Contract and hours

[Luke1054]

Hi all. Hope I can find some advise! This is about my partner so I’ll write it as if she’s writing it.

I work for a major supermarket and I went back to work after maternity leave. I had a 39 hour contract. On my return they offered for me to drop down to 26 hours (losing 13 hours) but on the basis I could have weekends off.

I agreed to this as I was willing to lose the pay to spend time with my family at weekends. The manager in store lowered my contract down to the 26 hours and all was well.

now this same manager has said it doesn’t suit her anymore and I will need to work Saturdays. HR have said I only had a local agreement with the manager so it could be pulled at anytime.

my issues are

I agreed to lose 13 hours a week only on the basis of not working Saturdays

they are not willing to give me my 39 hour contract back.

It was never explained that this was only temporary and I never would have agreed to lose my full time contract if this was the case.

I feel I’ve been tricked into losing my hours by a promise that they’ve only stuck to for 6 months.

any advise for us please?

Did she receive anything in writing specifically stating her hours will be worked Monday - Friday?

She received a note stating that she would have Saturdays off on agreeing to drop her contract down to 26 hours from 39

I’m not sure a note qualifies as a contract, you need to see what the wording was, was it opened ending in how it was phrased, is it dated & signed etc.

If ACAS a call/email and see if they can offer any advice

Well it was only signed on the basis that she would be willing to lose 13 hours if she could have Saturdays off.

so to go back on their word and say Saturdays isn’t an option now then we feel the full 39 hours should be reinstated as this was the only reason for dropping down to 26 hours.

all we can see is that was a very good trick to get someone off a bigger contract.

Call ACaS.