KC Cantiaci
pfm Member
Just looking for some advice for my missus. She works for one of the big 4 supermarkets and they recently went through a re-structure whereby they removed all the different layers of supervisory roles thereby cutting jobs and created a management level whereby these 'managers' are salaried. Their new contracts are for 43 hours and their salaries were calculated as whatever their previous hourly rate was x 43 hours + 3%. It was sold as a promotion and more responsibility etc etc.. They had to apply and go through a series of tests to get one of these positions.
I was curious as to how they came to this salary figure as it's less than what they'd earn doing 39 hours + 4 hours at overtime rate (time and a half). So in reality, this company managed to reduce its staff, give the remaining ones a pay cut and convince them they got a promotion?? But what is making this worse is they are now working even more hours.....way more. This is in part to do with the cutting back of hourly paid staff so the work is being filled in by these 'managers'. The senior bosses at this particular store encourage their subordinates to work longer and quote examples of those who are doing these hours. I divided her salary by the hours she works some weeks and it's bordering the current minimum wage at flat rate and will be way under the new £7.20 rate that's due to kick in next April. It works out to be less than what the workers on the shop floor earn that she's supposed to be managing??
So my question is.....is it legal to pay an employee a salary when calculated against the actual hours worked means they are under the minimum hourly rate?
Other issues are no proper breaks during the day, or working doing stuff like paperwork during them. Staff not getting the legal 11 hours rest time between shifts (she brought his up with personnel and they said they had an agreement with the union that meant they didn't have to ensure there was 11 hours between shifts). So when she was finishing the late shift (10.30pm), it was acceptable to start the next day at 7am?? She desperately wants to leave but needs to get a mortgage sorted first so is hanging on so as to not endanger that......
I was curious as to how they came to this salary figure as it's less than what they'd earn doing 39 hours + 4 hours at overtime rate (time and a half). So in reality, this company managed to reduce its staff, give the remaining ones a pay cut and convince them they got a promotion?? But what is making this worse is they are now working even more hours.....way more. This is in part to do with the cutting back of hourly paid staff so the work is being filled in by these 'managers'. The senior bosses at this particular store encourage their subordinates to work longer and quote examples of those who are doing these hours. I divided her salary by the hours she works some weeks and it's bordering the current minimum wage at flat rate and will be way under the new £7.20 rate that's due to kick in next April. It works out to be less than what the workers on the shop floor earn that she's supposed to be managing??
So my question is.....is it legal to pay an employee a salary when calculated against the actual hours worked means they are under the minimum hourly rate?
Other issues are no proper breaks during the day, or working doing stuff like paperwork during them. Staff not getting the legal 11 hours rest time between shifts (she brought his up with personnel and they said they had an agreement with the union that meant they didn't have to ensure there was 11 hours between shifts). So when she was finishing the late shift (10.30pm), it was acceptable to start the next day at 7am?? She desperately wants to leave but needs to get a mortgage sorted first so is hanging on so as to not endanger that......