Two HR questions for shift workers.
 

1. This October the minimum annual leave is going up to 24 days. But October is half way through most people's year so how will that work. If you now get 20 will you then get an extra two to take from October to April?

BBC NEWS | Business | UK workers 'get least paid leave'

2. Does anyone know if there is anything in the working time directive regarding notice for overtime. I work shifts but it averages out at 42 hours per week. The working time directive means they cant force you to do more than 48 per week. That means if you do 12 hour shifts they can force you to do 2 shifts per month. Is there anything in the WTD about which shifts you do. Can they stipulate which ones and what about notice.
If not can people give me examples of what happens where you work.

thanks
Paul.

At least some people get time off. :mad:
Middle of August, and I've not been allowed a Holiday yet this year. :cry:

This might help?

Frequently Asked Questions - BERR

Thanks, lots of good info about all employment matter.

Extra bloody holidays no opt out from the 48 hour week heakth and saftey paperwork gone mad. The small business people in this country will soon be fubar. THe more you move away from a market forces driven economy the less competative it will become.

With your calm spiritual driven handle wouldnt have expected a rabid capitalist!!! Send 'em up the chimneys I say and those Mickey D workers are overpaid for their standard of grammar. Bring back leaded toys and cheap bricks from China!!!!;)

D

No opt-out from a 48hour week - how will that work?

Say someone works a 40hour week, then comes in for a weekend, so 16 hours overtime - would that then be illegal as it would total 56 hours in a week??

Or does it mean you can only be contracted to work a max of 48 regular hours, but still do more - just the extra hours will be overtime??

I have security officers who work more that 48 hours a week i have to watch what they are doing over 17 weeks as the WTD is worked out over a 17 week period.

There's more to life than work and workers need protection from money grabbing, greedy bosses.

I think in France the 48 hour max, thats it, you can only work 48 hours max. The UK has an opt out meaning if workers sign a forn they can work more than 48 hours. Sarkofsy as recently elected president in France and one reason was people wanted to work longer. I have no problem with that as long as its volontary.

The issue is that some industries depend on longer hours at seasonal times. The minimun wage has already cost certain areas of employment jobs. Catering and hotel trade specifically require long hours at certain times. in December I work between 70-80 hours per week with many staff doing 60 ish hours. That is how the industry works and there is no other way around it.
As it is there are hardly any places left that serve real fresh cooked from scratch food, because the labour cost is to high. Even supposed quality places now buy in items becuase it is not cost effective to make them.
I used to run two hotels and three restaurants now one place has been shut as it was no longer cost effective and another we may have to change to 'ping food' ala witherspoons to cut costs. This means in real terms people loosing jobs which are not being created anywhere else. The town I live in has had three restaurants close down this year. two are still closed , one has re opend with new people under a different name for the third time in four years. This is a direct result of too high a minimum wage and to many extra costs placed on business by labour with regard to H&S red tape and extra NI contributions. Cutting the working week to 48 hours, increasing holidays will massivley harm the catering and hospitality with smaller places feeling the brunt.
Clearly many people don't care and are happy to live in a world full of witherspoons and maccy d's food but history shows that in time what happens to the hospitality industry filters to the rest of small business at a later date.

People who want to work and get paid by the hour or on overtime rates should have the right to work how and when they like no employer can force a person to work over 48 hours. The EU is trying to make it a fixed maximum nothing over 48hrs and that is completely wrong.

They had a 35 hour max in France though - that's pretty slack by many standards.

paying somebody overtime is more costly then just getting another man in ?

must admit, this 24 days thing i had never heard about, ohh well i will have to increase the valeting price list yet again to compensate, the customer is the one who always ends up paying for these things in the long run.

one of my lads has booked 3weeks off in september, trying to make the cash to pay him and not actually have him here to help me make any money is a complete PITA to be honest, will probably have to use an overdraft to cover it.

Understand better your position now buddhist capitalist:)

I think it shouldnt all be about 17 x 8 hour days in 28 etc. It should be about TOTAL amount worked as an average. I employ shift workers and recently did a 70 hour week for a specific project myself. It just has to work out over a longer term unless you work in a fairground - or you pay overtime to part timers/freelancers...

D

I work in a world leading blue chip chemical manufactiring company and we do as many hours as required. The shift cycle averages out to 36 hours per week, but my longest standard week is 60 hours. However we are also on cover most of the time, so if somebody rings in sick, then we are contractually obligated to come in and cover the shift. We also cover each others holidays, these additional hours are paid overtime. Although some departments will work overtime and then take time off when production is low to balance their hours and keep the overtime bill low.

This means somebody could end up doing as many consecutive 12 hour shifts as necessary 11 or more. It is very unlikely but has happened in the past. I myself have just done 6, 12 hour night shifts will have half a day today off and then back in for 3, 12 hour day shifts. The company are not bothered by this at all. As long there is somebody here covering the job then all is fine. Well never mind, just look forward to the fat pay slip that comes through the door every quarter, all overtime is paid quarterly.:)