Contract hours VS duty hours

Post by **Warriorpostie** » 16 Oct 2018, 20:41

I am a 30 hour contract, delivering a full time rural. If the duty starts at say 7.15am....and I worked my 'contracted' hours then my finish time would be 13.15pm? Yes? Even though on say a thursday the finish time on the sheet is 15.35, can I quit at 13.15 as per my contracted hours??

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 16 Oct 2018, 20:47

Warriorpostie wrote:I am a 30 hour contract, delivering a full time rural. If the duty starts at say 7.15am....and I worked my 'contracted' hours then my finish time would be 13.15pm? Yes? Even though on say a thursday the finish time on the sheet is 15.35, can I quit at 13.15 as per my contracted hours??

No, you are going in early on overtime. Your finish time can't be brought forward just because you started early.

Anyway, the time to ask was when you were being asked if you would like to work full time hrs.

DrSatan · Post by **DrSatan** » 16 Oct 2018, 21:13

It depends if your in early on overtime or asked to start your shift earlier. If your on overtime then you've volunteered to do it. If your starting your shift earlier then your entitled to leave after 6 hours. Best to ask the day before so you know which it is.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 17 Oct 2018, 14:29

you have 30 contracted hours over a week, if say they want you to do 9 hours 3 of the days, then you only have to work 3 hours the other day. This is something you should bring up at the start of the week or as soon as you realise you are scheduled to be working over your contracted hours and inform them you only wish to work those 30 hours and no more. Then the managers can take action to accommodate this,

Post by **Murdoch** » 17 Oct 2018, 20:53

Royal Mail is a fairly idiotic company in this regard.

They employ people on part-time contracts to cover FT rounds as reserves.

If you want to be awkward you can insist on working your contract hours. But as suggested, probably best to give the managers a heads up so they can make arrangements. As funny as cutting off part of the way round a rural is... they tend not to like that.

Post by **rambo1** » 17 Oct 2018, 21:45

Cutting off on rurals is more than frowned upon. Normal pattern of conversation when you are on a rural and say you're cutting off, is, we'll have to move you off your walk as we can't cover it. If they want you to finish delivery, come in at a time worked backwards from finish time and they'll have to get it prepped for you.

Post by **Warriorpostie** » 18 Oct 2018, 11:59

Idiotic is right! Now they have moved me to a 6 hour delivery, which is fine. But they have put a guy on the full time rural now who is 10 hour contract or something stupid. Said he’s only working his hours on Saturday, because he is off next week. to which I’ll have to cover it all on Monday he didn’t do. I actually don’t mind the overtime it makes my hours up, I just wondered if some days I need away early can I work my 6 hours per day.

Cutting off on rural frowned upon?? Everyday there’s full time rurals not even going out the door due to staff shortages & no money in the budget.... apparently

rubytuesday · Post by **rubytuesday** » 18 Oct 2018, 15:12

I’m in a similar position - 30.30 hr contract and as day relief cover 2/5 F/T duties (both duty holders do no IPS) My contract states my start time is 07.00 and finish is 13.06 so that’s what I do regardless of the time sheet starts/finish. Only way it works for me as I’m continually swapped around onto different duties. I’m asked to go in early and do my own prep as they can never get it done, I’m happy to do that rather than go way over time. I’ve always thought I was correct in working this way?

NewPostieUK · Post by **NewPostieUK** » 18 Oct 2018, 16:53

Warriorpostie wrote: I just wondered if some days I need away early can I work my 6 hours per day.

You can work 6 hours any day you like and you don't need an excuse. The thing is, if you are told you on on 'x' duty next week, and you agree, then it's assumed you'll do 'x' duty hours, so it's common sense that the manager is going to need plenty of notice.