Work Hours & Pay Cut

suzieb

Hi,

Am looking for some advice.

My boss told me and my workmate today that unfortunately due to the economy etc(the usual excuses) he will have to cut our pay and reduce our hours.

We both currently work 34 hours one week and 37 hours the second week.

He wants one of us to work the normal 34 hour week one week while the same week the other girl works 20 hours. Then we switch around the following week.
This is over 4 days due to him cutting back our days last year as the business was very profitable.

I earn €490 per week and he wants to reduce this to €390 every week.

I cannot pay my mortgage etc on this amount as it is a big bulk of my wages gone.

I know I am lucky to have a job considering so many have no choices but I am wondering if I will be working part time hours every second week can I claim any additional money?

Or am I better off joining the queues of people looking for a job?

Just as a note my employer can reinstate the original hours no problem and the business would definitely be there for him to do that, but he said that for selfish reasons he is unwilling to do that even though he knows it leaves us in dire straits. So its like it or lump it basically.

thanks in advance.
suzie

Mr. Presentable

You can probably get a part time job during the short week. BTW, your employer decides how many hours he needs you to work based on a number of factors, none of which is what you need for your lifestyle. He is in business to make money. Nothing else. Remember that and you won't be disappointed.

suzieb

Thanks for the informative reply.

As i've already said I know exactly what my employer earns and he IS still making huge profits.

For example today he made enough money to cover our weekly wages with enough to cover his overheads also.

That is one day out of 4 so his profit margins are quite substantial in my opinion.

Mrs OBumble

suzieb wrote: »

Hi,

This is over 4 days due to him cutting back our days last year as the business was very profitable.

I earn €490 per week and he wants to reduce this to €390 every week.

...

I know I am lucky to have a job considering so many have no choices but I am wondering if I will be working part time hours every second week can I claim any additional money?

Or am I better off joining the queues of people looking for a job?

Because you're working four days, you cannot claim any benefit.

E390/week is still better than the benefit.

So your only option is go look for other work, while finding a way to live on what you're getting in the meantime. (The bank don't toss you out of the house just because your mortgage payments are a bit short - it takes YEARS for that to happen in this country.)

Legally, I'm not sure that he can just cut your hours like that: it has to be with your agreement, and if you don't agree, you get redundancy. But enforcing that law might be time-consuming and dificult, you're probably better off finding other work.

Is there any creative way you can convince him to operate the business in such a way that his hours are no longer, but yours are?

dh0661

suzieb wrote: »

Thanks for the informative reply.
For example today he made enough money to cover our weekly wages with enough to cover his overheads also.
That is one day out of 4 so his profit margins are quite substantial in my opinion.

Have you considered your bosses expenses ? - rent, rates, electricity, maybe a franchise cost, maybe an interest on an over draft, prsi, insurance and all the other little costs.

And don't forget your boss has to get paid as well.