New Starter on 24-hour Temp Contract

[favata001g]

Hi all,

I am due to start my new role on a 24-hour fixed term temp contract at ****** DO. My induction is Croydon MC on Monday 18th March and I'll be in the office on Tuesday 19th. My DO has not yet gone through modernisation and probably won't for another year I've heard. There are a couple of things I want to understand......

1. How likely is it that I'll have my contract renewed? (my contract is pretty blunt about the end of my contract being due to me probably not being needed any more)
2. How does overtime pay work? Is it normal hourly rate up to 39/40 hours and then a different (higher/lower) rate after? If so how much?
3. I understand 1/4 walk o/t is paid 1.5 hours, 1/2 walk o/t is paid 3 hours and a 3/4 walk o/t is paid 4.5 hours. Is it still the same for me because I'm PT on 24 hrs?
4. How long will it be before I get my own walk, if at all?
5. I'll only be riding a bicycle (no shared vans are used yet), so how long realistically should a round last?
6. My hours are 10:00-14:48 so will I have a bag ready as soon as I get into work?

I just want to be thorough and fully prepared! Any help would be much appreciated, THANKS!

[SP115]

I started on the same contract as you in late Nov' last yr, I'll try and help best I can..

Hi all,

I am due to start my new role on a 24-hour fixed term temp contract at ********** DO. My induction is ******* MC on Monday 18th March and I'll be in the office at ***** on Tuesday 19th. **** Do has not yet gone through modernisation and probably won't for another year I've heard. There are a couple of things I want to understand......

1. How likely is it that I'll have my contract renewed? (my contract is pretty blunt about the end of my contract being due to me probably not being needed any more)

Cant say for certain as I often wonder the same thing, But from asking all the oldies at my DO, They all pretty much say if your reliable etc your contract will be re-newed.

2. How does overtime pay work? Is it normal hourly rate up to 39/40 hours and then a different (higher/lower) rate after? If so how much?

Your hourly rate changes when you go over 24 hrs to allow for the additional D2D payments ie the same as the FT's (I think thats how it works) But only up untill 40(?) hrs then it goes back to standard, Could be wrong again there though

3. I understand 1/4 walk o/t is paid 1.5 hours, 1/2 walk o/t is paid 3 hours and a 3/4 walk o/t is paid 4.5 hours. Is it still the same for me because I'm PT on 24 hrs?

Hmm, No idea. We generally get 50 mins OT per loop taken.

4. How long will it be before I get my own walk, if at all?

Depends on the DO but more than likely a long long time.

5. I'll only be riding a bicycle (no shared vans are used yet), so how long realistically should a round last?

No idea, P&L was already introduced when I started.

6. My hours are 10:00-14:48 so will I have a bag ready as soon as I get into work?

That's the theory, Yes. Whether that'll happen or not is anyones guess

Sorry I couldn't of been more help buddy, http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=27513 < is certainly worth a read!


Oh, You might want to remove the location of your DO from the OP

[favata001g]

Thanks for your help!! Would be nice to get an idea of how overtime pay works from someone in an office like mine (that hasn't been modernised yet)

Also does that mean your contract must have just been renewed. How long before did you know it was going to happen?

[SP115]

Forgot to say I'm on a 6month 24hr contract, Not heard anything yet about renewal.

[favata001g]

Oh ok fair enough! How many hours are you doing per week. I ideally want to do 40+ is this realistic?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

2. How does overtime pay work? Is it normal hourly rate up to 39/40 hours and then a different (higher/lower) rate after? If so how much?
Your hourly rate changes when you go over 24 hrs to allow for the additional D2D payments ie the same as the FT's (I think thats how it works) But only up untill 40(?) hrs then it goes back to standard, Could be wrong again there though

Nearly you've got it right except after 39 hours it goes up for the next 10 hours to about 1 1/6 (IIRC) then it goes down after that to less than the standard hourly rate.

[SP115]

Oh ok fair enough! How many hours are you doing per week. I ideally want to do 40+ is this realistic?

I generally do 35-40, I'd be doing 50/60 if they had there way , Have to refuse OT a lot as I refuse to live there lol.

I think you'll get the hours you need mate, If your driving you could ask if you can get onto Collections if you need a lot of OT.

