Workplace dodgy practice for part-time salary increase. Is this legal?

[Startingagainandagain]

I am part-time (3 days) and make less than 30K a year.

My workplace published the salary increases for the year which are based on pay.

So for example people whose pay is less than 25K get 4%, people on less than 30K get 3.5% and people on more than 40K 3%.

So I was expecting a 4% increase but HR claims that I am only getting 3% based on the full time equivalent....

My argument is this should be based on my actual salary not what I would be getting if I was full time.

I was recruited as a part-time worker.

I am absolutely fuming about this.

Anyone knows where I would stand legally?

FTE is the normal way to do this, they should have been more clear in the letter but you don't have a legal standing to argue it, I wouldn't have thought.

I would have expected it to be on FTE, payrises/salaries usually are.

I think they're right.

The reason you get paid less is because you work fewer hours.

Your hourly rate should go up in line with the FTE rate for your role.

I agree, this is how it would work at my workplace. Same for holidays. Sorry!

Yes they’re right. otherwise your increase would mean your hourly amount is more than those on the same pay grade.

I think they are right.

Say you work 3 days, 0.6, for £15 an hour. A full timer doing the same job also gets £15 per hour.

You are doing the same job for the same rate.

Just because you do less hours, why should you now get more per hour than your full time colleague? You both need to still be paid the same rate as each other, albeit it 3% more than you were getting before.

Yep it’s FTE, they’re correct.

as pp said, doing it on you actual wage means you get paid more for the same role as those working full time.

Yes I think it would be based on full time equivalent salary.

Yes I think it would be based on full time equivalent salary.

So you think that you should be paid a higher hourly rate than someone doing the same role as you full time??

I’m part time and all my pay rises have been based on my actual full time salary then adjusted for 3 days.

But if you were to change your contract to full time you’d then earn more than the FT workers…. So it’s correct.
Your hourly rate will still be the same as theirs

Well, I think this is a shitty way to work out pay rise.

The role is part-time and there is nobody else doing what I do for the organisation so no full time person that would be short-changed either.

I have queried it with HR.

Standard I'm afraid, base everything on FTE and then adjust for hours worked. You won't win this one.

Agree with everyone else - FTE/hourly rate is what’s important here.

If I was a full time worker and someone else got a higher percentage raise by working less hours I’d be furious.

sorry I do think their way is fairer 😞 although can see that it feels less fair if in fact there’s no option for you to work full time if you wanted to, rather than it being your choice and at your request

I am in the same position, part time, only person doing it, only needs to be part time, all my entitlements are pro rata to FTE and that is how it should be. I don't think you have a leg to stand on.

They are correct IMO. I can understand you querying it but would fully expect them to stick to their guns.

they are correct.

Would you like to work full time? That’s one way of increasing your salary.

I have queried it with HR

You won't get anywhere op. I'd honestly save your energy.

These things will always be worked out on FTE equivalent - as they should be. It's not unfair in the slightest.

If this system wasn't in place then you'd be receiving an unfairly high payrise, % wise, compared to others in the same role/grade as you that work full time.

Query it all you like, OP, but it won't get you anywhere.

The law states that part time staff shouldn't be treated less favourably than full time staff. It doesn't state that part time staff should receive pay increases that are disproportionately generous because their choice to work fewer hours has resulted in a lower overall income.

Your employer's approach is reasonable and fair, there is nothing shitty about it.

Doesn't matter if the role is only PT and no FT equivalent role in your workplace to shortchange.

Lots of roles are - TAs in school is one that come to mind.

Every role has a FTE and payrise are applied to this.

If you get 4% applied to your PT salary then your FTE equivalent will increase by more than this. And that not equal for those who earn the 40k and work FT in roles that are FT.

And you will still be incorrect

your way of working a pay ride would mean, you’d get a 4% payrise for a job that if your colleague does the same job but over 5 days - they get a smaller pay 3% rise based purely on the hours they work.

can you explain why it would be fair? You both do the same job but you get more pay for doing the same job.

This is clearly the only fair way. The band you're in is the same regardless of days worked and attracts the same percentage uplift for part time as full time.