Youth workers could get more flexibility

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for Youth and Community workers is consulting on a system of flexible working arrangements and time off in lieu (TOIL). This would cover time spent on residential or international activities or other periods away from the normal workplace.

With a policy due to be implemented on 1 April 2009, the JNC has now circulated proposals submitted by the staff side for use in the consultation process. It has also requested details of arrangements for employees working shifts after 11pm, including any health, safety or other related provisions for such work.

The consultation paper acknowledges that the European Working Time Directive applies to residential and international exchange work. It calls for records to be kept and highlights the need for sufficient staffing levels. For most periods of “concentrated working” (eg weekend residential) flexible working and good planning should remove the need for TOIL. But the paper adds that time off from work duty should be counted, including sleep time if overnight.

Earlier research carried out for the youth workers’ union CYWU/Unite found that many employers were only willing to offer 21 hours’ time off in lieu for a 48-hour weekend residential trip, even though workers can potentially be called on at any time to care for the young people they are with.