Is this allowed

[victoriah3]

I work for a small company and the MD called me into his office for a 'chat'. I was informed my hours were being reduced by 1/2 day per week as he believed I had a lot of spare time and my job could be done in 20 hours instead of 24. This takes effext from 01 August. It will mean we are financially stretched, four hrs makes a difference to family funds. He intends to employ a PA with the cash he is saving on me going towards that. I work as a bookeeper/accountant. I feel totally de-valued and have taken this as a personal attack on me as if I sit doing my nails all day

Hi there, thats not on at all. I would hunt out your Emplyment Contract and seek legal help. Most solicitors offer a free 1/2 hours assesment, they might be able to advise you what route to take

I know how that extra few hours makes all the difference

They are not allowed to change your contract without your agreement. However they can make you redundant and then offer you a new position with new terms. www.direct.gov/employment has advice.

No he is not allowed to do that. This would be a change to your terms and conditions and you need to consent to it.

You could write to him saying you have taken advice and understand that in order to change your terms and conditions in this way, he requires your consent. Say you do not wish to reduce your hours so on that basis do not give consent to the proposed change.

There are ways he can try to force it through, but he can't just do what he's done, no.

What Flowery said!

As with flowery but to add they could argue business need and force it through if they really wanted to (even then he's not following the correct process).

But having said that read the contract it could be a zero hours (unlikely) or if you've worked there for under a year then you may be on a sticky wicket.

For 4 hours a week why are they bothering?

I will have worked there for two years in August, he agreed that I have done a good job dealing with the accounts but reckons it should bre taking less time. Initially he wanted to reuce me by a full day and then relented to half a day, it saves the company about £2K. They are greedy directors (father & Son) SOme very unscrupulous stuff going on like private expenditure going through as business expenses (talking £000's) hence avoiding VAT (it can be rexlaimed) and redcing corp tax liability. I feel in a difficult position as I am told I must comply but I could potentially be struck off from my Accounting Body. The accounts are signed off by a professional firm of accountants and they know what's going on too. I am going to look for a new job but not easy in this climate. The company itsellf is thriving despite the recession and has a massive workload and record profits.

Victoria - you MUST look for a another job and GET OUT OF THERE as quickly as you can. If you continue to work there and the directors continue to commit fraud in this way then YOU could also face disciplinary action from your professional body and possibly even criminal charges for complicity in fraud. It is just not worth taking this kind of risk just to keep a job.

Are you sure that the auditors know about this? An audit will not always uncover this kind of thing, so they may not have found out.

Your best course of action may be to get another job ASAP, and once you have left tip off the auditors that this is going on. They will not tell the directors and they are obliged to report illegal activity.

Don't let this go on any longer as if you do losing 4 hours pay a week could be the least of your problems.