20% shift allowance - how is it calculated?

[TheVoice]

This is probably a question I should put to my future employer, but as it's the weekend I might as well ask here as someone might know. I'm starting a new job next month, the salary is obviously stated but it also includes a "20% shift allowance" because I'll be doing early, late and night shifts. My new contract doesn't give specifics, it just says "Your basic salary is £xx per annum plus 20% shift allowance which shall accrue from day to day". It then says "In recognition of the requirement for you to work on a shift pattern a shift allowance is payable in respect of your post. This will be paid in accordance with the rules in place from time to time." Vague!

Is that allowance likely to be 20% of my salary, or 20% of my "hourly rate" for hours worked between specific times? The former seems a bit unlikely to me, but it would be nice!

 

[lurkio]

Worked shifts in 2 companies before

basic salary + 20% of basic salary = total you will get

Do you get paid by the hour or a set salary based on a certain amount of hours worked per week ?

 

[TheVoice]

Cheers, it's a set salary. If it's 20% of my basic salary that's...pretty good! Especially for the public sector.

 

[dowie]

eh - surely it is only going to be 20% of your annual salary if you work an early or late shift every day you work there?

"Your basic salary is £xx per annum plus 20% shift allowance which shall accrue from day to day"

what you've quoted there suggests that you'll get it on a pro rata basis

 

[AHarvey]

You'll probably find that it's 20% on hours worked between something like 10pm and 7am.

I've worked shifts for many companies over the last 18 years and it was never just salary + X%, it was always based on hours they consider to be unsociable.

 

[dowie]

I read it as he'd get a 20% uplift in salary for each day he worked an anti social shift... it wouldn't be worthwhile if that 20% uplift only applied to the first 2 hours of an early shift say

 

[Hulkster]

When I have done this it has been on the basis of total salary. For example I used to do Tuesday to Saturday and for that I got the allowance on top of my total salary; not just the Saturdays.

Bonus etc if applicable however will be calculated on your base salary.

It's not a good deal for anybody if you are only getting 20% extra on specific unsociable hours, but it will be down to the specific employer and what is stated in the contract.

 

[TheVoice]

Guess I'll find out the specifics when I get there then, thanks folks.

 

[Rroff]

Could be all sorts :s we have something similar (30%) but its only paid pro rata for hours worked outside of normal business hours or something like that. (So basically just calculated time and a 3rd).

Sounds like this place is basically doing something like 20% of your salary based on how many applicable shifts you work out of the max possible number of those type of shifts you could work in a given month/year.

 

[Quartz]

Did you not ask this before accepting the job?

 

[TheVoice]

It's 20% of the base salary.