Employer Changing Contract

Hello,

two year ago, my employer introduced a system whereby we worked full-time for six months and part-time the remaining six month of every calendar year. For the 6mths that we worked part-time (20hrs a week) we were able to claim unemployment benefit as we only worked for 3 days a week. We agreed to this and did it for two years.

This year (third year) my employer is cutting us down to 20hrs a week as usual but over 5 days. Which means we wont be able to claim the extra income from social welfare.

My question is, can my employer change this partern (3 day week) as we have done it for two consecutive years and i believe that constitutes a contract (though it is not a written contract)

And what can we do as employees to fight it as we all have families, mortgages and huge bills to take care of and cannot live on 20hrs a week.

Thanks.

Under the Terms of Employment Act 1994 your Employer must issue you with a written statement of terms & conditions including details of working hours.

See www.employmentrights.ie for further details including contact info.

@Hamek
Why not a discussion with the Employer?

Very often the employees know more about rights - whereas this guy may be in a survival game thinking he is doing a great job prereving some seblence of a jpb.

He may be unapproachable - who knows - but you have ideas - and if I were him I would want you to tell me.

Exercising rights is all and well - but discussion first.

Thanks for the reply. The employer is a well established company and we got a contract when we were first employed. But the changes that came after was never put in writing.

We did try to discuss our grevience with management but were told the decision had been made and not open for negotiation.

@hamek - they cannot change contracts unilaterally. What @deisblue says is correct. You will get advice and what action you can take.

Just be clear with yourself what the consequences are. I am not saying sit back, just write down the pros and cons and review them.

A contract does not need to be in writing - and it seems that you are clear on the terms - it may not be that simple- but there may have been some exchange such as some form of acknowledgement?

Unless its a very small company why is there an insistence on the 20 hours over 5 days? Is this deliberate? At first glance it sounds unreasonable.

There are grounds here and you could say to employer that you have been 'advised' without actually saying it is or isn't legal advice.

You could go for mediation.

Thanks for your reply. Just to clear the air, the enployer is a well established company and we all got contracts at the start of our employment. But when the changes were introduced, it was never put in writing.

Now we have discussed with managment and expressed our grieviances but were told it is not open for negotiation.

@hamek - what are the terms of the original contract for changes?

This could be open for negotiation - and I would have little hesitation telling them that if I saw the original contract.

You could pool togteher and get an opinion.

I will have a look at the original contract and post the terms.
Thanks alot for your help.