Being refused a company car as I'm part time

[Blahdyblahbla]

AIBU to think this is some sort of sex discrimination?
It's an NHS lease car, so I believe minimal expense to the employer other than administrating the scheme. Manager told me today he doesn't think I'll be entitled to apply as I'm part time.
Is this a done thing?

@thewhatsit

At my old company you had to be a certain level to partake in that scheme. I never thought it was discrimination though, it was just a perk and the number of perks you got were dependent on your seniority.

You can be senior and part time. OP would qualify if she was FT (she will qualify anyway, but has been told she doesn't as PT)

Sorry, the threads moving fast! It's a lease car, so salary deductible. I really don't imagine it'll take me below NMW, my part time salary is 25k, the car is a little electric one with only 1%BIK rating, so max deduction would be £250 a month.
To those private sector people, the NHS is a different world we don't tend to give perks on seniority etc, there are benefits to all which folk can opt in or out of. Well seemingly not me apparently, but that's the theory.

Surely it’s because the NHS lease comes directly from pay? There are loads of stipulations; I have one currently

@icedcoffees

I’m an employment lawyer.

That certainly isn’t the law!

Maybe leave the “idiot-splaining” for those who know less than you... (probably no one!)

@Spagoot224 how do you mean now? I appreciate it comes from the salary, but I could be a band 4 and 25k would be my salary, and I could have a car, the fact 25k is my part time salary shouldn't matter.

It's because your wage will take you below minimum wage....
E.g. I couldn't join my Christmas savings scheme because k was part time but the full time could
You can't do anything which means you'll get paid less than minimum wage
Check that's the reason first

Is the £250 off your gross salary? Although my electric car only costs me about £240 a month net the actual gross deduction from my salary is £332 a month so I actually sacrifice just under £4K per year. If the gross salary sacrifice will take your salary below minimum wage you won’t be eligible I’m afraid

I work 30 hrs for the NHS and have a lease car so it is possible he's obviously just not aware

This is on their website

Some schemes have a minimum monthly mileage I believe, and typically part time staff do less miles. However, as you have have said you do more miles than some FT staff that probably doesn't apply to you.

I'm thinking manager-doesn't-know-how-the-scheme-works-itus.

Do you know anyone already using the scheme who could give you the name of the person to contact at the lease co?

to discriminate based on part time working alone is probably illegal - take a look at the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations introduced in 2000

Thanks for the further info. The 250 is net, so like you @MojoJojo71 about 350 gross.
I'm a band 7 and my hourly rate is about £24, so I'd be amazed if the car knocked about £14 an hour off my salary

He says he doesn’t ‘think’ you’ll be entitled to apply. Can you get him to confirm this in writing or send over the exact wording of the policy?

If not can you ask HR/car admin?

Also how ‘part-time’ are you? Is it at least 3 days a week?

Sounds like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about then @Blahdyblahbla. I’d speak to someone in HR who deals with the lease cars and ask them. Do you know which lease firm your trust uses? You can usually put your details into their website for a quote and speak to them for advice too

Speak to HR and CC him in. He should have found out himself rather than leaving you to investigate.

@clolo

Is it something you would pay for out of your salary? If so due to being part time the payments might take you under national minimum wage which they can't do

It’s this.

(NHS HR Director)

@katie2812

It's because your wage will take you below minimum wage.... E.g. I couldn't join my Christmas savings scheme because k was part time but the full time could You can't do anything which means you'll get paid less than minimum wage Check that's the reason first

Surely that is linked to your hourly rate, more than full time/part time

On the nhs scheme the lease cost gets deducted from your salary so if it takes you below NMW they probably won’t be able to do it. You pay the BIK in addition to the lease cost.
Don’t forget it affects your pension amount because you have sacrificed some of your salary.
We looked into it for DH but decided against it because it’s not as generous as you think once you’ve paid the lease,BIK and lost some pension. Also if you leave you have the rest of the lease to pay.

@DancingDog it's absolutely not for everyone you're right, I'm using it as a risk free way to try an electric car, and I believe BIK is only 1% at present so its worth a punt.
I'm reluctant to buy an EV as I don't think the batteries are there yet, and it could be an expensive outlay for a new one in a few years.

[quote Cheshirewife]@icedcoffees

I’m an employment lawyer.

That certainly isn’t the law!

Maybe leave the “idiot-splaining” for those who know less than you... (probably no one!)[/quote]
Treating part time workers less favourably than a full time equivalent definitely isn't permitted.

E.g. www.crosslandsolicitors.com/site/cases/BA-v-Pinaud-part-timers-less-favourable-treatment-justification

@Blahdyblahbla

AIBU to think this is some sort of sex discrimination? It's an NHS lease car, so I believe minimal expense to the employer other than administrating the scheme. Manager told me today he doesn't think I'll be entitled to apply as I'm part time. Is this a done thing?

Manager told me today he doesn't think

To be honest, I think that is probably correct.

Anyway, I thought the NHS was about the healthcare of individuals, not car finance and leasing. Just throw that one out there.

[quote Cheshirewife]@icedcoffees

I’m an employment lawyer.

That certainly isn’t the law!

Maybe leave the “idiot-splaining” for those who know less than you... (probably no one!)[/quote]
you might want to check that LOL

@Zeal, in order to provide health care to individuals there must be staff. Those staff must be renumeration for their work, unless you are suggesting we return to the days of slavery or bonded labour. Part of that renumeration can be made up of benefits other than salary.
I'm assuming you are a troll so will just hope you find your bridge again soon. Ta-ra

A read of "Invisible women' would do a lot of women on here a lot of good.
More women work part time because of childcare requirements and the fact that average wage is lower for women so it makes sense that they are the ones that do childcare. The man can continue his career progression, increasing the wage gap and also be entitled to better pensions and perks like the one op is talking about.

But no one bats an eyelid because the woman has the 'choice' to be part time. It is indirect sex discrimination and there is so much about that it is imperceptible to most people unless they really think about it.

I work for the NHS part time and I’m getting my lease car in November!