Currently Part Time - Can I Reasonably Expect Full Time Hours

FlowerGirl69

I'm employed as a PA/secretary for a small family business based in an office within my bosses home.  I've worked part time (4 day week) since joining the company in 2016.  Although this has worked well in the past, there have been some changes at work, namely my male boss sadly died leaving the day to day running to his wife, who had previously not been very involved in the business.  3 months ago she employed someone to work one day per week to cover my non-working day, however I do not feel that this has worked out particularly well for either myself or the business.  There is now zero flexibility on which day I don't work and whereas I used to work flexibly around business need (i.e. working 3 full days and 2 half days per week in busy periods to keep on top of everything) now I am expected to only work 4 full days and take the same day off every week as the other person works a 4 day week elsewhere so is only available on a particular day.  I would much prefer to go full time (5 day week), but feel that my boss is very happy with her new arrangement(!), so just want to know if I have any rights/justification to ask for my position to be made full time before I approach her.   I would welcome advice on this. 

elsien

Did they ask you if you wanted the full day before advertising for the new person? 

You’ve said it’s not working for you but you’ve not said in what way it’s detrimental to the business? 

Undervalued

Not really.

You might have been able to have argued that the change to you contract was unreasonable, had you done so when it was first proposed. Although even that may have been difficult if they could claim that there were good business reasons.

However, having gone along with it for three months you would very likely be deemed to have accepted the changed contract. Note that a "contract" (or variation to it) does not have to be in writing to be valid.

I fear all that is left is to " ask nicely".

You do also have a legal right to request flexible working, and an employer must consider such a request at least once a year. However, it is relatively easy to lawfully refuse a request on business grounds and that can be quite difficult to successfully challenge.

You have no particular right to "request" an increase to full time hours. Obviously you can ask and they can say yes or no as they please.

TELLIT01

You can't expect to work full time just because it suits you.  You can certainly speak to your employer about the situation but also bear in mind that if they only require one person on each day, you are putting somebody else out of work.

The OP isn't asking for flexible working, they are asking for full time working, 5 days per week.

TBagpuss

As others have said, you don't have any right to full time work - it sounds as though you were always part time, so it is in't the case that you dropped temporarily to part time and they then amployed someone new rather than reinstanting your normal hours.

It's unfortuante that your boss didn't ask you if you were open to going full timne, before they employed someone else to fill in, but they didn't do anything wrong.

What you an do is let them know that you are willing and available to work full time, and see how it goes.

You are of coursealso free to look for a full time role elsewhere, if you feel that the current role no longer suits you. 

Undervalued

TELLIT01 said:

You can't expect to work full time just because it suits you.  You can certainly speak to your employer about the situation but also bear in mind that if they only require one person on each day, you are putting somebody else out of work.

The OP isn't asking for flexible working, they are asking for full time working, 5 days per week.

But they were happy (or at least happier) with their previous more flexible hours, so it might be a possibility they would accept?

FlowerGirl69

Thanks all for confirming my fear that I have no right to ask for full time hours even if the current situation is a detriment to the business.  For clarity, my (now deceased) boss was happy, as was I, with the previous arrangement and he was willing/able to tackle anything in my absence as he had a good understanding of how his own business operated.  Unfortunately, having tried to work with this new situation, it has become apparent that the new person (of which I had no knowledge prior to them being appointed) has absolutely no relevant skills or experience.  As I'm picking up her work (and putting it right) as well as my own, it would therefore be of benefit to both the business and myself to work in the position full time. 

Andy_L

FlowerGirl69 said:

Thanks all for confirming my fear that I have no right to ask for full time hours even if the current situation is a detriment to the business.  For clarity, my (now deceased) boss was happy, as was I, with the previous arrangement and he was willing/able to tackle anything in my absence as he had a good understanding of how his own business operated.  Unfortunately, having tried to work with this new situation, it has become apparent that the new person (of which I had no knowledge prior to them being appointed) has absolutely no relevant skills or experience.  As I'm picking up her work (and putting it right) as well as my own, it would therefore be of benefit to both the business and myself to work in the position full time. 

People haven't said that
You don't have the right to full time hours. You're free to ask for anything (up to and including the moon on a stick).

You're free to tell the boss that " the new person...has absolutely no relevant skills or experience.  As I'm picking up her work (and putting it right) as well as my own, it would therefore be of benefit to both the business and myself to work in the position full time. " and they can either do it or not

TELLIT01

FlowerGirl69 said:

Thanks all for confirming my fear that I have no right to ask for full time hours even if the current situation is a detriment to the business.  For clarity, my (now deceased) boss was happy, as was I, with the previous arrangement and he was willing/able to tackle anything in my absence as he had a good understanding of how his own business operated.  Unfortunately, having tried to work with this new situation, it has become apparent that the new person (of which I had no knowledge prior to them being appointed) has absolutely no relevant skills or experience.  As I'm picking up her work (and putting it right) as well as my own, it would therefore be of benefit to both the business and myself to work in the position full time. 

I suspect your opinion of the situation may be at variance to that of the management.  You do come across has having a high opinion of yourself when you say things like having no knowledge of the new person prior to them being appointed, and that the boss could manage things in your absence.  I would expect that to be the norm as it was his business.  You have no right to be informed or asked for an opinion regarding recruitment. 

It seems that working practice has changed since the death of the previous boss, but that's the way it is.  It may well be time for you to consider whether you fit in with the new business model, or if it's time to move on.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's how I interpret the situation.

MalMonroe

FlowerGirl69 said:

Thanks all for confirming my fear that I have no right to ask for full time hours even if the current situation is a detriment to the business.  For clarity, my (now deceased) boss was happy, as was I, with the previous arrangement and he was willing/able to tackle anything in my absence as he had a good understanding of how his own business operated.  Unfortunately, having tried to work with this new situation, it has become apparent that the new person (of which I had no knowledge prior to them being appointed) has absolutely no relevant skills or experience.  As I'm picking up her work (and putting it right) as well as my own, it would therefore be of benefit to both the business and myself to work in the position full time. 

The part I've highlighted in bold is what you should be saying to your boss. It's a pity that she didn't feel she could speak to you before she hired this new member of staff. And it's also a pity she doesn't feel that she can ask you how you think things are working out.

But if you now want to work full time, you know that the new person would have to be dismissed - that is, in order for your boss to accommodate your request, someone else is going to have to lose their job. How would you feel about that? If it were me I'd not feel comfortable at all. And if you tell your boss what you've told us (in bold, especially the last bit) she might ask you to leave. Especially as she appears to be quite happy with the situation as it is. If the new person is as bad as you say (even though you obviously never communicate with them, since they are there when you aren't) surely your boss should have picked up on that herself by now?

I interpret the situation in the same way as TELLIT01, above. It really might be time to think seriously about moving on to a job better suited to your own requirements.