Leaving job, employer offered to keep me on the roster. Good idea?

actuallylike

How do,

I'm currently working in retail, only 20hrs a week but suits me as I was doing an internship in a job relating to my career choice for 20hrs also. Leaving for London to pursue that career in a month. Before Christmas, my boss told me that the hours would be slim this year and if I wanted to find another job, he'd keep me on the roster at 0 hours a week in case I wanted to come back later and if he had any hours. I hadn't told him I was making a London move at this point.

Well, telling him tomorrow that I'm out of here in a month but wondering is their any pros or cons in staying on the roster of a company. I mean London could go tits up and it would be nice to go back to a paid job. I fear that if I leave and get that pink slip, I won't get back in (head office aren't in love with me, I turned down an assistant manager position which they weren't happy about).

So should I just bite the bullet and quit? I think it would be a good thing. The reason I didn't take the manager job is because it's the type of job that you'd get stuck in very easily and be there years and I don't want that. Although, I don't want to throw away the idea of a safety net in case I need it. Is there anything about staying on a roster or in employment that would effect me negatively if I were to start working with someone else (tax for example)?

Procrastastudy

This seems like a very complicated way of saying he'll give you a job if you ever want one. AFAIK zero hour contracts are illegal in Ireland - but I'm not an employment law guru so open to correction.

Personally I'd say Thank you very much and just stay on the roster. The only negative issue might be getting a P45 - that may mean you have to quit.

fasttalkerchat

It would be an advantage if you get a pay raise every 12 months... also something guaranteed to fall back on.

Procrastastudy wrote: »

This seems like a very complicated way of saying he'll give you a job if you ever want one. AFAIK zero hour contracts are illegal in Ireland - but I'm not an employment law guru so open to correction.

Personally I'd say Thank you very much and just stay on the roster. The only negative issue might be getting a P45 - that may mean you have to quit.

I think the way its done is you are granted unpaid absence for 12 months (or longer). So you wouldn't get a P45.

tatli_lokma

Procrastastudy wrote: »

This seems like a very complicated way of saying he'll give you a job if you ever want one. AFAIK zero hour contracts are illegal in Ireland - but I'm not an employment law guru so open to correction.

Personally I'd say Thank you very much and just stay on the roster. The only negative issue might be getting a P45 - that may mean you have to quit.

Zero hours contracts are allowed, but there are rules as to how they are operated. I am guessing that OP's boss doesn't realise this.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/contracts_of_employment/contracts_without_specific_working_hours_zero_hours_contracts.html

The Act requires that an employee under a zero-hours contract who works less than 25% of their hours in any week should be compensated. The level of compensation depends on whether the employee got any work or none at all. If the employee got no work, then the compensation should be either for 25% of the possible available hours or for 15 hours, whichever is less. If the employee got some work, they should be compensated to bring them up to 25% of the possible available hours.

For example, if you are required to be available for 20 hours per week, but you got no work, you would be entitled to be compensated for 15 hours or 25% of the 20 hours (that is, 4 hours), whichever is the less. In this case, 4 hours is the lesser amount. If, on the other hand, you got 3 hours work out of the 20, you would be entitled to be compensated by 1 hour to bring you up to 25% of the contract hours.

I suppose the crux of the issue is the 'available for work' part - if OP is in the UK then they are not actually available to meet their contractual obligations.

TBH this just seems silly to me. I think the employer imagines that it will be easier to keep OP on the books and then if he comes back in a few months and there are hours available he can slot back in. On the face of it, it might seem easier, but given the whole zero hours thing, it could turn into a can of worms. If I was the employer I would just be issuing a P45 and if you come back and there is work just take you on again.

Also OP, if you are still officially employed, eventhough you get zero hours, if you do decide you need to apply for dole it could slow things down. If it were me I would just resign properly and get my P45. That way all loose ends are tied up. If things don't work out in the UK and your old boss has hours they are probably going to take you on anyway.

Best of luck in the UK.

actuallylike

Thanks everyone for the replies. Handing in my notice tomorrow. I think I was looking at the job as a safety net when in reality it's just a job of convenience that I don't want but could see myself stuck in for years. So biting the bullet and cutting all ties, it'll give me the kick up the arse to chase the career I want.

Little Ted wrote: »

Best of luck in the UK.

Thanks, much appreciated