Jeeper

Is it legal for a company to not make you redundant but have you stay at home as there is no work until the next month...and then the next month carry on working as normal.
No pay for the month where there was no work?

Roadking

It's been done on a voluntary basis for up to 6 months. Emirates introduced it last year, I think, where the company offered unpaid leave to allow staff to travel, stay at home, complete studies etc.

Never heard of it done on a month by month basis. I'd say that's totally unreasonable, depending on your industry. If you are commission based and don't generate business, perhaps. But for a full time salaried employee, never heard of it and think it's possibly illegal.

Hello.Kitty

I know companies in the UK who've done it too... I'm not pretending that it's fair, reasonable or even legal, but companies are having to be inventive. Mr Kitty's former company did it too - almost all staff on unpaid leave during August.

The thing to watch out for is if they offer to drop your hours to say 3 days a week - word is that this constitutes an official change to your contract, and so if you accept, there is no guarantee that the company will change you back to full-time when their cash-flow/ business gets better.

lionheart

Didn't Spugsy do something like that? Sort of became a freelance worker from home for the times he wasn't paid.

Jeeper

The thing about it was....the work was expected to start the next month....so it wasn't like unpaid leave until something come up.
it was instead, unpaid leave until this proj starts as we've nothing else for ya.

This was all August last year....went home and made the most of it so not overly concerned but i'm getting massivley ripped off on expenses at present and this August thing just occured to me.
My company is havign it all their own way.

I know a job is a job but how grateful should you be?

Hello.Kitty

I've always worked on the premise that you should be as loyal to your (current) company as they are to you. If they couldn't give a damn, then play your cards close to your chest and start lining up other opportunities, whilst still doing your job to the best of your abilities though.

Jeeper

Leaving soon anyway - just that months salary could come in handy.
Cest la vie.

spart

Didn't British Airways do this with their trolley dollies?

co durham boy

I think it can be construed as un-paid leave but that has to be agreed with both parties.

Your labour contract should state your minimum dues, if it's a commission based contract then i'm not sure.
It doesn't sound very legal from a standard working contract in my opinion but the thing is what is legal here?

Have a closer look at the labour law, not that it will probably do you any good,sounds like you've been shafted.

Good luck

Jeeper

Thing is...back then.....if you'd argued about it you'd just get made redundant and they'd hire some other dude who will work for 2/3rds the salary.....so regardless of laws....you're over a barrel basically....well that was my thinking at the time.

Hello.Kitty

yeah, that's pretty much it.

Unpaid leave should be agreed by both parties, but at the end of the day, if the employer says, "listen, can you take unpaid leave cos otherwise we'll have to let you go", then you'll say "er... hmm, ok then". Tah-daaahhh! Mutual agreement!

Tockalosh

11 months salary tax free out of 12 months has got to better than `12 months work paying tax in the UK so its a bummer and thats about it hey

i-like-tea

In Oman, some sub-contractors use this policy and as said it depends in industry. I think some companies mention this point in the contract.
I think it is because the company has poor management and try to be alive and use this policy. Some of them reduce working hours and overtime.