Increase to part time hours

[enoughworking]

I am employed on a permanent contract to work 50% of full-time hours. To meet business needs, I agreed for the 2018/19 tax year to increase to 80% of full-time hours, so a one year change to my contract.

Today my manager has asked if I will consider continuing to work at 80%. The company would like me to switch to a new permanent contract.

I don't mind working 80% for now, and the extra money is useful, but I would like to retain some flexibility if possible (I have had much more influence over my work allocation this year as I am seen to be doing the company a favour).

So my question is, can I keep rolling from one 12 month temporary amendment to my contract to another? Or will I have to shift to a permanent contract for the increase in hours if I continue at that level?
We have limited HR input and my manager didn't have any knowledge about this.

It's a fairly niche role, and while we're trying hard to recruit it's unlikely in the medium term that I won't be needed at 80%, and if it did turn out that I wasn't I would be quite happy cutting back and having more time to myself/organising the family.

TIA if anyone can help.

It’s a negotiation. Your company want you to stay at 80%. You can say yes or no. So what you say is you will only stay at 80% if it is written in your contract variation letter as being a temporary variation with an end date. Then if they say permanent or nothing you say nothing and return to your previous hours.

It sounds like you are in a relatively strong position. Come to a mutually satisfactory agreement and make sure it is clearly set out in writing.

Thanks, that's good to know.

I am in a fairly strong position and don't want to lose that by giving up my 50% permanently, I'll never get it back. I will see what they're prepared to offer me.