Being sent home due to no work - and have to make time up?

[motorbreath]

I work in an accountancy practice and have been sent home recently on a few occasions due to my employer not having enough work to keep all staff members busy. Now normally I wouldn’t mind, but their ‘policy’ is that all time has to be made up, so all the time off is going to time in lieu which I now have 4days to make up, (part of the 4 days relates to time off last month as my mum passed away). (oh and just to let you know how rubbish it is, I would have to work an additional 5 hours per week before any time will count towards negative time in lieu. Or drive to a clients which is over an hour away, an additional time being posted to negative time in lieu, so its pretty much near impossible to recover that time ever working my balls off each day, and seeing as there’s no work, how is this possible?)

From what I have noticed, I am the only person in the office being sent home, now you would think seeing as I already have time to make back, they would send someone else home, who doesn’t have any time to make up. The work can generally be carried out by most people in the office, I’ve been there 3 years, and there are about 5 other members of staff below me (in the office pecking order) one on the same level and 2 who are above me.

Is it right that they are singling me out, and is it right that I have to make this time up if they can provide me with work?

Any thoughts from you helpful bunch would be much appreciated.

Al

[motorbreath]

BEP said:

Did I just read that right, that they're asking you to make time up as 'Your Mum passed away' ?? Not being funny but if they're that much of an uncaring employer i'd be looking elsewhere fairly sharpish...

Yes you heard me right... about sums things up in our office!

[motorbreath]

Gargamel said:

Presumably your charge out rate to clients is therefore more expensive than some of the more "junior" clients.

I would tend to say that this seems a most unfair arrangement, either they are sending you a message (look for another job) or your charge out rate can't be justified on most of the work they have.

Perhaps therefore the right tactic here is firstly to draw their attention to the developing situation, (they may well not realise) and suggest a compromise, you will take half the time as holiday and the will write off the rest of the time?

My charge out rate is only a whole £5 more (£30ph) than all the juniors below me, they never get increased so if any thing Im better value for money!

[motorbreath]

plg said:

Er, from how you describe it I would be worried.

Do you have any "unique" skills, qualifications or clients that means your workload is particularly vulnerable?

I'd be asking for a quiet chat with my boss first to understand on what criteria it is always you being sent home.
If that didn't work, and assuming you have a HR dept, ask for a more formal conversation.
ACAS have a very good helpline and will be able to give you your rights.
Your professional body (if you are a member) may also have one.

Edited by plg on Wednesday 17th November 14:38

Come to think about it the only unique skill I held was passed over to a colleague a few weeks back when I had time off for my mum passing. As for my reducndency arrangements, I am currently reading my contract and will up date later if I find any thing interesting.

[motorbreath]

edc said:

How can your unique skill be passed over?

Well... I was the only person who had prior knowledge of auditing an EU Commission grant claim, i.e. knew how to test certain items, in the most efficient way, but they then sent someone else out to do the job and threw some guielines at him. Its taken twice as long but means that they are no longer dependent on me doing the job.

Writing my CV as we speak, as I now have another day at home

(At least I have an excuse to fiddle with the new bike now, not that the Mrs will be too happy about lol )

[motorbreath]

Things took an interesting turn on Tuesday - was called into the board room, with the two main partners, told my contract was up next week and they wouldnt be offering me a position to carry on with them in Farnborough! At which point I nearly dropped a nugget!
But!!, then offered me a position in an alternative office for 6 months, nearer to my home! (Same pay though)

I knew something was up! All the time I racked up in lieu Im going to ask them to write off as I will no longer be employed by the original office.

From my first day (yesterday), it seems soooooo much better, they even have a radio on during the day! (We werent even allowed to talk to each other in the old office with out fear of being moved!) So if things carry on as they did on Friday Im very happy!

On reflection, isnt strange how one person can completely f*#k up an office environment because of there bureaucratic working style - what a waste of good employee telent and energy as every one is sooo demotivated rigt now (and I dont see it getting much better)

Also on the same day they dismissed me, a junior handed in her notice, (best of luck to her) and they (being the powers that be) told one of my seniors that they wouldn't be offering her a position from Feb (as she was promised 4 months ago) and that her only options were, the door, or a secondment placement! So shes a bit lost now!

Shame I have to leave my colleges as I didn't really have a send off, I was only told of the move at 12:30, so 4 hours notice! They all seemed rather shocked - but Im sure they will cope lol!

Now then - on with my career, up up and away!

[motorbreath]

GeraldSmith said:

I appreciate that you seem to have had a good outcome so no need to do anything, but they sound like they have no clue about employment law or assume that you have no clue. Were you on a fixed term contract? If not there is no concept of your contract 'being up', with three years employment you are a protected employee, they would need a reason to dismiss which could be redundancy but there is a process to follow there. Also you have a right to compassionate leave when you mother died, they don't have to pay you for it though.

You have a good point (well a few, one being I dont have a clue about employment law). I have to admit I made a 'boo boo' in that I read my employment contract along with the employee work guide and it didnt state a term of employment. BUT... when they originaly sent me the contract the covering letter stated it was for 3 years. I did have this lingering in the back of my mind, but couldn't find the letter so thought that it wasn't for a 3 year term. So my fault entirely really. As for not working there any more, I think I got lucky, as Im out of a job that I really disliked, and have been given a opportunity to carry on employment under the same 'name' (top 20 firm) but in a different office, with much better staffing.