Im about to start work on tuesday, i have my induction tomorrow. I just have a few questions about my new job as a postman with driving, I will list them below.
1. my location for work is not ideal for me and quite far but took job to get foot in the door, im hoping to get a transfer to a nearer delivery office, what are my chances?? and how long does it roughly take?
2. my contract is for 25 hours, what are the chances of me being able to get a full time contract in time?
3. my hours of work are 9.15 - 3.15, so do i get lunch break? and is it paid?
4. will i ever get a saturday off? my contract says mon to sat with 1 day off, can this include saturdays?
5. do i get a xmas bonus?? or am starting too late? would be nice lol
6. my contract is fixed term for 3 months, does that mean they will let me go after this?
7. what does pro rata mean? im getting confused about pay and bonuses.
8. if i do only my 25 hours a week, what delivery supplement do i get on top of my pay?
thanks
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Alot of questions for newbie postman
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villan
- Posts: 79
- Joined: 15 Oct 2011, 17:27
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
1. my location for work is not ideal for me and quite far but took job to get foot in the door, im hoping to get a transfer to a nearer delivery office, what are my chances?? and how long does it roughly take?
Answer: In my experience you only get a transfer if your manager wants to get rid of you. So if you're good your manager won't want to lose you. Think about it: if your manager has invested time in recruiting you why would they then willingly wave goodbye to you?
2. my contract is for 25 hours, what are the chances of me being able to get a full time contract in time?
Answer: Not sure.
3. my hours of work are 9.15 - 3.15, so do i get lunch break? and is it paid?
Answer: Unlikely. I work 39 hours but never have time for a break. You just try to fit in a break as best you can.
4. will i ever get a saturday off? my contract says mon to sat with 1 day off, can this include saturdays?
Answer: When you start you're a reserve which means your days off are scheduled to whatever suits the manager best. When I started I got only three Saturdays off in my first year.
5. do i get a xmas bonus?? or am starting too late? would be nice lol
Answer: Not sure but highly unlikely.
6. my contract is fixed term for 3 months, does that mean they will let me go after this?
Answer: As far as I can tell Royal Mail doesn't take on posties on permanent contracts. If your manager wants to keep you your contract will be renewed for another 3 months, etc. Eventually you should get a permanent contract.
7. what does pro rata mean? im getting confused about pay and bonuses.
Answer: It's Latin. In a work context it means whatever is being referred to is proportional to the hours you work. So, if your contract is 25 hours per week you get 25/39 of full time pay.
8. if i do only my 25 hours a week, what delivery supplement do i get on top of my pay?
Answer: Not sure but it's the sorting and prep time you'll be doing less of. You'll actually spend as long delivering as the full timers so logically you should get the full time delivery supplement.
Answer: In my experience you only get a transfer if your manager wants to get rid of you. So if you're good your manager won't want to lose you. Think about it: if your manager has invested time in recruiting you why would they then willingly wave goodbye to you?
2. my contract is for 25 hours, what are the chances of me being able to get a full time contract in time?
Answer: Not sure.
3. my hours of work are 9.15 - 3.15, so do i get lunch break? and is it paid?
Answer: Unlikely. I work 39 hours but never have time for a break. You just try to fit in a break as best you can.
4. will i ever get a saturday off? my contract says mon to sat with 1 day off, can this include saturdays?
Answer: When you start you're a reserve which means your days off are scheduled to whatever suits the manager best. When I started I got only three Saturdays off in my first year.
5. do i get a xmas bonus?? or am starting too late? would be nice lol
Answer: Not sure but highly unlikely.
6. my contract is fixed term for 3 months, does that mean they will let me go after this?
Answer: As far as I can tell Royal Mail doesn't take on posties on permanent contracts. If your manager wants to keep you your contract will be renewed for another 3 months, etc. Eventually you should get a permanent contract.
7. what does pro rata mean? im getting confused about pay and bonuses.
Answer: It's Latin. In a work context it means whatever is being referred to is proportional to the hours you work. So, if your contract is 25 hours per week you get 25/39 of full time pay.
8. if i do only my 25 hours a week, what delivery supplement do i get on top of my pay?
Answer: Not sure but it's the sorting and prep time you'll be doing less of. You'll actually spend as long delivering as the full timers so logically you should get the full time delivery supplement.
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maximus12
- Posts: 76
- Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 08:59
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
2. my contract is for 25 hours, what are the chances of me being able to get a full time contract in time?
Answer: I got made up to 39 hrs from 25 after about 5 months so can happen. I also never worked 25 from the day I started.
