Part-timers working same hours as full-timers for part-time pay

[Snaptheirfingers]

This is a Covid-19 situation. We are key workers (UK civil servants). Our normal work can't take place at the moment. So we are doing other jobs in similar roles to cover those off shielding and to keep us working.
The issue is that I work 3 days a week and am being asked to work 1 or 2 days a week on my normal pay, so a bonus of a paid day off though I never know when it is until the evening before. My colleagues who are full-time employees are also being asked to work 1 or 2 days. They get their normal pay too. We are just on the minimum wage so I worked 2 days this week and would have earned about £100, my colleague also worked 2 days and got £250. I know this is short lived we may be back to our normal jobs and days next year but it doesn't seem fair! A fellow part-timer raised this with her line manager and has suffered as a result (not being selected for interview for a promotion).

Your complaint then shouldn't be how others are laid but it should be about how your rota is handled with the call to work.

Paid, not laid

@Sin8e is right, they could have made the part time people redundant and the FT workers could have taken on all the work.

And no, I dotn see why you should be available on your non working days.

I probsbly judt wouldn't be these days

Presuming you have fixed days?

YABU to feel hard done by.

. I don't think my employers are considering how we pay our bills.

If you're getting your normal pay for less work then it sounds like they are doing that, just moreso for the full timers - who presumably will often be working full time because they need that level of income.

It might be more completely equitable if the work was divided pro rata between part and full timers, but as you're not losing anything it's quite churlish to complain. Lots of people are still having to work their full hours, not getting extra days off.

I don't want anyone to be paid less. This week we all worked the same hours but some were paid a full time wage and some a part-time.

You’re a lot luckier than some. You’re working less hours but are retaining your normal wage as are your colleagues. It’s a bit irrelevant that they are working even less than their normal hours than you.

You haven’t actually lost any income. The problem is you don’t like that your colleagues are in your eyes ‘getting away’ with doing even less work. That’s just how the chips have fell and you just need to accept it. You are all getting paid according to your normal wage.

I think the issue with your availability is the more serious one that is worth taking up with them. In a mild manner if you can, they might not have realised the impact that has on you.

I'm totally lost, can someone explain in thicko terms?

I think I get what you are saying, you work 2 days of your three, full timers two days if their five, so you get one day and them three of not working and being paid

You have a choice
1, you raise it and suggest pro rata to make it fair

1. You do nothing and put up with it

Up to you but if you go with 2 don’t moan about it, at least you still have a job, lots don’t

Unless your being asked to work days your normally off what's the problem? I understand what your saying but it's not unfair it's just circumstances.

If a full timer works 37 hours, anything above that is paid as overtime rate. If you are part time at, say 20 hours a week, the next 17 hours you work would be at single time. After you have reached the 37 hours (or whatever is 'full time' at your place of work) you would move onto the overtime rate.

If you think about it, a part timer getting time and a half for that extra 17 hours would be getting 8 1/2 more pay than a full timer. Which would not be fair in law.

No I don't have fixed days. Before Covid-19 the following weeks work would be known and the rota produced. Now we are working in a different department, they also have a rota which produced weekly. But I think the management are conscious they have people being paid when there isn't enough work to do, so they want to have us 'on-call'.
I know I am lucky, I have a job, a wage. We will be so busy once up and running again, so there is no way anyone would be laid off, we have agency staff sitting at home on full pay. I know I have no argument it's just annoying the rota isn't pro-rated.

I would email them, remind them you work three days a week and ask if they could let you know which three days are your "available" days for the coming week.

This is unfair op, i hear you, and i don't think you should put up. Also, is it at all sexist? Part timers are often women.

The rota should be pro-rataed

@orangejuice1

I'm totally lost, can someone explain in thicko terms?

Op is contracted to work 3 days. Worked 2 days. Paid for 3.

Colleagues are contracted to work 5 days. Also worked 2 days. Paid for 5 days.

Therefore for the 2 days they worked they were paid considerably more than the OP when you pro-rata the hours out.

Yabu and definitely grabby. You are being paid the same thing as your contractual payment and getting a day off too. It’s not the fault of those working full time that this is working in their favour. Look on the bright side and stop being jealous of your colleagues.

Iggi999 has it. They need to tell you in the same way as before which three days they need you available.
Presumably if these were set days before you've done them a favour to be more flexible?

You sound petty to be honest.
I imagine you as one of those people who rather than enjoy a piece of cake, is to busy checking no one else has a bigger slice.
You have an extra day off each week. Enjoy it and as for not knowing which day, does it matter? Not that much you could have planned really at the moment.

I think some of the responses have been a little harsh. Yes you're more fortunate than some but it's not a competition about whose circumstances are the worst. Surely it stands to reason that staff being paid for 5 days should work more hours than staff being paid for 3 days?

Try working in the private sector in a revenue generating company and believe me you would know the difference. You are very lucky at the moment.

Thanks for those who've said suck it up, I know that's what I have to do and thanks for those who understand my point. The part-timers are women, but so are most of the full-timers. I'm off to work tomorrow to do a job I've had no training for, in an environment with minimal social-distancing, no extra cleaning, whilst my colleagues are, knowing them tucked up in bed at home

Swings and roundabouts

Unusually it’s the full timers picking up the slack for the part timers.

That should be ‘usually’!

I do have loads to plan for when I'm not working, I have kids, a DH with a life-limiting illness, I'm shopping for elderly and vulnerable neighbours. I don't eat cake!