Rate of Pay: Part-time workers are entitled to the same basic hourly rate of
pay (for doing the same job) as full-time workers. Re. bonus pay or shift allowances,
they are entitled to the same benefits as their full-time counterparts, but
will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, if applicable.
Promotion: Both Part-time and full time workers are given the same rights and
access to opportunities, when it comes to promotions.
Reorganisation of hours: When Companies operate a system
of flexible working patterns/ similar schemes, part-time workers are to be
treated favourably.
Overtime: Part-time workers will only receive additional
overtime payments if their working hours total more than the normal full-time
hours. Whilst they would receive their usual hourly rate for the additional
hours they have worked, (if the hourly rate increases for overtime hours),
they would be entitled to the higher rate, once they had worked over the equivalent
of normal full-time hours.
Share Option Schemes/Profit Sharing: Part-time workers are
entitled to participate in any share option or profit sharing schemes. The
benefits received would be paid on a pro rata basis to those received by full-time
staff.
Sick Pay/Maternity Pay: when it comes to contractual sick
pay or maternity pay, part time workers are treated equally as full time staff,
on a pro rata basis.
For example, if an employee is entitled to a week’s full-pay on sick
leave after 6 months service, for up to a month of absence and they work 3
days a week, then they’ll be entitled to receive their full 3 days pay
per week of sick pay for the duration of their absence up to a month, once
they have worked for the company for the qualifying period.
Access to occupational pensions: Part-time workers are given
the same access to their company’s occupational pension scheme as full-time
workers. This came about due to many part-time workers being female, on grounds
for sexual discrimination, if access to pensions was only granted to full-time
staff.
Access to training: Companies hold legal responsibility to offer same level
of career development, assistance and training to part-time staff as well
as full-time workers.
Annual Leave, Maternity / Paternity Leave: Company’s
contractual leave entitlement has to be same for both, part-time and full-time
workers on a pro rata basis, ie. if Company offers a career break of, 2 years,
after 4 years of service, a part-time worker must be entitled to the same.
Other issues covered by the regulations include redundancy, public/bank holidays
and other benefits, ie. health insurance, company cars, staff discounts and
subsidised mortgages, etc.
