It is our policy to ensure that employees are compensated for working additional hours by benefitting from Time Off in Lieu (TOIL). It is anticipated that, for the most part, employees will not be required to work more than their contracted number of hours. However, it is recognised that, from time to time, urgent needs arise, or an event is planned that requires additional hours to be worked in the short term. In these circumstances, this policy will apply to assist us in the management of working additional hours and taking of TOIL.
Requirement to Work Additional Hours
If you are requested to work additional hours, the reason for the request will be discussed with you. If the you believe that you will require to work over and above your contracted hours from time to time, the reason should be discussed with the Manager and approval sought to work additional hours. The manager may approve working additional hours or discuss an alternative, which may include providing you with additional support or resources to enable a task to be completed during normal working hours.
Although it is our policy that additional hours must be agreed in advance, it is recognised that there may be a situation such as an emergency where this is not possible. In this case you must contact the manager as soon as possible afterwards to have the time agreed.
The TOIL Policy is not intended to cover short periods of typically 15 minutes or less where there is a delay in leaving the workplace. In these circumstances, we rely on mutual flexibility between employer and employee where an employee will be willing to work some additional time on occasions and, on other occasions where an employee needs to arrive for work a little late or leave a little early, the manager will endeavour to accommodate the employee’s request, provided that sufficient notice is given.
You are normally required to take the TOIL within 28 days of it accruing although some flexibility is available at the manager’s discretion. The time in lieu must be taken at a time agreed by the manager according to service needs. Normally no more than one day at a time will be permitted, at the discretion of the manager.
Record Keeping
To be eligible for TOIL you are required to comply with the recording procedure. Time worked should be recorded by completing and submitting a TIL record via the Team Zone on our web site. A record of all TIL is maintained by the office recording additional hours worked with consent, and TOIL taken.
The requirement to work additional hours should be the exception. If either the employee or the manager believes that a particular employee is working additional hours on a regular basis to complete their normal work requirements, we will investigate the matter with a view to providing the employee with any support required to enable the employee to complete their normal duties within the normal working hours, or amending the working hours by agreement.
This handbook has been prepared by Mark Mason Employment Law Consultancy for the exclusive use of Bumbles Day Care Limited and is not to be made available for use within any other organisation.