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Can I ask for a contract?

  • 25-08-2010 9:37am
    #1
    ibarelycare
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭


    I've been working in my job for 4 & a half years. It's a very small business, everything is very casual and informal. When I started this job, I only intended on staying in it for a few months and at the time I was so grateful to get a job, I wasn't even thinking about contracts or anything, and no contract of employment was ever drawn up.

    Now I'm worried for various reasons. I am going to be qualified shortly and I know I'll be looking for a new job next year. I'm worried about potential employers asking about my current contract, and what would happen if my boss doesn't want to give me a reference or something.

    Also, my colleague is going on maternity leave in November. I was recently put on a 3-day week but will be made full-time again when she leaves. However, my boss will not be paying for anyone else to cover maternity leave and essentially I will be doing the work of two people. I would like to ask for a payrise for this period but do I have a leg to stand on? I have only had one performance appraisal since I started working here, and that was 3 years ago. That was my only ever payrise too. Things haven't been going too well with the business so that is understandable but I am feeling a bit underappreciated.

    So can I ask at this stage for a contract to be drawn up? I wouldn't even know how to approach the subject with my boss. What would I ask to be included on the contract and could he refuse?


Comments

  • #2
    belongtojazz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 709 ✭✭✭belongtojazz


    I think if it is an informal type of business you may struggle to get a contract but it is certainly worth asking for one. Do you get proper payslips? just wondering if they are doing everything else above board.

    I wouldn't worry about a new employer asking to see your current contract I would very much doubt they would do that


  • #3
    derdider
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 80 ✭✭derdider


    Your boss is legally obliged to give you a contact of employment. So if you ask him for one he'll have to give you one (you should have got one already but in reality most small business employees dont have one)

    In the absence of a contract of employment any employee hand-book or something that you were giving on starting would be taken as the contract.

    As for the pay rise for covering the other persons work while she is away, he doesnt have to pay you extra do that. You can ask, but in the current climate im sure you can guess what his answer will be. Its just the joys of being in a small business that when someone is out the others have to work harder to cover their workload....


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