To think part timers shouldn't work more weekends

[Whatutalkinboutwillis]

Than full timers?

Just been shown my new proposed roster. I work 24 hours a week shifts job share. I have the same set 2 days off in the week and my job share covers those as I do her set 2 days. This has been in place 5 years by way of agreed flexible working.

Fast forward to me going back from maternity leave I have been given a roster which put me on 3 weekends out of 4 on 12 hour shifts. I used to do 2 out of 4 on 8 hour shifts. The full timers are still rostered on 2 out of 4 weekends.

When we queried it we were told well you awe getting to keep your set days off. In my mind one has nothing to do with the other and part timers are being given the bulk of the weekends.

Aibu to think this is unfair to part time staff?

What are the working patterns of the full timers? Difficult to say without knowing that. On the surface though, if the business needs dictate that these shifts need to be covered, I would've thought it'd be easier to cover that from part timers? Also, if you're working 12 hours shifts at the weekend, that's your whole 24 hours done isn't it? I would prefer that personally.

It does seem unfair. It should be worked out on a percentage basis. I work part time and get fed up of people commenting that I get more time off- they forget I get paid a lot less than them so that I can be there for my kids. It's not time off, it's time I don't work or get paid.

TidyDancer why should part-timers be used to meet their business needs though? It should be a percentage. Full-timers do, ime, forget that people on fractional contracts get paid less.

We all work the same pattern. I have been working there the longest and have worked full time within the team. Weekends have always been split equally between everyone in the team until now. There are 3 full time staff and 2 part time.

Yes it does look good having only 2 shifts however my kids are in school and husband works mon to fri so this means I get 2 days off a month with them.

I just can't comprehend how it's right that we all work the same job and get paid the same rate to suddenly increase part timers weekends.

If you are doing a job share, then the obvious answer is that they roster you as if you were 1 person. So you would expect to get anywhere near as many weekends as that. It seems like a change in you conditions.

I think it's unfair and I agree that you bring part time and working weekends are two separate issues.

manchestermummy - I don't believe I said they should be used....I said I would think it would be easier to do that, i.e. that's probably why they've done it, hoping they wouldn't be challenged.

OP, not sure if you understood my question, but wrt the working patterns of the full timers, how many days/what days do they work?

Sorry, full time staff work 40 hours over 7 days.

The other part timer works 28 hours and I have just gone down to 24 hours. I cover the first 2 days of the week we share a Wednesday and she covers the last 2 days of the week. Then we each worked 2 out of 4 weekends along with the full timers.

If you came back from ML to this situation you can say that the job you've come back to isn't comparable to the job you left (re: weekends) - you might even make a case for discrimination. Present it to them in this light and see what they say, they might be so afraid they swap your shifts back (which they should do) without you having to take it further.

The Part Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 prevent part-time workers being treated less favourably than a comparable full-time worker by being subjected to any detriment by their employer, if the treatment is on the ground of being a part-time worker and can't be objectively justified. I think you would potentially have a claim under the regulations, as having to work weekends is generally regarded as a detriment, and it sounds as though you have full-time colleagues who are being treated more favourably than you in this respect. It also seems that the reason why you are being made to do the extra weekends is on the basis of being part-time ("well, you are getting your set days off"). They may have an objective justification for doing this, but it's not clear that there is one from your post.

Obviously I can't say whether you would have a decent claim based just on the information you have given here, but it may be worth raising. Are you in a union? If so you could speak to them. If not, try Citizens' Advice or a law centre in your area (or a solicitor, if you can afford it). If none of these work, you can find out some more information by googling the regulations and looking at the information available online.

Good luck!

PS also agree that arguably they should not have changed your previous working pattern on return from maternity leave, although that may depend on whether or not your previous 2 weekends on/2 off was contractual. Even if it was not set out in your contract, it may have become a term of your contract if the pattern was worked over many years.

Thanks for the information, I have spoken to Acas who were very helpful and have given similar advice to what you all have.

I accepted a roster I felt was fair that was sent out last month but full time staff did not like it so this is when they changed it putting us on more weekends and giving full time staff more time off at weekends. Just leaves a very bad taste in my mouth and I have to go back on Monday after 9 months off. Dreading it!

In that case I'd raise it with your employers, in a conversation at first (no point in getting heavy-handed too quickly), but keep a note of what you said to them. If that doesn't work you could raise a formal grievance.

I have every sympathy - I am actually a self-employed barrister, but am here at work on a Saturday (and likely to be here on Sunday) because I take Fridays off. But at least it is under my own steam and not at the behest of my employers!

Do the full timers have any set days off?

Tbh, I can understand this from both sides, your employer is probably in a difficult position trying to keep everyone happy.

Hope it goes quick for you today!

I have raised my concerns with them but they have said "we are letting you keep set days" and that was on the first proposed roster of 3 x 8hour weekends. This second one that's come out is worse with 3x 12 hour weekends.

They mentioned because there is 5 people to cover 4 weekends someone will always have to do more, I just don't see why it's the people who work the least amount of hours when I have worked 2 on 2 off for 8 years.

No they don't have set days off but have also never requested any via a flexible working request. I did and to be honest as my job share and I cover each other's days I don't see how it causes any issue to anyone else.

Is it Nursing. In my place of work I find they do the rosta working out the full timers first and then the part timers just get slotted in wherever it suits, so usually get a poor deal ( split nights, split days off etc).

No not nursing, we have a rolling roster that runs until as and when we have a roster change. The last one ran for 5 years.

But they don't have 5 people to cover weekends. If you and the other part time worker are job share, surely you should only count as one person?

If the weekends are divided by 4, you and your j/s partner should then divide your share between you meaning you do less than the full time staff?

Has the other part time worker also been put down for more than the full time or is it just you?

They never view us as 1 they see us as 2 always have. Yes just me and the other part timer rostered for more weekends

I haven't come across a flexible working contract where it's your days off which are set-it's usually your working days which are set ??
Ie you work mon,weds,third so that you can arrange childcare.
Can you put in a request for the days you want to work ,surely that would be better?

Your roster should include the same proportion of weekends as a full-timer's roster. If you get one more in this period of three or six months or whatever it is you should get one less next.

Do you work public holidays? If you do nobody should ever get CD two years running.

I have already done that 5 years ago and the flexible working was agreed then. Meaning I work every day bar thu and fri.

They are now holding it over our heads basically saying it could be taken away and we should agree to the new roster which keeps what I have been working the last 5 years but the days I am at work the shifts over the weekends now are far more than I worked before and more than is being expected of full time staff. Basically I would see my kids more if I went back full time

That does seem unfair. I also work part-time (27 hours per week), on shifts and have 2 fixed weekdays when I can definitely work (I needed to fix 2 days for nursery purposes). I do have to work a certain number of weekends but my weekend hours are worked out on a pro-rata basis against my FT colleagues. Do you have an Employee Assistance Programme that you can seek any advice / assistance from?

Yes I work public holidays when rostered to do so.