buy the hour if they state in contact a guaranteed minimum amount of hours.
Am I bring un reasonable.
I have a family 4 children to support, we need security not the worry as to if I will have any hours each week and if we will have money to pay Bill's.

Is there any thing I can do. Or should I try looking for another Job.  Can they do this.

Any advice much appreciated 
Thanks in advance

To equate to £30K/year, you'd have to work over 46 hours/week at £12.50.  Is that what you were expecting?

Have they said why they didn't pay you in March or April for the time you worked in March?  What does the contract say about when your employment commenced?

Mickey154

They were advertising job via a recruitment agency. I applied for job through agency and went for Interview. A few days later company offered me job and the agreed salary was £30000 per annum to be paid monthly. This was originally agreed verbally. With a contract to be drawn up. I started the job on the understanding that I would be paid £30000 per year paid monthly. 
They did not have time to draw up contract before I started or before closed due to covid.  I have a job acceptance email  though from agency which states £30000. Per annum. 
It's only now after receiving contract after working last few day that I see that it's a zero hour contract.

I feel I was lied too and tricked. I would never have accepted job if I had known it was a zero hours contact and no where  near the salary agreed.

Comms69

Mickey154 said:

They were advertising job via a recruitment agency. I applied for job through agency and went for Interview. A few days later company offered me job and the agreed salary was £30000 per annum. This was originally agreed verbally. With a contract to be drawn up. I started the job on the understanding that I would be paid £30000 per year paid monthly. 
They did not have time to draw up contract before I started or before closed due to covid.  I have a job acceptance email  though from agency which states £30000. Per annum. 
It's only now after receiving contract after working last few day that I see that it's a zero hour contract.

I feel I was lied too and tricked. I would never have accepted job if I had known it was a zero hours contact and no where  near the salary agreed.

All irrelevant. Your question was answered in my first reply. If you're looking for a silver bullet, it doesnt exist. sorry.

Mickey154

Little voice. When I agreed to accept job there was no mention of how many hours I would work a week. It was meant to be a yearly salary paid monthly so same amount each month. So amount of hours did not come Into it as was not going to be paid by the hour.
But would be happy to work 48hrs a week or more if have to. Not afraid of hard work.
Also contract they have given me to sign says I started on 16th March 2020.

Mickey154

Comms69 I dont mean to be rude but please dont reply if you cant give helpful advice. 

If what your saying is true. Then your saying all employers are allowed to lie and for example advertise a jobs as £40000 a year and then only pay you £5000 a year. If that so how can any one trust  job ads or apply for any job if it's all lies.
Also whats the point on a contract if a employer can do what they want. Doesnt that defeat the point of having a contract.

jonnygee2

As you have already started working under the assumption of a certain wage, for what you have already done / are doing now you really should be paid what was promised for time worked. 

But also - I assume it's one weeks notice? If you hand in notice and they give you no hours next week, you lose maybe £400 - £500 after tax, and another £100 or so from the reduced hours this week. And you have nothing in writing which confirms what you were promised. 

I think I would hand in notice and also make, in an email, a claim that you want to be paid for the time you have worked as verbally agreed. You can but try. Most likely they will decline or dispute, in which case there aren't really viable options - pursing something complicated on a he says / she says basis for £500 just isn't viable.

Comms69

Mickey154 said:

Comms69 I dont mean to be rude but please dont reply if you cant give helpful advice. 

If what your saying is true. Then your saying all employers are allowed to lie and for example advertise a jobs as £40000 a year and then only pay you £5000 a year. If that so how can any one trust  job ads or apply for any job if it's all lies.
Also whats the point on a contract if a employer can do what they want. Doesnt that defeat the point of having a contract.

Yes that is what i am saying. In effect you either agree or be dismissed. Literally the most basic employment law possible. 

It might no tbe what you want to hear, but it is far more helpful than anything else which has been said. 

jonnygee2

Also whats the point on a contract if a employer can do what they want. Doesnt that defeat the point of having a contract.

Employers cannot do 'whatever they please' in the first two years. It's just a misleading statement / myth that persists on these boards. There are additional protections that come into force after two years, but employment contracts are still valid contracts and there are other laws (equality act, Health and Safety, whistle blowing) that employers still have to follow.

They can dismiss you if you complain, though - with notice as per contract.