Work Contract Hours Question

[ContractQuestion]

Hello!

I've just started a job which stated it was 0.6 contract. There are a few of us who started at the same time.

However, it looks like the hours vary hugely each week depending on what runs. So one colleague didn't have much work in the first few weeks, for example, or there are some weeks where sessions are cancelled. We are then expected to make these up in our holiday.

Is this legal/normal/etc? It kind of suits me now due to the type of work but may be a reason I leave so wondered where we stood or how to find out where we stood.

Another example is trapped time - so if we run a session 10-12 and another 2.30-4.30 we don't get the time in between.

What does your contract say? 0.6 of what?!

A 0.6 contract (where 1 is whole) so the equivalent of 3 days a week.

But it's not say mon-wed like a normal 0.6 contract, or even set sessions. It's a "you need to work x number of weeks on average.

If that makes sense?

It seems like an annual number of hours in sessions.

But without a guarantee the number of hours will always be available.

So annualised hours? And you work 0.6 of them. Or aren't hours mentioned. Or total sessions over the year?

The general expectation would be that you are given a minimum of 0.6 per week (with extra hours offered if available), but that if they didn't have 0.6 to give you, that's on them and you still get paid.

No generally you wouldn't have to bank "un used" hours and make them up in subsequent weeks.

However as we can't see what the exact wording is on the contract it's possible they may have a different set up. Can you scrutinise the contract further?

So yes they've said it's 0.6 of 44 weeks, with 4ish weeks of that holiday.

This is different to term time as they want to reserve the right to use you for sessions in holidays.

Prior to this most people were on zero hour contracts.

So this new contract has a salary of 0.6 x full time amount x 44/52.

But the way its worded is what makes no sense to me and speaking to other new staff in the same boat

Basically we record sessions we work on a monthly basis. But we can end up in deficit and owe work if we aren't allocated enough. Also if I run 2 sessions in a day but there's trapped time it ends up being less than a days equivalent to work.

So I'm currently working over my hours because I'm in fear that the first 2 weeks of September will be quiet and I will then "owe" hours...

This is local gov. But I just can't see how it's right. And it's really unsettling.

(They've added up hours x 40 weeks, and then we record monthly against that total)

And yes I'm currently available to them mon-Fri and doing sessions for part of each day (and sometimes saturday)currently. But there aren't always sessions available and that's exactly my point if we're "under" we shouldn't owe them.

Another member of staff ended up working 2 sessions a week through summer holidays (despite being a 44wk contract) as she "owed" them.

And another member wasn't given much work in the first few weeks she started. So again "owes" them ....

I'm currently working a lot over and would quite like to be paid for the extra rather than "oh it will even out with quiet weeks" but I havent a clue where to start.

Or if it is all above board whether to just move on.