Reduced Hours

DavidWFC

My mothers employer has stated that they are unable to provide the hours as per her contract and have advised her she may wish to seek alternative employment.   She's been working for the company for 18 years and she is of an age where finding alternative employment would not be easier.

Her contract does have a section which states...

Shortage of Work:
If there is a temporary shortage of work for any reason, we will try to maintain your continuity of employment even if this necessities placing you on short time working, or alternatively, lay off.  If you are placed on short time working, your pay will be reduced accordingly to time actually worked.  If you are place on lay off, you will recieve no pay other than statutory guarantee pay.

Her employer has said there are no plans to make anyone redundant because the company doesn't have to find her the hours.  

Surely this cannot be deemed legally as it seems to be they are trying to not give hours in hope the employees will find new employment.  Is there anything that can be done to either force the company into giving the required hours for the new government scheme or at worse enforce them to make her redundant?  I understand that forbearance is needed but bills are also needing to be paid so the forbearance works both ways.

Dox

DavidWFC said:

Surely this cannot be deemed legally as it seems to be they are trying to not give hours in hope the employees will find new employment.  

More likely they simply don't have the work. Nothing unlawful about that.

 Is there anything that can be done to either force the company into giving the required hours for the new government scheme or at worse enforce them to make her redundant?  

You can't force an employer to provide work if they don't have any to provide.  Redundancy may be a possibility. See https://www.gov.uk/lay-offs-short-timeworking/applying-for-redundancy-

JReacher1

Can she get ask her company to put her on the governments job protection scheme? That will mean as long as she does a third of her previous hours the government will pay the remainder of her hours. 

Marcon

JReacher1 said:

Can she get ask her company to put her on the governments job protection scheme? That will mean as long as she does a third of her previous hours the government will pay the remainder of her hours. 

No it doesn't. 

The new Job Support Scheme will replace furlough, start on 1 November 2020 and last six months. To qualify, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours, for which they'll be paid in full by their employer. For 'normal hours' they don't work, the cost will be split three ways – the state pays a third, the employer pays a third and the employee loses a third. 

See https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/09/sunak-new-measures-announcement/?_ga=2.216464662.1816507810.1584632588-353475065.1523260899

JReacher1

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Can she get ask her company to put her on the governments job protection scheme? That will mean as long as she does a third of her previous hours the government will pay the remainder of her hours. 

No it doesn't. 

The new Job Support Scheme will replace furlough, start on 1 November 2020 and last six months. To qualify, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours, for which they'll be paid in full by their employer. For 'normal hours' they don't work, the cost will be split three ways – the state pays a third, the employer pays a third and the employee loses a third. 

See https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/09/sunak-new-measures-announcement/?_ga=2.216464662.1816507810.1584632588-353475065.1523260899

It’s still better than not receiving anything.....

Marcon

JReacher1 said:

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Can she get ask her company to put her on the governments job protection scheme? That will mean as long as she does a third of her previous hours the government will pay the remainder of her hours. 

No it doesn't. 

The new Job Support Scheme will replace furlough, start on 1 November 2020 and last six months. To qualify, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours, for which they'll be paid in full by their employer. For 'normal hours' they don't work, the cost will be split three ways – the state pays a third, the employer pays a third and the employee loses a third. 

See https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/09/sunak-new-measures-announcement/?_ga=2.216464662.1816507810.1584632588-353475065.1523260899

It’s still better than not receiving anything.....

Yes, but your answer was still wrong - and likely to mislead many.

Brynsam

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Marcon said:

JReacher1 said:

Can she get ask her company to put her on the governments job protection scheme? That will mean as long as she does a third of her previous hours the government will pay the remainder of her hours. 

No it doesn't. 

The new Job Support Scheme will replace furlough, start on 1 November 2020 and last six months. To qualify, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours, for which they'll be paid in full by their employer. For 'normal hours' they don't work, the cost will be split three ways – the state pays a third, the employer pays a third and the employee loses a third. 

See https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/09/sunak-new-measures-announcement/?_ga=2.216464662.1816507810.1584632588-353475065.1523260899

It’s still better than not receiving anything.....

Yes, but your answer was still wrong - and likely to mislead many.

The problem with posting wrong 'information' is that someone reads it, thinks they have their answer and then has no reason to come back and check to see if anyone has corrected it. Given how fast-moving the situation is in relation to the Chancellor's pronouncements, giving a link to the relevant MSE info is probably useful because more people are likely to come back and re-read that for any updates.