Part time workers rights

kathsl22

My organisation is currently going through a restructure and I am potentially at-risk of redundancy.  I am a part time member of staff.

I asked a question yesterday during a formal consultation session as to whether part time staff would be able to retain their part time hours if they were successful at interview or slotted in. 

I was told that if that person was successful or slotted into a role there were then be a discussion as to whether they could retain their part time hours and would depend on the needs of the organisation. 

This answer doesn't sit too well with me as I thought that part time staff have some legal protection not to be treated differently to full time staff. 

Can I be forced to change my hours to full time?  As a working mum the decision to work part time was not taken lightly but means I am able to care for my child and contribute to the household finances. 

tacpot12

You are corect that part-time staff are supposed to have the same legal protection as full-time staff, but you can't be sure yet that you are being treated differently or are going to be treated differently.

Remember that the Consultation is supposed to be a two-way dialogue, so you should tell the employer what the benefits are, both for you in being able to work part-time, but also for other colleagues (if you know their sutuation), but it would be better if they fed back their viewpoint themselves. You should reminded them that part-time working is particularly useful to mothers, and that they might be discriminating against women if there is wholesale cessation of part-time working. The fact that they have said it will depend on the needs of the business indicates that they aren't considering a wholesale cessation (as they know they would be in risky territory), but you will have to challenge them on the necessessity and fairness of any reduction in the level of part-time working across the new organisation.

If you have a union representative, see if you can discuss part-time working with them to see if they understand the importance of it for you.

This webpage will tell you whether they can force you to work full-time: Forced To Work Full Time? | workingmums.co.uk

Hoenir

kathsl22 said:

Can I be forced to change my hours to full time? 

Broadly speaking a new organisational chart will be created that sets out the business requirements. Employees will be allowed to apply for these roles. Some of these may well be offered with reduced working hours. As that's all is deemed necessary. Or alternatively job sharing could be an option. Enabling two people to retain their existing contractual hours. From the employers perspective the task is performed looking top down. No manager likes to make their staff redundant. 

kathsl22

Thank you both for your responses.  

Good point made that it is a two-way dialogue during the consultation process.  

I’m not actually part of a union so not sure I’d be entitled to ask for their advice.  

Will put my case forward and see where it goes. 

Grumpy_chap

kathsl22 said:

My organisation is currently going through a restructure and I am potentially at-risk of redundancy.  I am a part time member of staff.

I asked a question yesterday during a formal consultation session as to whether part time staff would be able to retain their part time hours if they were successful at interview or slotted in. 

I was told that if that person was successful or slotted into a role there were then be a discussion as to whether they could retain their part time hours and would depend on the needs of the organisation. 

This answer doesn't sit too well with me as I thought that part time staff have some legal protection not to be treated differently to full time staff. 

Can I be forced to change my hours to full time?  As a working mum the decision to work part time was not taken lightly but means I am able to care for my child and contribute to the household finances. 

It does not sound as though the part time staff are being treated differently to full time staff.

The company has identified a number of roles that are at risk - some are full time and some are part time.

There is a list of current vacancies within the business that the at risk personnel can review and apply for. 
The needs of the organisation will determine whether those current vacancies are full time or part time.
You seem to say that all the at risk staff can apply for any of the current vacancies so that appears to be treating all staff in the same way.