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I dont quite understand my hours

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
EssexMail
Posts: 17
Joined: 28 Oct 2015, 10:37
Gender: Male

I dont quite understand my hours

Post by EssexMail »

Hi all

My contracted hours are 25 hours over 4 days (6hrs 15mins day)

My start time is 7.05am and finish 2.20pm - (7hrs 15mins day)

So as there are no official lunch breaks is it open to discussion or do management decide if I have to come in an hour later or can I argue to finish earlier?
Or another answer

Many kind thanks
IcanthelpthewayIam
Posts: 4067
Joined: 26 May 2009, 13:37
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by IcanthelpthewayIam »

Why are your start and finish times longer than your contracted hours? We don't have unpaid lunch hours at RM in deliveries
eggraidonmojo
Posts: 120
Joined: 06 Nov 2012, 16:44
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by eggraidonmojo »

I have the same contract and attend for 6 hours 15 minutes per day. I usually work overtime to get a few more hours in.

As zx135 says - all breaks in deliveries are paid at RM but you don't get an hour off. As you work 6hrs 15 mins you are entitled to 30 minutes paid meal relief (see below).

So that 30 minutes comes out of your 6 hours 15 minutes. It is not added on top of it.


I think this is from The Way Forward:

Attendance length............total breaks..... probable pattern

Less than 2 hours 30 minutes none (a 10 min grace break should be provided if work permits)
2 hours 30 to 3 hours................10 mins.................. 10
3 hours 1 to 3 hours 30..... .......15 mins....................15
3 hours 31 to 4 hours 59..... .......20 mins.................. 20
5 hours to 7 hours................... 30 mins...................30
7 hours 1 to 8 hours 59..... .......40 mins..............40 or 20 + 20
9 hours to 10 hours 59...............50 mins................30 + 20
11 hours to 12 hours 59..... .......60 mins............. 40 + 20 or 30 + 30
13 hours or longer..... ..............70 mins..................40 + 30


...Oh yeah and since you are working more than 6 hours a day, you are entitled to one 'unbroken' break of 20 minutes. That is a legal requirement.
NewPostieUK
Posts: 2104
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 21:38
Gender: Male
Location: SickAsAChipLand

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by NewPostieUK »

Start and finish times bare no relation to contract hours for part timers, never have done. When I started 8 years ago on 25 hr contract, I was baffled by my longs and shorts (5 hrs mon tues sat, 6 hrs wed thurs fri) .

Even now, we have new starters on 25 hr contract wondering how the hell they can do 25 hrs when they work 9 - 3 every single day.

You simply claim overtime for anything over 6:15, or better still, tell the manager you won't be working any overtime tomorrow.
jimmynailsalive
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 305
Joined: 28 Dec 2013, 13:36
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by jimmynailsalive »

4 day week and 25 hour contract was brilliant and was gutted the office I had that in had a revision and I ended up in one working 5 days but 1 week to go and then a couple of weeks in the mail centre and out of RM for good. :nana
steve1873
Posts: 800
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:55

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by steve1873 »

NewPostieUK wrote:Start and finish times bare no relation to contract hours for part timers, never have done. When I started 8 years ago on 25 hr contract, I was baffled by my longs and shorts (5 hrs mon tues sat, 6 hrs wed thurs fri) .

Even now, we have new starters on 25 hr contract wondering how the hell they can do 25 hrs when they work 9 - 3 every single day.

You simply claim overtime for anything over 6:15, or better still, tell the manager you won't be working any overtime tomorrow.
What utter nonsense! Start and finish times have as much relevance for part-time staff as they do for full-time staff. End of.
steve1873
Posts: 800
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:55

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by steve1873 »

Hoe long has this been going on OP? You are presently doing a 29 hour contract - is your payslip reflective of this?

There has clearly been some miscommunication at some point. You have contracted hours of 6.15 per day, so if your finish time is 14:20 you work back the way to get your start time - 08:05. The only thing I can think of is a manager has given you the go-ahead to start an hour earlier at some point (paid, I would hope) and this has just carried on.

As has been said, you are entitled to 30mins MR based on your "contracted" hours, but this comes out of your 6hrs 15 day, meaning your actual time working should be 5hr 45.

Altho if you have been doing days of 7hr+ then the meal relief is 40mins - make sure you don't short change yourself in this regard.
Hitcher
Posts: 1530
Joined: 20 Sep 2009, 09:59
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by Hitcher »

Steve this happens in our office, and probably most others as well. There are no duties that fit a 25 hour contract so PT's are just expected to work overtime each day to complete them.
steve1873
Posts: 800
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:55

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by steve1873 »

Hitcher wrote:Steve this happens in our office, and probably most others as well. There are no duties that fit a 25 hour contract so PT's are just expected to work overtime each day to complete them.
Be that as it may, it is still a falsehood for anyone attempting to say start and finish times have no relevance for part-time staff. If you are contracted to work 6hrs 15 per day, then that is what your hours should be based on. If an individual wishes to extend this and claim OT either at start or end of duty then thst is entirely their perogative is justifiable. The fact remains, every single postman or woman has a scheduled start time and a scheduled finish time to correlate with this start time based on their contracted hours.
Decky Boy
Posts: 440
Joined: 22 May 2009, 10:00
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by Decky Boy »

Can any Union Reps on here give categorical details on meal break lengths for Delivery Postman. My understanding is that spans which are extended due to pressure and which go beyond 9 hours attract 50 minutes meal relief. A local rep and management are saying no ? ? ?

