Care workers forced to wait three months for overtime pay

ISLAND Home Care workers are currently facing a wait of 12 weeks before being paid overtime and – as the only Council employees forced to endure such a delay – calls of discrimination are now being heard.

Stornoway Councillor Keith Dodson said: “I do think there is an element of discrimination here as no other council employee has to work 12 weeks before they are paid their overtime.

“I don’t think that it’s fair. Home Care workers shouldn’t have to wait when no one else does.”

Home Care workers were informed of changes with overtime payments in a letter last November which stated that overtime would be calculated quarterly – meaning a wait of 12 weeks before payment is made.

Due to the nature of their job, Home Carers’ overtime can fluctuate from week to week depending on hours works, and as their public holiday, Annual Leave and sick pay entitlements are all worked out on a quarterly basis, a spokesman for the Comhairle explained that: “it seemed reasonable to use the same accounting period for the calculation of overtime.”

Although initially willing to accept the change, Carers have now been further angered with news that their overtime will be paid as an average sum calculated over the 12 week period.

“We’re being robbed big style,” complained one Home Care worker, who did not wish to be named.

“We now feel like we’re volunteers for anything we work over 37 hours as we’re not being paid for it all, only an average. We’re the ones going the extra mile and now we’re getting punished for it.”

Another Home Carer said: “The council say that we shouldn’t be working over 37 hours so it is our own fault, but we can’t leave someone if they need us just to keep within 37 hours.

“A lot of people are feeling so angry about this and we’re not getting answers to our questions from anybody. We just want to know why they are doing this.”

They added: “I won’t strike because I won’t leave an old granny sitting all alone when she needs help. Our job is not a nine-to-five job; we’re Carers, we care for our clients and that doesn’t start at nine in the morning and stop at five o’clock that evening.”

In response to Home Care employee concerns, the Comhairle spokesman detailed the introduction of a new pay structure and revised terms and condition of employment for Home Carers which took place in July last year.

They expanded: “It was agreed that additional hours worked in excess of 37 would be paid at time and one half. This is based on a normal full time working week.

“The only possible method of assessing a normal working week for Home Care workers is to take the average hours worked over an accounting period.

“This revised calculation in relation to overtime is to their advantage as previously they were paid at straight time for all hours worked. All hours worked are paid for at either the rate for the job or premium rates if applicable.”

The authority spokesman did divulge that when first introduced, it was stated that changes to Home Care payments would be subject to review, and added: “A review meeting in relation to overtime is currently outstanding with management, union and personnel representation.

“A working group is currently being set up by the Comhairle to consider the home care services and will include the contractual conditions pertaining to Home Care workers.”

The review of Home Carers’ overtime payments will be welcomed by Cllr Dodson, who said of the current situation: “This really is a money saving exercise and it shouldn’t be.”

He continued: “It is not a fair system and hopefully the union and Social Work directors will sit down and work out an amicable agreement for all involved.

“The Home Care workers on our island do a fantastic job. It’s a specialised industry and carers are the people we need to look after so that they can continue the great caring job that they do,” he added.