3. my hours of work are 9.15 - 3.15, so do i get lunch break? and is it paid?
Answer: possibly 20 mins but I could be wrong. If you do get it it's paid and make sure you take it.
4. will i ever get a saturday off? my contract says mon to sat with 1 day off, can this include saturdays?
Answer: I've only had 1 off in 9 months so is possibly but not likely
5. do i get a xmas bonus?? or am starting too late? would be nice lol
Answer: very much doubt it
6. my contract is fixed term for 3 months, does that mean they will let me go after this?
Answer: nearly everyone starts like this, it will most probably be renewed.
Answer: I got made up to 39 hrs from 25 after about 5 months so can happen. I also never worked 25 from the day I started.
3. my hours of work are 9.15 - 3.15, so do i get lunch break? and is it paid?
Answer: possibly 20 mins but I could be wrong. If you do get it it's paid and make sure you take it.
4. will i ever get a saturday off? my contract says mon to sat with 1 day off, can this include saturdays?
Answer: I've only had 1 off in 9 months so is possibly but not likely
5. do i get a xmas bonus?? or am starting too late? would be nice lol
Answer: very much doubt it
6. my contract is fixed term for 3 months, does that mean they will let me go after this?
Answer: nearly everyone starts like this, it will most probably be renewed.
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cobberwebb
- Posts: 62
- Joined: 25 Sep 2013, 15:49
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
20min paid break which you should take. None of this 'haven't got time' nonsense.
I didn't get a bonus last year and I started on the 10th.
I got a £13.44 supplement on a 24 1/4 contract. (I'm on a 32 now)
I didn't get a bonus last year and I started on the 10th.
I got a £13.44 supplement on a 24 1/4 contract. (I'm on a 32 now)
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clashcityrocker
- Posts: 16692
- Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 13:50
- Gender: Male
- Location: strummerville
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
1. If you want to transfer, go and talk to the DOM (manager) at the office you want to work at. He will tell you if he has any vacancies and although there is a formal process for transfers, an informal approach works wonders. Let your current manager know what you are doing and why.
2.The chances of getting full=time contract are slim to be honest.
3. You are entitled to a 30 minute PAID meal relief. It should be clearly scheduled. Just ask. If you work 6 hours without a meal relief, that is 30 minutes overtime you have done.
4. You should be entitled to the same number of Saturdays off as the rest of your colleagues. They may not be as regularly scheduled but you are entitled to be treated in the same way as your colleagues. You might have to kick and scream a bit if your manager is an arse.
5. The xmas bonus is for working the xmas pressure weeks. If you are working now, then you should be entitled.
6. A fixed term contract has to have an end date. It doesn't mean you will be let go after this date.
7. Like he said.
8. The Delivery Supplement is a pro rata payment. You will get 25/39ths of a Full-Timers delivery supplement. However your first 14 hours of overtime will include a (approx.) 53p/hour increase to ensure you are getting the delivery supplement for the hours you work. If you work 39 hours you will get a full delivery supplement but it won't appear as such on your payslip.
2.The chances of getting full=time contract are slim to be honest.
3. You are entitled to a 30 minute PAID meal relief. It should be clearly scheduled. Just ask. If you work 6 hours without a meal relief, that is 30 minutes overtime you have done.
4. You should be entitled to the same number of Saturdays off as the rest of your colleagues. They may not be as regularly scheduled but you are entitled to be treated in the same way as your colleagues. You might have to kick and scream a bit if your manager is an arse.
5. The xmas bonus is for working the xmas pressure weeks. If you are working now, then you should be entitled.
6. A fixed term contract has to have an end date. It doesn't mean you will be let go after this date.
7. Like he said.
8. The Delivery Supplement is a pro rata payment. You will get 25/39ths of a Full-Timers delivery supplement. However your first 14 hours of overtime will include a (approx.) 53p/hour increase to ensure you are getting the delivery supplement for the hours you work. If you work 39 hours you will get a full delivery supplement but it won't appear as such on your payslip.
The societies of consumption and squandering of material resources are incompatible with the idea of economic growth and a clean planet.
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Pokermon
- Posts: 106
- Joined: 03 Nov 2011, 19:34
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
Regarding transfer, one of the lads has been waiting two years with no joy.
Keep in mind most of us hate this job, it might be an idea to get something closer
Keep in mind most of us hate this job, it might be an idea to get something closer
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spen
- Posts: 531
- Joined: 18 Jan 2011, 19:53
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
You have to do six months in the office you start in before applying for a transfer,,
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mailmonkey
- Posts: 431
- Joined: 11 Feb 2009, 22:12
- Gender: Male
Re: Alot of questions for newbie postman
I took a job at an office 20 miles away to get my foot in the door 10 years ago.
