Custom & Practice And Contracts

For many years are staff have worked Monday to Friday 9 - 5pm 35 hr week.

Our buisness is growing and means we require them to work occasional Saturdays and evening work say between 6pm - 9pm on occasional evenings and a full Saturday occasionaly.

Staff contracts do state that on occasions staff may be required to work evenings and weekends as and when required.

We have never found it nessasary to envoke this part in the contract for over 5 years but now want to.

Do we need now to consult with our staff explaining that we now want start evening and weekend work to expand our business on a more regular basis. ( we have worked the odd Saturday in the past on a voluntary basis).

What approach should we take with regard the current contracts and changing them or leave them as they are?

We will be putting in a fair rota that will show the Saturday and evening work for all staff but as we want to publish around 4 months in advance we have decided that should any work be cancelled then that member of staff will not work and move to the end of the rota.

All staff that work at the weekend or evening will have the time given back prior to the weekend or after the weekend as we would never want to go over 35 hours per week for any of our staff.

We have currently asked staff to work on a volunteer basis but now with more regular work we want to plan ahead and rota people and this is proving difficult as more and more staff are saying no.

Please let me see your thoughts on this one.