Job offered - only get paid term time?

[Paradise112]

Hi guys
Thanks for looking at my thread! I'm just a bit worried as I've been offered a job, 26 hours a week flexible around my son which is great but the only thing is during the school holidays I don't get paid. What I'm wondering is how will I survive during the holidays? Would I have to sign back on and if so doesn't that take ages? This job will come under being self employed also. Thanks for you help!

Can you ask to have your annual pay divided by 12 and paid monthly, so you still get a salary payment in August even though you haven't worked? That's how most schools pay their term time only people.

Most term time jobs are paid over 12 months as holiday pay is added on
Are you sure there is no pay in august? You might get your holiday pay that month

The rules might be different if she's down as self employed, they might not need to pay over 12 months.

If they will only pay you for term time, then work out what your monthly salary would be by taking the annual amount / divide it by 12. whatever extra you've got each month, put that aside and only use it during the months you don't get paid.

If not, you'll have to do it yourself. Add up all the money you'll earn in a year and divide by 12 to find your monthly budget. Then in the months you get paid more than this, be really strict with yourself and make sure you don't spend more than this monthly budget amount. Put aside the difference towards the months when you don't get paid.

Cross post!

Could you get another job in the hols? Casual work? Depends where you live I realise

You need to manage your money. The business may not have money in holidays such as August, so cash flow wise they need to be paying during periods they have the money coming in and not paying when they don't. That is the terms of the job, take it or leave it.

Put money aside each time you are paid so you have money at times you are not paid. You may know the working dates for the entire term, or even academic year in advance so can work out what you will be paid each month.

Do ask how holiday entitlement is being done. In a term time job it may be that you cannot take holiday during term time. You get paid holiday at the end of each term and that payment may be split into monthly payments during the term to help avoid large differences in taxes deducted. You should not have an hourly rate which includes holiday pay (called rolled up pay) as in theory someone could work all year round and not have any time off - not an issue for you as a term time worker.

You may be free to look for other work during school holiday periods. It suits some people well - being paid when they work and not being paid when they don't work. In some areas there are seasonal jobs which can fit well with term time working, especially tourist related.