2. How does overtime pay work? Is it normal hourly rate up to 39/40 hours and then a different (higher/lower) rate after? If so how much?
Your hourly rate changes when you go over 24 hrs to allow for the additional D2D payments ie the same as the FT's (I think thats how it works) But only up untill 40(?) hrs then it goes back to standard, Could be wrong again there though

Nearly you've got it right except after 39 hours it goes up for the next 10 hours to about 1 1/6 (IIRC) then it goes down after that to less than the standard hourly rate.

Cheers fella, They dont make it simple for us new-starter's ey? I didn't know if I was coming or going at first

[favata001g]

Thanks TBT, so just to clarify, i'm on 24 hour contract, so up to 39 hours i get paid exactly the same per hour, then from 40-50 hours i get paid 1.167 x my hourly rate, and then after 50 hours it starts to become not worth the O/T because I'd be getting paid less than my hourly rate?

And my cousin works at the same office and he's been there for 7 years now, will this help my cause for contract renewal at all if he's got a decent relationship with the DOM and the union rep? Apparently the union rep isn't happy that Im getting a 24-hour contract as he wants me on 30. How can I approach anybody about getting my contracted hours increased? I intend to work lots of overtime and i live very locally so punctuality wont be an issue.....

[crazyshrew]

Hi all,


1. How likely is it that I'll have my contract renewed? (my contract is pretty blunt about the end of my contract being due to me probably not being needed any more)
i'd say very likely, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't had it renewed

2. How does overtime pay work? Is it normal hourly rate up to 39/40 hours and then a different (higher/lower) rate after? If so how much?
yup normal hourly rate up to 39 hrs plus the delivery supplement pro rata for the hrs. not sure what the over 39hrs rate is

3. I understand 1/4 walk o/t is paid 1.5 hours, 1/2 walk o/t is paid 3 hours and a 3/4 walk o/t is paid 4.5 hours. Is it still the same for me because I'm PT on 24 hrs?
Thats how we do it in our office- 1.5 hrs a row (roughly 1/4 a walk) other offices may vary

4. How long will it be before I get my own walk, if at all?
how long is a piece of string? that all depends on how long the more senior folk stay with RM. most likely you'll be covering peeps rest days/sickdays/holidays so you could be on a different walk every day. or you may get lucky like I have covering walks long term (because they are vacant or maternity leave etc)

5. I'll only be riding a bicycle (no shared vans are used yet), so how long realistically should a round last?
In theory 3.5 - 4 hrs. you WILL take longer as you settle in to things and learn each walk (there are almost always some letterboxes, or whole houses, that will take an age to find)

6. My hours are 10:00-14:48 so will I have a bag ready as soon as I get into work?
in theory yes, although you may have a little finishing off tasks to do

I just want to be thorough and fully prepared! Any help would be much appreciated, THANKS!

[favata001g]

Thanks Crazyshrew! Just a little nervous about having to go through 7 contract renewals before they make me permanent after 2 years, which i believe they have to do now! I've had a few different jobs, and having 2 cousins in RM that have done it a long time, I'm confident it's going to be the perfect move for me, finally! But this whole 24-hour temp contract thing seems a bit silly! They should just make people permanent but have a 3/6 month probationary period....

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thanks TBT, so just to clarify, i'm on 24 hour contract, so up to 39 hours i get paid exactly the same per hour, then from 40-50 hours i get paid 1.167 x my hourly rate, and then after 50 hours it starts to become not worth the O/T because I'd be getting paid less than my hourly rate?.

In essence yes - but up to 39 hours it will appear on your pay chit as different pay rates to take into account the supplement.

And my cousin works at the same office and he's been there for 7 years now, will this help my cause for contract renewal at all if he's got a decent relationship with the DOM and the union rep? .

It might - BUT it SHOULDN'T - its best if you start your relationship with the DOM and rep on your own merits not on your cousins - be guided by him but if you rely on his relationship with them it could upset others in the office.

Apparently the union rep isn't happy that Im getting a 24-hour contract as he wants me on 30. How can I approach anybody about getting my contracted hours increased? I intend to work lots of overtime and i live very locally so punctuality wont be an issue.....

Your rep is the best one to this so follow their guidance - he wont be unhappy with you, but with management and he will have to make the case to management. Its unlikely you personally will be able to get it increased so best to just work as hard and as reliably as possible. Hours are usually only increased if there are vacancies or a change in duties, and then within certain rules.

[favata001g]

Ok great cheers. Yeah he's not happy with the DOM for advertising for just a 24-hour position. He's aware i want to work pretty much full-time hours so we'll just wait and see. I've heard the rep is around a fair bit so hopefully should get to meet him soon after i start