Flexi furlough shifts?

mandiesnackz

Hi
I work for a small company which furloughed most of us.
I used to work 
Mon-thurs 8.45-5.15 & fri 8.45- 1.30.
There is now talk of opening 8.00-8.00. Before it was 8.30-6.
I've been offered 2- 5.30 tues and every other weds 2-5.30 which when business picks up will extend to 8pm & every other sat 9-2.
I've explained to my manager that this will be a problem as I have to collect my dog from day care at 6pm latest during the week and before Saturdays where optional and paid time and a quarter, now they are just standard rate.
I told her I could do some Saturday but not every other as I have commitments.
Now my question is can they force me to change hours to times I can't do and give my normal hours to someone else that didn't work those days?
I've explained the situation and said I can try a compromise maybe 1 late and then an early, or do a full day instead if 2 half days and told no can't do that. Thats all we can offer you because another staff member doing mornings!
This staff member used to work 2 1/2 days and now is doing 4 days?
I thought flexible furlough meant a reduction to hours or days not completley different unsociable hours so someone else can work my normal shifts?
Thanks for any help.
Mand

Jeremy535897

It depends on what your contract of employment says. Are you contracted to work specific hours, or just a certain number of hours a week?

Having said that, if you have worked those specific hours for a long period of time, that may effectively be what your contract of employment provides for.

mandiesnackz

I am contracted to work specific hours - well I was before the furlough.
Also Saturdays were optional and paid higher rate according to contract.
I work in healthcare and all our staff have specific surgery times different to each other.
Some started slightly earlier, finished later or worked a cpl days only.
🙂

Jeremy535897

If your contract has not changed, you can point out that those are the hours you are contracted to work, but it is a difficult time, and you might risk redundancy.

poppy12345

Of course you can speak to your employer regarding this and tell them that you're not happy with the change of days/hours, however, you may risk redundancy if you did this. The amount of people that are being made redundant is insane, i'm sure they would give anything to be able to work now, regardless of the change in hours/days.

onwards&upwards

With healthcare experience you are in a fortunate position as unlike a lot of people being made redundant at the moment you probably wouldn't find it too hard to get another job. 

What kind of healthcare setting is it though?  As most have not been quiet and have certainly not been furloughing staff!  

That might have a bearing on the timescales, because 'business' might be slow for a while longer. 

mandiesnackz

Its dental, which their are some restrictions in but certain internal factors are making it slower to return to normal than most other practices.
I am willing to compromise and do understand the difficulties, I just feel that they want me to do all the rubbish shifts and won't even discuss doing it fairly and giving everyone both normal and the late/Saturday shifts
I've even pointed out that for the 3.5 hours I'm being asked to work I'll be out of pocket. This is why I asked to do an early shift as 6 hours. Once I've paid for daycare and travel etc for 3.5 hrs I'm £15 worse off than not going in but I'll still do it. 
Alot are leaving my profession so plenty of other jobs but I've been with this company for 15 years. 

Jeremy535897

You will have built up a significant redundancy entitlement which they will probably want to avoid, so discuss your issues with them.