Put in for a transfer after 6 months, got it 2 and a half years ago. so a 7 year wait for me. could probably have got it quicker if i'd tried (as has been suggested to you) approaching the managers directly, but I got nicely settled in at the inconvenient office, liked the people and knew the walks....
I wouldn't have thought it worth approaching other offices yet, you might hate the job, and even if you like it the other office's manager will want to see that you can do the job to a reasonable standard at least. And yeah, 6 months was the standard minimum time.
I was told by a colleague who transferred last year that the formal internal transfer system is no longer in use and that he had to apply for the job he transferred to through the RM website. I don't know how true this is, or if it was because he had very unusual reqmnts or what.
I started parttime 30 hours, then went down to 24 through choice after my son was born and wife returned to work...took me 6 years to get to full time, and only cos I was the most senior part timer. I think it's going to be difficult to get your contract increased to full time....there WILL BE full time jobs come up, but in most units there will be a number of middle-long serving part timers who will pick them before you.
There could well be some overtime. make sure you claim overtime as i am sure as a new starter you'll struggle to complete in time over the next 3-4, or 5 weeks or so when mail is heavy and you don't know the walks well. new starters in our office arent't told they can claim overtime, but also feel they have to complete their walks.
If you want the overtime, tell your manager before you go out that you think you'll struggle to finish in your time and ask him how to claim overtime. If you don't want, or can't do the overtime at the duty end tell your manager you won't be able to complete BEFORE YOU GO OUT. very important. Clear potential overtime, or potential bringing back of mail BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE OFFICE.
There's some intimidation on those 3 month contracts. Your manager will very probably make it clear to you that if you don't play ball nicely there's a chance he 'she won't recommend renewing your contract.
Join the Union.
Hope it goes okay and you get whatever help you need. Delivery Offices can be a bit intimidating to new starters as everyone seems megabusy and you can see people rushing and don't want to interrupt, but just ask someone. if you've got a dozen letters you can't find on the sorting frame ask a full timer, what might take you over 5 mins to do, he/she will chuck them in the slots in seconds.
If they frown and grumble, ask a different one next time.
If one of your favourite activities at school was taking the piss out of each other you'll enjoy working in the sorting office in the mornings before you go out on delivery =D
Put in for a transfer after 6 months, got it 2 and a half years ago. so a 7 year wait for me. could probably have got it quicker if i'd tried (as has been suggested to you) approaching the managers directly, but I got nicely settled in at the inconvenient office, liked the people and knew the walks....
I wouldn't have thought it worth approaching other offices yet, you might hate the job, and even if you like it the other office's manager will want to see that you can do the job to a reasonable standard at least. And yeah, 6 months was the standard minimum time.
I was told by a colleague who transferred last year that the formal internal transfer system is no longer in use and that he had to apply for the job he transferred to through the RM website. I don't know how true this is, or if it was because he had very unusual reqmnts or what.
I started parttime 30 hours, then went down to 24 through choice after my son was born and wife returned to work...took me 6 years to get to full time, and only cos I was the most senior part timer. I think it's going to be difficult to get your contract increased to full time....there WILL BE full time jobs come up, but in most units there will be a number of middle-long serving part timers who will pick them before you.
There could well be some overtime. make sure you claim overtime as i am sure as a new starter you'll struggle to complete in time over the next 3-4, or 5 weeks or so when mail is heavy and you don't know the walks well. new starters in our office arent't told they can claim overtime, but also feel they have to complete their walks.
If you want the overtime, tell your manager before you go out that you think you'll struggle to finish in your time and ask him how to claim overtime. If you don't want, or can't do the overtime at the duty end tell your manager you won't be able to complete BEFORE YOU GO OUT. very important. Clear potential overtime, or potential bringing back of mail BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE OFFICE.
There's some intimidation on those 3 month contracts. Your manager will very probably make it clear to you that if you don't play ball nicely there's a chance he 'she won't recommend renewing your contract.
Join the Union.
Hope it goes okay and you get whatever help you need. Delivery Offices can be a bit intimidating to new starters as everyone seems megabusy and you can see people rushing and don't want to interrupt, but just ask someone. if you've got a dozen letters you can't find on the sorting frame ask a full timer, what might take you over 5 mins to do, he/she will chuck them in the slots in seconds.
If they frown and grumble, ask a different one next time.
If one of your favourite activities at school was taking the piss out of each other you'll enjoy working in the sorting office in the mornings before you go out on delivery =D