[shammy davis jnr]

first time i think i am going to have to lay off a few staff what is the law on this as its just down to weather and not being able to get near the work they have had there holiday pay over xmas and stuff but the cash is running low for next weeks wages can you just lay them off due to weather
the sum is minus six degrees =no work getting done=no wages coming in =plenty off work to do when weather ok but will take a few weeks to get back on track so think i need to lay two off
any help plz yours shammy davis

[Ian Lancaster]

Contact Dept of Work and Pensions, look on government website, make sure what the regulations are first, or you leave yourself open to all sorts of problems.(Employment tribunals etc)

[shammy davis jnr]

will phone acas ian was just wondering what the genral lay off the land is
thanks  if anyone has had to do this plz post back

[dave0123]

My lad has just been asked to be saked  : the day before christmas eve so he could get dole..

Couldn't belive it 

[shammy davis jnr]

hey this is where you wish you were a one man band again lol  but when you have to find £1800 a week just for wages its a difrent story
should become a baker then i can eat my mistakes

[shammy davis jnr]

wow dave thats a result at this time of year our was he one off the few that was a good un
i had a guy working for 80 quid aweek after the court arrested his wage for a loan and then the csa got him  was a good worker though but could not aford to work though thought i had heard it all
i must be old school /our less tollarant these days you dont work you dont eat end off unless your employed then its a diffrent story lol

[dave0123]

He started out good then just went to slow and too many mistakes i was thinking of getting rid anyway but after christmas i have a heart 

But over the last month he was complaining of needing more hours then taking a day off a week with silly excuses like, my girlfriend has the runs i need to look after the baby, another one was he had a dodgy curry lol and others oh hes gone christmas shopping we started late one day and he just decided to go shopping.

So he had been looking to be sacked on purpose in my eyes then day before christmas eve he basicly asked to be saked lol through a txt .. he only worked 5 months.

But on the other hand it has saved me a job as its not nice sacking people anyway but he was  a joke could not stay awake for 1 day used to fall sleep between every job lmao.

id blame it on youngsters but im only 24 



Dave

[daz1977]

sammy

what contract are they on,  is it 16 or 40, or no contract at all, and you only pay them when they work

i am sure that you can not sack them with out notice, un less it is gross misconduct,

if there contract is only 16 hours lay them off for a few weeks, and you only have to pay them for the 16 hours, or you can make them take holidays if they have any way but u still have to pay them

i am sure that you can go on reduced hours, but you need there agreement to do it

how long are you looking at finishing them up for

[shammy davis jnr]

there on forty hours but have no contract one been with me a year and the other 2 months but both books in  ,so they will have some rights i was thinking of a weeks notice

[daz1977]

check weather its a weeks notice or 1 months notice,  with them not having a contract, it might get tricky,  i use to just employ a lad on cash in hand and he was fully aware no work no pay,  but he as happy with that, as it was just beer money to him,  r u just laying them off because of weather, or just want rid of them

[williamx]

I do not think that you can just lay them off without some form of payment to them, normally their minimum hours times it by their hourly rate, that they normally work.

If you are short on cash and there is not enough work to go around, then I would get them to canvass for new work (pay them a bonus if you want) charge double on the first cleans and get them to clean them as they get theml.

Meanwhile you can clean the regular work that will bring some much needed cash.

[Murdie window cleaning]

My last job was as a store manager in retail, we used to employee staff on a zero hour contract. This meant no one had set hours per week, so if we were busy or short staffed then I would up there hours to 40+ hours per week, but during quiet spells they in theory could and sometimes would get zero hours untill things picked up. Also if there was someone I wanted to get rid of I would cut there hours down so they would end up leaving.

But I think if you keep them on the same work pattern for 12 consecutive weeks(same hours and days of the week) then this became there asumed contracted hours and if they were aware of this I couldn't change there work pattern without allot of hassle(thankfully I never let this happen)

[daz1977]

normally to finish some one up, you can just give them 3 months notice, or 3 months wages as a payment to sod off,   but like pure hydro said, get them out knocking, 

[matt]

there on forty hours but have no contract one been with me a year and the other 2 months but both books in  ,so they will have some rights i was thinking of a weeks notice

the lack of contract will often work in the workers favour

they can tell a tribunal that they had this and that on a verbal contract

my brother works in law and deals with alot of contract disputes

[davids3511]

There is a standard government supplied contract that comes into force if the employee is working for 3 months without a contract being supplied. After 3 months it is assumed he is on the standard gov contract.

[daz1977]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/EmploymentContractsAndConditions/index.htm

have a look at this you might find it helpful,  i cant find any thing on it about a standard contract,  only that they should have a written conformation of there terms etc with in 2 months of starting

[The Jester of Wibbly]

If you are behind on work, I am sure you will need them again after the cold snap.  It wont last long and every day.

I would have a chat with them, and explain you my have to lay them off, unless they are happy to take a couple of unpaid weeks off. 

Other than that, get them out door knocking, and then cleaning during the better hours of the day.  There are not many times we are unable to clean, or we would all be out of business by now.   

On another note, you could always  manage their performance, then mange them out.  set them new customer targets, and cleaining targets based on the possible hours they are able do the job. 

[cozy]

IMHO, I don't think I would send out anyone doorknocking. 2 reasons really. first, most guys are scared stiff of rejection at the door, and second, would you trust someone to say the right things to a potential custy, and what impression do the potential custies get of your firm?

What about having them work while YOU go and find more work? Just a thought.