Weekend workers could get extra pay to fill night-shift gap when clocks go back
Weekend workers are being told to check what their contracts mean for pay and hours when the clocks change. Some could be in line for extra pay if they agree to fill a night-shift gap created by the clocks going back, while others with different contracts are at risk of being forced to work another hour for no additional wage.
The last Sunday of October sees the clocks go back an hour as we revert to Greenwich Mean Time. The rules say that 2am on Sunday, October 27, goes back an hour and becomes 1am - though you can make the adjustment earlier on when you go to to bed rather than staying up.
For many of us it means an extra hour's sleep on Sunday. But others will be working in nightclubs or bars; doing a night shift in a factory, hospital, fire station or ambulance depot; or scheduled to go into work on Sunday morning.
Peninsula Employment Law Director Alan Price said: "Daylight Saving Time is coming to an end, meaning the clocks will go back an hour at 2am. Although those who do not work at the weekend can simply enjoy an extra hour in bed, it is important to consider how this will affect working hours and pay for those at work in the early hours of Sunday morning."
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Overnight workers who are doing a shift such as 10pm Saturday to 6am Sunday, or midnight to 8am, could be among those affected and have been warned to check their contracts. Company bosses are also being urged to make sure they don't have a gap in shift coverage where they'll need to offer overtime.
Security guards, night porters, emergency services, hospital staff and factory workers are among those whose wages and hours could be impacted by the clock change. For instance, a contract that specifies finishing at 8am will mean people end up working nine hours because the clock change pushes 2am back to 1am so they still have seven hours left to go, not six. In this case, you need to make sure you are being paid to stay on for that extra hour.
Mr Price explained: "If the employee's contractual shift specifies they start at 12am (midnight) and finish at 8am, this will mean that they have to work for nine hours instead of eight. However, if the contract outlines that they work for a period of eight hours from 12am, the employee will instead be able to finish at 7am. In this situation, bosses should consider asking the employee to work the extra hour as overtime."
So those whose contracts tell them to finish at 8am could lose an hour's pay, while those contracted to do eight hours from midnight will be able to finish at 7am because the clocks have gone back and 8am has now become 7am. They could then ask for extra pay if they agree to work the additional hour and fill the gap until the usual 8am shift changeover.
Mr Price also reminded bosses about the rules for night workers, stating: "When examining how the clock change will affect contracted hours it is important to remember that all adult night-workers must not work more than an average of 8 hours in a 24-hour period. This average is usually calculated over 17 weeks but can be over a longer period of up to 52 weeks if the employer and their employees agree. An employer must therefore bear this in mind when deciding if members of staff will be required to work the extra hour."
He added: "Generally, a contract that says the worker is entitled to hourly pay for every hour worked means they will be paid extra if they work an extra hour. However, salaried workers will receive their normal salary regardless if they work any extra hours, with any additional wages being paid through overtime.
"It is important to remember that salaried workers all have the right to be paid the national minimum wage and it is illegal for them to not receive this. If they work this extra hour for no pay, their earnings may fall below this minimum."
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