Asking my boss to up my hours at work for no more pay!

[MillyStar]

Hello

I went back to work for 2 days a week (14 hours) after christmas

I lost my working tax credits and they cant help towards dd's 1 day at nursery as i work under 16 hours

I was turned down for income support last week, so i really really need to up my hours to 16 to get my working tax credit back! I've missed direct debits today and i had to borrow money for a tin of SMA milk yesterday, i literally cant survive without either income support or working tax credits!

I think the best solution is for me to work 8.30-5.30 ie. an extra hour a day making my weekly hours 16 exactly! This way they wont have to pay me any more like they would if i did another half a day etc, i literally just need to sit here for another 2 hours a week!

I cant speak to him till this afternoon and i'm scared that he's gonna say no!

Does anyone know how easy it is for him to change my hours, does he literally just have to say yes then i can phone tax credits and if they ever check up on me at work my boss can tell them i do 16 hours? Or will he have to start messing about writing to the accounts etc!!

[MillyStar]

Sorry meant to say i was on maternity leave before christmas!!

[stubbornstains]

No practical solutions I'm afraid, just to say that I'm fuming at the stupidity of the system on your behalf. Hopefully he will say yes- and offer to pay you for those hours. Fingers crossed for you.

[MillyStar]

I really don't mind not being paid for them i just want the tax credits lol i'm going to offer to do them for nothing!

I just think if he has to start messing around doing me a new contract and stuff he will say no, i'm hoping he can njust give me the go ahead and i can phone tax credits

To be honest i'm going to leave if he says no, i can claim income support then and i will only be £1 worse off a month, there's no way i'm working 8 days a month for £1

It's a joke!

Shame to take my dd out of nursery aswell, the system really is a mess x

[noisytoys]

As long as your extra hours means you are still being paid minimum wage then he should agree. I thought working tax was 24 hours a week though?

[MillyStar]

No it's 16 hun there are a few different bands but you are entitled to some at 16 hours

[MirandaWest]

If you're a single parent it's 16 hours a week - if you're in a couple it's 24 hours and at least one person needs to work 16 hours.

[PureQuintessence]

If he asked you to work one extra day, would you be prepared to do that, if he thinks it is easier to add an extra day than extra hours?

[MillyStar]

I'm not too sure PURE, i really dont want to be away from my baby for three days a week as she is only ten months old

I know a lot of people have to do it but i get upset about it a lot

My other option would be to enter into an IVA because i can't manage without some extra money

To be honest though he is as tight as a fishes arse so i think he would prefer the couple of hours of me sitting here rather than upping my wages to 3 days a week!

[lougle]

Ok, he can't just increase your hours for no pay. He's not allowed to do that. You would either be:

-Working 14 hours and volunteering 2 hours.
-Working 16 hours but he would be breaking the NMW laws for 2 of them.

What he would have to do is alter your hourly rate, so that you got the same wage spread across the 16 hours.

He can only do this if your current hourly rate is above £7.08 per hour, because he would have to pay a minimum of £6.19 (NMW) x 16 = £99.04 per week.

So, if your current wage is higher than £7.08 per hour, then it's as simple as asking for an hourly rate reduction to spread your 14 hours wage over 16 hours and you must work the extra 2 hours, ofc.

If you don't earn over £7.08 per hour, you'd have to ask for a pay rise too.

[MillyStar]

Thanks Lougle

I've just worked it out and i get £8.18 per hour

I'm on a salary rather paid hourly

Do you know what he would have to do with regards spreading the pay out? Is there much involved in it? I can see him saying no if it requires much effort

[lougle]

No, he would simply have to amend your contract to say:

"You are contracted for 16 hours per week. Your salary is £5955.04 per annum."

Instead of

"You are contracted for 14 hours per week. Your salary is £5955.04 per annum."

DH works for a Local Authority and he has just had a contractual increase of 2.5 hours per week. He simply got a letter saying:

Further to our conversation, I confirm that from blah blah date you will be working x hours. Your salary will be y.

It can be as simple as that.

Presumably if you're salaried your hours aren't detailed on the payroll, so that shouldn't need to be changed too much either.

[MillyStar]

Thanks very much!

I've not even had my new contract yet anyway, i've worked here for nearly ten years and they've always been rubbish, all i've had is a job offer letter stating 14 hours after i handed my notice in for my full time position

I feel a lot better about it now thanks for your help ;)

[MillyStar]

Quick update, he said it's ok as long as it doesn't cost them anything lol

He's gonna get the office manager to phone the accounts in the morning to tell them and check its all ok, she's going to text me and then i can call the tax credits!

I feel so relieved i can actually put petrol in my car now to take my baby girl somewhere other than the park!

[lougle]

I'm very pleased for you

[stubbornstains]

So am I. Go you! :)