Is this allowed? (UK)

DougM33

I just started a new job with an agency and they have set the shifts up in a way where I will be working 48 hours in a row but only getting paid for 40 hours a week. The shifts are 6 days on 2 days off at 8 hours a shift that rotate a day every week. With the pay week being from sunday to saturday. I'm guessing they have done this to avoid paying me overtime pay. If I worked the same days every week I should be getting overtime pay right? I have added an image if anyone doesn't understand.

Are employers allowed to do this in the UK?

pramsay13

Yes, you are working 40 hours a week.
Even if you worked more you wouldn't necessarily be entitled to overtime pay.

unforeseen

It's a fairly standard 8 day shift system. Other variations are 2 days on &  4 off with 12 hour shifts.

It's a simple to understand system and people can plan weeks or months ahead because they know exactly what they are doing

Dox

DougM33 said:

If I worked the same days every week I should be getting overtime pay right? 

Are employers allowed to do this in the UK?

Wrong.

Yes.

comeandgo

Must admit, I don't understand this way of working.  The last week of November and the first week of December you are working 6 day weeks but only getting paid 40 hours a week?

AskAsk

are you paid hourly?  those 8 hour shifts will include an hour for lunch break?  if so then you are only working 7 hours a day as you have got an hour for lunch.

DougM33

The shifts are 8 hours and 30 minutes. The 30 minute lunch break is not paid that's why I said 8 hours. I will be paid for 8 hours each shift. All the previous jobs I had always paid extra for any hours above 40 per week but I guess this is not an employment law. But I still think this is dirty tactics being used here.

jonnyd281

But you don't work more than 40 hours in your pay period (Sun-Sat).  You have five 8 hour shifts in each pay period and two days off, they just move throughout a period of time.  

DougM33

jonnyd281 said:

But you don't work more than 40 hours in your pay period (Sun-Sat).  You have five 8 hour shifts in each pay period and two days off, they just move throughout a period of time.  

I can see that, but a week to me is from when I start working my first shift until I've finished my last shift. That's 48 hours in a row and if I worked the same days every week it would be 48 hours per week. But if there's no law for being extra above 40 hours then I guess there's nothing I can do.

theoretica

DougM33 said:

jonnyd281 said:

But you don't work more than 40 hours in your pay period (Sun-Sat).  You have five 8 hour shifts in each pay period and two days off, they just move throughout a period of time.  

I can see that, but a week to me is from when I start working my first shift until I've finished my last shift. That's 48 hours in a row and if I worked the same days every week it would be 48 hours per week. But if there's no law for being extra above 40 hours then I guess there's nothing I can do.

By that definition your weeks + weekends are 8 days long, so yes you would get more in your 8 day pay packet than in a 7 day pay packet, but you wouldn't get as many paypackets over all. 

DougM33

What I'm not happy about is that I'm being made to come to work for 6 days in a row but it's still only counting as 40 hours per week. 6 days in a row is 48 hours and the extra shift is really not needed if they gave me the same schedule every week.