Clarification would be greatly appreciated as many in my office are (enjoying :cry ) long deliveries...... and it is f****** tough out there right now. Thanks.
EssexMail
Posts: 17
Joined: 28 Oct 2015, 10:37
Gender: Male

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by EssexMail »

Hi all

I get this all NOW. And many thanks for all the replies :) What a pity it isn't explained BEFORE you take a job and that more so, your CONTRACT seemingly isn't worth anything either. HR tell me my written contract is six weeks away, due to backlog. i took a job that starts at 7.05 and 25 hours over four days. I'm now told this can be changed anytime and it will be. It will be 25 hours over five days, rolling day off, starting at 8.05. At NO time since nice my journey began looking for a job with RM was this stated to me written or verbally. I can't see why or how I'm expected to "know" how RM business works before I start and also how RM need to run their shift patterns before I start unless I'm told.
NewPostieUK
Posts: 2104
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 21:38
Gender: Male
Location: SickAsAChipLand

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by NewPostieUK »

steve1873 wrote:
NewPostieUK wrote:Start and finish times bare no relation to contract hours for part timers, never have done. When I started 8 years ago on 25 hr contract, I was baffled by my longs and shorts (5 hrs mon tues sat, 6 hrs wed thurs fri) .

Even now, we have new starters on 25 hr contract wondering how the hell they can do 25 hrs when they work 9 - 3 every single day.

You simply claim overtime for anything over 6:15, or better still, tell the manager you won't be working any overtime tomorrow.
What utter nonsense! Start and finish times have as much relevance for part-time staff as they do for full-time staff. End of.
Not one single new starter in my office in the last ten years has had start and finish times that match their contract.

For the last 3 - ish years there have been NO 25 hr contract duties at all, yet ALL new starters have a 25 hr contract (plus a few other PT's are still on 25 hr contract).
Hitcher wrote:Steve this happens in our office, and probably most others as well. There are no duties that fit a 25 hour contract so PT's are just expected to work overtime each day to complete them.
Exactly.
NewPostieUK
Posts: 2104
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 21:38
Gender: Male
Location: SickAsAChipLand

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by NewPostieUK »

EssexMail wrote:Hi all

I get this all NOW. And many thanks for all the replies :) What a pity it isn't explained BEFORE you take a job and that more so, your CONTRACT seemingly isn't worth anything either. HR tell me my written contract is six weeks away, due to backlog. i took a job that starts at 7.05 and 25 hours over four days. I'm now told this can be changed anytime and it will be. It will be 25 hours over five days, rolling day off, starting at 8.05. At NO time since nice my journey began looking for a job with RM was this stated to me written or verbally. I can't see why or how I'm expected to "know" how RM business works before I start and also how RM need to run their shift patterns before I start unless I'm told.
Tell your manager this, I'd be interested to hear what cack he comes up with. Tell him there's been a mistake, you signed up for a 4 day week.

We've had a couple of new young girls who wanted to go back to work after starting families, 25hrs times fitting with their parenting duties and child care, they get put on various duties, 33 - 40 hrs . Needless to say they packed in quickly. What a waste.
steve1873
Posts: 800
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:55

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by steve1873 »

EssexMail wrote:Hi all

I get this all NOW. And many thanks for all the replies :) What a pity it isn't explained BEFORE you take a job and that more so, your CONTRACT seemingly isn't worth anything either. HR tell me my written contract is six weeks away, due to backlog. i took a job that starts at 7.05 and 25 hours over four days. I'm now told this can be changed anytime and it will be. It will be 25 hours over five days, rolling day off, starting at 8.05. At NO time since nice my journey began looking for a job with RM was this stated to me written or verbally. I can't see why or how I'm expected to "know" how RM business works before I start and also how RM need to run their shift patterns before I start unless I'm told.
If it is 25 over 5 days then that equates to a 5 hour day. If your start time is 08:05 then your finishing time is 13:05, unless there are any odd long and short days. But if they expect you to work 5 days, starting at 08:05 and finishing at 14:20 then you would be working a 31.15 contract. You need to find out a) your contracted start and finish times on a daily basis b) calculate to make sure it is 25 hours c) ensure every single minute you work over and a over and above (either by being asked to start early, work rest day, or extend delivery) is claimed for and paid.

Oh and don't forget about your meal relief. It is your entitlement and is fully paid. Don't be like some clowns who work through their break to either get the job done or attempt at finishing early.
steve1873
Posts: 800
Joined: 08 Oct 2007, 13:55

Re: I dont quite understand my hours

Post by steve1873 »

NewPostieUK wrote:
steve1873 wrote:
NewPostieUK wrote:Start and finish times bare no relation to contract hours for part timers, never have done. When I started 8 years ago on 25 hr contract, I was baffled by my longs and shorts (5 hrs mon tues sat, 6 hrs wed thurs fri) .

Even now, we have new starters on 25 hr contract wondering how the hell they can do 25 hrs when they work 9 - 3 every single day.

You simply claim overtime for anything over 6:15, or better still, tell the manager you won't be working any overtime tomorrow.
What utter nonsense! Start and finish times have as much relevance for part-time staff as they do for full-time staff. End of.
Not one single new starter in my office in the last ten years has had start and finish times that match their contract.

For the last 3 - ish years there have been NO 25 hr contract duties at all, yet ALL new starters have a 25 hr contract (plus a few other PT's are still on 25 hr contract).
Hitcher wrote:Steve this happens in our office, and probably most others as well. There are no duties that fit a 25 hour contract so PT's are just expected to work overtime each day to complete them.
Exactly.
Look it does not matter what the duty time someone is put on. Bottom line, if you have a 25 hour contract then your start and finish times must reflect that. Any time over and above is overtime and would be paid on that individuals payslip to reflect that, no? That means the time over and above start finish time is entirely voluntary and not compulsary. Some managers may try pull the wool over peoples eyes - which has apparently worked in your case, but the overriding fact remains start and finish times are entirely relevant. If they weren't, then how would an individual have any idea the amount of overtime they were due to be paid?