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Office is closed: Staff owe days back?

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  • 22-12-2011 6:10pm
    #1
    allthingsgreat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭


    In my place of work there are 3 shift patterns. Tuesday-Saturday or Sunday to Thursday or Monday-Friday. These are not negotiable patterns.

    For christmas, the office is closed on Saturday 24th and Saturday 31st.

    The staff who are due to work on saturday 24/31st December were told last week via email they have these Saturdays off because the office is closed and the outsourced company will take care of workload on those days. HR have sent an email saying stuff must work those 2 days extra OR have them taken from their holiday balance.

    Staff are upset as the office is closed, they are available to work and were told they were off.

    I am wondering if anyone has any opinions on this? And who can I complain to? HR will not listen and are insisting that it has been decided and is happening.


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    #2
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Well the company are entitled to close the office and take the days out of your holiday balance. "Available to work" is irrelevant.

    The only thing which is disputable as far as I can see, is the notice. An employer is required to provide a month's notice of any such mandatory holidays. However, I gather from your post that staff were aware of the closure well in advance, but only realised last week that they weren't getting a "free day" off.

    That makes the whole thing murky, as it could be implied that if the staff knew the office was closed, then they knew that they wouldn't be paid for that day.


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    #3
    allthingsgreat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭allthingsgreat


    Hi and thank you for your reply.

    Until last week the office was to be open on those days.

    The notice time for these "mandatory holidays" was two days ago.

    I am aware that the company are well within their rights but can the notice period is unreasonable.


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    #4
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,966 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    In that case, talk to your union.

    Or a lawyer if you haven't got a union.

    (You could try quoting the law to HR yourselves, but I doubt you'll get anywhere unless they think you'll take action to enforce it.)


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    #5
    ebbsy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,874 ✭✭✭ebbsy


    Ive been the same office for the last 13 years, they close over Xmas and the days are taken out, end of.


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    #6
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,257 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    ebbsy wrote: »
    Ive been the same office for the last 13 years, they close over Xmas and the days are taken out, end of.

    Same as many places - I think my sister has to use at least a quarter of her annual entitlement for when her office closes during the year - but I think the issue here is the lack of notice that was given.


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