PHG Allowance/payment questions...

[Thunderthighs]

Hi, I've covered the PHG many times, and believe that the "allowance" due is/hasn't regularly been paid.

1. What is the info that should be included on my wage packet to indicate it is being paid? ( I did get 1 week where this was shown, but not for any of the others).
2. What, in terms of money, should the amount per day be approx, for 5hrs of cover, 5 days per week?

A few years back, I covered the PHG for 6 weeks, only to be told MONTHS LATER that there EVEN was an allowance available. It seems it was a Big Secret to the management.
So, I obviously didn't get this allowance, even though I was Legally entitled to it.
So, I have recently been putting down the hours onto the O/T sheet, but was told NOT to do as it would be "automatically put into your wages."
But, I am sure that on 70% or so of weeks, the PHG Allowance HAS NOT been included at all. ( I don't check my wage packet every week. Too trusting, I suppose I am)
Finally, am I able to "Claim Back" any PHG allowance that I can show hasn't been paid for the work I've done? I realise that the initial cover from around 5yrs ago is too late, but surely this year just gone, April 2011 to today, should be ok??? And/or even last year or more.

I'm not being greedy, I just want to get paid the correct amount of money for the amount of labour I have given up.
Others in our office seem to get it automatically, but as I'm Ad-Hoc cover, it seems I'm forgotten about.
Thanks for any advice.

[clashcityrocker]

There is no PHG allowance.
Some PHGs retain an allowance under grandfather rights.
You get zilch.

[hubbahubba]

Nice friendly reply,lol

[johnnyp]

PHGs allowances went about 8-10 years ago give or take.
As clash points out only current PHGs who were in that grade at the time have retained that money and will keep that as long as they remain in that grade/Job.

Its the same as OPGs who do driving duties like myself,no money,but we have drivers who still get an allowance as they were in that postion when the allowance was removed but have kept there money.

[Thunderthighs]

Well...I have received some PGH or similar Allowances, and was told that it would be paid automatically into my wages, and on a few occasions it was.

So, there must be SOME reason they're paying a difference/allowance, as others in our office have gotten it too.

I'm sure the Management wouldn't want to pay out anything they didn't have to. But when they tell you that they ARE going to pay it, then don't,
then surely - Don't call me Shirley! - they seem to be moving the goalposts?

Why pay me up until 2 weeks back, plus some "Arrears of Leaders Allow OPG/OSG ADJ "
then not pay during other periods? That's totally confusing...

I apologise if the "PGH allowance" isn't what I'm talking about, as it's the only title that I know it under.
Maybe it's known as something else?
Whatever, sometimes it's paid, sometimes not. There has to be consistancy in payment I feel.

[PhilthyPhil]

Leadership allowance is payable if you are in the locker and there is no manager present which means you are in charge of the office at that time. There has to be a minimum number of staff on site at the time as well (can't remember the number). There is no PHG allowance anymore, in fact there is no PHG grade at all. OPGs who were PHGs at the time the grade was removed will retain the £20 per week Ex PHG allowance while they continue to do that job, if they come off the ex PHG job then they lose the allowance.

[Thunderthighs]

Thanks PP! Seems this is the case, and your "£20 per week" is about what I was told, or roughly that.

So, why pay it sometimes, but not others?

Appears that the situation where it should have been paid is exactly the same as where it wasn't.
Confused? I am.
So, I'll look back into times I've covered the PHG, and compare it to records of RATE paid, so could make "interesting" reading.
If there are occasions where it was not paid, for work done, I'll whack a "claim" in asap.

[PhilthyPhil]

What work is it exactly that you are doing and is it as duty or OT? This effects whether leadership allowance is payable or not.

[rinky]

Their are a few criteria that can trigger the leadership payment(£30.46) but most commonly it is for having responsibilities for over five people over a period of one hour and forty five minutes. I think thats what i get it for.

[Thunderthighs]

Role is, P/T relief postie, 6yrs service. Cover for PHG, = 6 weeks summer hol's, 2 weeks xmas, MOST saturdays 10.30am-3.30pm. Ad-Hoc at short notice, most weeks.
ACTIVITIES: Covering locker, phone calls/enquiries, eve collection eqpt hand-out eg keys, PDA's, parcel/packet callers, locking/security of premises, "Special/Recorded" N/A returns, dealing with emergency problems, eg. vehicle breakdowns, segging mail, setting up eve collection bullring, electric power losses, missing collection posties cover, packing Specials for collection/paperwork for these and ensuring 3 other office Specials are tallied etc...etc...etc. God! No wonder I'm knackered when I get home.

So, if I'm responsible for all the above, and more, regularly, Why are payments for this so hit-and-miss?
They know what I do-don't they?

Covered the locker, as above, for months a few years back, and NO allowance was paid and I wasn't told there even was any available I was entitled to.

Nice...

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Role is, P/T relief postie, 6yrs service. Cover for PHG, = 6 weeks summer hol's, 2 weeks xmas, MOST saturdays 10.30am-3.30pm. Ad-Hoc at short notice, most weeks.
ACTIVITIES: Covering locker, phone calls/enquiries, eve collection eqpt hand-out eg keys, PDA's, parcel/packet callers, locking/security of premises, "Special/Recorded" N/A returns, dealing with emergency problems, eg. vehicle breakdowns, segging mail, setting up eve collection bullring, electric power losses, missing collection posties cover, packing Specials for collection/paperwork for these and ensuring 3 other office Specials are tallied etc...etc...etc. God! No wonder I'm knackered when I get home.

So, if I'm responsible for all the above, and more, regularly, Why are payments for this so hit-and-miss?
They know what I do-don't they?

Covered the locker, as above, for months a few years back, and NO allowance was paid and I wasn't told there even was any available I was entitled to.

Nice...

you dont get the allowance for covering for any of the above stuff you mentioned you get the leadership allowance for covering for the manager

[Thunderthighs]

ZX123: Yep, realise that now, but no one at the office has told me, only you guys on here.
Typical.

Anyway, still can't figure out why payments have been denied me on many occasions, so I have to look into claiming them back somehow.
Why tell me it will be "paid automatically", only to discover it' has not been?

If we put down hours we haven't worked, we are probably open to allegations of Fraud, so how come the opposite can be done to us?

[PhilthyPhil]

The allowance is only paid automatically to someone who is permanently entitled to that allowance, in most cases in delivery this would be the afternoon locker dutyholder. If you cover this duty on an ad-hoc basis the manager/dom support has to input it that week when they do the OT. Same thing goes for ad-hoc shift allowances etc.

[Thunderthighs]

Cheers PP. They say, "Don't put it on the O/T sheet, we'll do it for you automatically."

Obviously, this HASN'T been happening. I'm just too trusting.

2012 will change that...