hours cut at work

[stephrick]

Hours are to cut, I work 17.5 per week, I need to work at least 16 per week for my working tax credits, they being fulltimers have suggested we all cut 2 hours a week, which is not possible for me, it is disproportional, but not doing so will lead to bad feeling. I cannot work with low morale. All I need is not to drop a half hour a week extra. I have explained and the boss was sort of sympathetic, but they are leaving it up to us to find the cuts. I will have to look for another job, but there aren't many out there.

Hmm. Would it not be fairer to cut the hours proportionally? Say for example the total hours worked is 100, and they need to cut by 10%.

Those working 40 hours would go down to 36, those working 20 would go down to 18 etc.

If they insist on cutting your hours to 15.5, can you ask if they can reduce your hourly rate slightly and make your hours 16, so that you get paid the same gross pay but for 1/2 an hour more? That will only work if you are not on or close to minimum wage.

Could you work through your lunch break (if you get one)?

It would be fairer, but the others don't want to loose the hours either, it's gonna cause bad felling all round. I don't get a break so that won't work either, I have thought about taking a pay drop, cos I'm just above min wage. For half hour it will be no more that 15p an hour. I will propose but I don't want to set a precident, then they might suggest it for everyone, and I will be in the doghouse. But this only supposed to be a trial, we are working up against it now, we don't even have the time to clean the kitchen, so it's a health issue too, but bosses don't see this. When the hours are cut it is a work to rule.

I may be wrong as I haven't filled out a tax credits form for a long time, but don't they round up half hours to the nearest hour? I'm sure I worked 22.5 hours a week and it was rounded up to 23.

no they round it down

It's completely out of order the bosses are leaving it up to you all to sort it out! What on earth are they being paid extra to manage people when they're not doing it. Do you have a union? Stick to your guns about the cut having to be proportional and get the other part timers to stick together. Also get the managers to make a decision on this - it shouldn't be left to you. If your immediate boss won't make a decision get the one above him to, saying you find it really odd this being left to the workers to decide and it will cause ill feeling between you all. The boss needs to get a backbone. If all else fails I'd work the half hour for free and tell the tax credit people there is no change.

I have said that it should be up to the bosses and not up to us, but the bosses said today that left to them that some people will get hours cut and not others, I know mine will be safe in this event, but it's the bad feeling, but saying that I have to look after my family. Some have grown up families and nearing 50's, I have a 17 year old doing A levels, and a 14 year old, They both want to go to Uni, scrap that I want them to go to uni.

PS no union

What's the reasoning behind the bosses saying if left to them some people's hours will be cut but not others? What is it - favouritism? Or they can't be arsed to do it fairly? Tell them it's not on. They need to make a fair decision to cut everyone's hours equally. They're the bosses, no one can argue with that. Good luck. I hope what happens is fair to you. Could you not all sit round and discuss it? maybe some of the older people will want to cut their hours a bit. I know if I was in that position with others not able to I would.

Just say no to them. If they want to make you redundant then let them as you will be able to claim jsa ect.