Employment issues

[Chocolate23]

I am wondering if there is anyone on here who has an legal experience in this issue or who works in HR.

I am employed part time. My working days are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. In January 2023 we were reduced from 2 part timers and 1 full timer to just me and another part timer.

My employer realised we were short and I was asked to work a Monday and Wednesday to cover the gap with a view to going full time. I took this as my daughter was getting older I no longer needed part time hours and I like my job. I work hybrid and I enjoy it.

A year went by. I asked about going full time permanently. Everyone passed the buck no-one knew what to do and it was left.

i left it another year as I knew if I got to 2 years I would end up in a position where there was custom and practice and they couldn't reverse the decision.

I work for a Local Authority and every April they were questioning the money being spent on my overtime. Ever since then I have repeatedly asked to be made permanent full time. Around 2 years ago HR started paying me 'additional holiday pay' which I assume is because I am massively losing out here. I get annual leave on my 0.66 hours. If I take a Monday of Wednesday off it is unpaid.

Yesterday something happened in work that has really pissed me off and I am now at the stage where I think I need to raise a grievance here. I am being taken advantage of. My part time colleague doesn't do half as much as I do. As I am 'full time' everything gets dumped on me. I am starting to feel resentment I am really stressed and I have had enough.

I spoke to my immediate manager who thinks it's all a joke. My next manager is on long term sick and blamed our Service Manager and the Head of Service says only the Director can authorise me being made permanently full time.

I feel this is all a load of crap. I am in a position where I rarely take a Thursday and Friday off as I am guilt tripped because there is no cover.

I am just worried that if I start this process it is going to cause bad feeling and I know in the past they have restructured people they don't like out of the council.

Does anyone have any advice please?

Are you in a Trade Union? If you are take advice from them.

Speak to your union rep.

I can answer about the holiday pay situation.

There was a legal case which now means that your holiday pay has to reflect your average weekly pay (averaged over the last 52 weeks). Some companies work out the average hours you have worked and when you take a week's holiday pay you for that number of hours (regardless of what you are contracted to do).

If a company has differnt pay rates such as normal time and time and a half then they work out what your average weekly pay is and pay you that (I convert it into an hourly rate).

I'm guessing that thie payroll system lists it as additional for you. But do check that you are getting what you are entitled to.

This seems standard practice in councils to be honest, it took me over a year to get my proper temp to perm contract in place and another colleague two years - by which point it was regularised anyway.

It was only able to be authorised by the director in both cases without having to go through full council and it was never their priority.

I would also be checking if the extra hours/overtime you have been paid is pensionable.

Additionally try to find statistics that show how many staff your employer has split by:

• Male and Female
• Full and Part Time.

If you can show a high % of part time staff are female you might be able to provide evidence of sex discrimination, particularly if your additional hours are not pensionable.

Talk to your TU and ACAS.