Working Hours, Conditions & Other Arrangements

We want our colleagues to feel as though they can be their true self at work and our appearance is a way in which we can express our personality and beliefs. This policy seeks to strike a balance between celebrating our individuality, whilst ensuring we positively represent ourselves and our co-op through a professional, neat, tidy and clean appearance. 

We trust our colleagues know what’s appropriate for their role, so this section only outlines the key principles which apply across our co-op. Any further specific requirements which apply to your role will be advised to you by your line manager.

Do I have to wear a uniform?

The majority of our colleagues work in roles where they’re required to wear a uniform. If this is the case for your role, we’ll let you know and provide you with your uniform. It’s your responsibility to keep it clean and tidy. We also ask our colleagues to wear a name badge, where provided.

Did you know you may be able to claim tax relief from the HMRC for the cost of cleaning your uniform? Visit Check if you can claim flat rate expenses for uniforms, work clothing and tools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for further information.

My appearance reflects my faith, beliefs, or cultural or ethnic background. Is this okay?

Certain clothing, hairstyles / grooming, jewellery etc. may be associated with different faiths, belief, cultures or ethnic backgrounds. We fully support this, as long as it doesn’t pose a hazard to yourself or anyone else at work, or otherwise contradicts any other information in this section.

What shoes should I wear?

Where safety footwear is not a requirement, the most important thing is that your footwear is:

• Safe - enclosed toe & heel, flat sole and sufficient tread for grip
• Comfortable and appropriate for your work tasks and environment
• Clean and presentable

We do not require any specific colour of footwear (except where specifically provided as part of our uniform). However, open-toed shoes, sandals and flip flops are not considered suitable for the workplace for reasons of health and safety.

When is footwear provided?

Footwear is provided where it is required as part of your uniform or for safety requirements (for example, in our Funeral business). Recognising that footwear worn by our colleagues in Food stores could be subject to a higher degree of wear and tear, there is an option for colleagues to order a basic pair of boots for / through work - please speak to your line manager.

Is there anything else I should know?

• Health and Safety – The safety of yourself and others is our top priority. For this reason, any clothing, jewellery, accessories etc., which may create a health and safety risk, should not be worn at work.
• Personal Grooming and Hygiene – All colleagues should follow high standards of personal hygiene and grooming. Some colleagues, like those working in our bakeries, should pay particular attention to the cleanliness of their hands and nails. This means not wearing any wrist or hand jewellery and avoiding nail paint / polish or artificial nails.
• Consideration for Others – Colleagues should not wear or have on display any item of clothing, jewellery, body art or tattoos which are likely to cause offence or be provocative, or otherwise considered inappropriate to our co-op’s public image.

What is flexible working?

Flexible working describes a range of employment options designed to help colleagues manage and enjoy work, as well as their lives away from it. It’s a broad term and can cover lots of different scenarios, but it typically means working arrangements which are different to those which currently exist. These are some examples of flexible working:

• Reducing contractual hours
• Different working pattern
• Working compressed hours
• Different work location

Additionally, our co-op considers requests for career breaks and job-shares as part of our flexible working arrangements for colleagues.

Who can make a flexible working request?

Any colleague employed by our co-op. There’s lots of reasons why someone may benefit from flexible working, including:

• Childcare (child/grandchild).
• Carer for relative/friend/neighbour.
• Education/study.
• Volunteering (e.g. local charity).
• Transport/travel issues.
• Domestic/personal circumstances (e.g. relocation, relationship breakdown, etc.).
• Health issues (and to support regular treatment for health issues).

It’s important to recognise that you don’t need to have a particular reason for requesting flexible working though. You might request this because you think this will enable you to better manage your physical and mental health and wellbeing, for example.

When can I request flexible working?

Colleagues can request this at any point during their employment with us. It can also be agreed during recruitment (for example, as part of the offer process). However, if you have already made two flexible working requests in the previous 12 months, you do not have the right to make a further request. That said, if this applies to you and your circumstances have changed, please discuss this with your line manager.

How do I make an application?

By logging into Zellis Employee Self Service (Your Working Arrangements > Flexible Working Request). The form will ask you the following:

• How you want to work flexibly (i.e. the changes you are requesting) and when you would like them to commence.
• Any reasons behind your request.
• Whether you’ve made any other flexible working requests in the last 12 months.

Once submitted, this form will go to your line manager.

How long does this process take from start to finish?

We’ll always consider your request in as timely a manner as possible. However, as explained later on, some requests are more straightforward to consider than others. We have two months from receipt of your application to provide you with an outcome, including any appeals process (unless we mutually agree in writing to extend this period for any reason). Whilst we would not expect the vast majority of requests should take this long to consider, we’d always advise you to make your request as soon as possible.

What should I think about when making a flexible working request?

If your flexible working request is accepted, this will result in a variation to your terms and conditions of employment. This will be a permanent change (unless otherwise agreed) and you would not have the right to revert back to your previous contract / working arrangements thereafter. Therefore, we’d advise you give careful consideration to your request and any financial implications it may have, if accepted.

What happens after I’ve submitted my request?

You’ll be invited to attend a flexible working consultation meeting. This will usually be held by your line manager as they’ll be best placed to consider your request, but we reserve the right for the meeting to be held by someone else. You’ll be given advance notice of the meeting arrangements via Zellis ESS. The purpose of the meeting is to further explore your request and how this could be accommodated. It’s a good opportunity for you to provide further details and for the manager to fully understand your situation.

I’d like to be accompanied at my flexible working consultation meeting.

You have the right to be accompanied at your flexible working consultation meeting, either by a work colleague or a trade union representative. If you're a trade union representative yourself, you may be accompanied by an area organiser or a full-time trade union official. The companion may speak at the flexible working consultation meeting on your behalf, but they’re not allowed to answer questions for you, address the meeting if you do not wish them to, or prevent the manager from speaking. You should let us know the details of your companion as soon as possible, and no later than the day before any meeting. We reserve the right to refuse to accept an individual as a companion in the event that there is an unreasonable conflict of interest, or unwarranted expense or time delay would be incurred. If you choose to be accompanied, it's your responsibility to ensure that you communicate directly with your trade union or work colleague regarding representation, including details of the meeting and making them aware of / providing them with copies of any associated paperwork. If your companion is not available to attend the meeting, you can suggest another date as long as it is not more than five calendar days after the date originally proposed by us. If they’re unable to attend in person please speak with the manager or the People Team as arrangements might be able to be made for them to access the meeting remotely (for example, via Microsoft Teams or Zoom).

When do I hear about the outcome?

If your request is quite straightforward for the manager to consider, you might know the outcome within the flexible working consultation meeting. In other cases, the manager may need to go away and further consider this (e.g. look at rotas and availability of work), so you’ll be advised of the outcome at a later date. Sometimes you might be asked to attend another meeting if your line manager feels that there are further details they need to explore with you to make a decision. In any event, we will always endeavour to provide you with an outcome in as timely a manner as possible.

Won’t my request be automatically approved?

Whilst we'll do our best to accommodate your request, there may be circumstances which mean we’re unable to meet your request in its entirety (or at all). The manager will consider things like impact on customer service or the branch / department’s performance, volume of work and the ability to recruit (as examples) in reaching their outcome. Where we're unable to meet your request, we'll always try to work with you to find a mutually suitable agreement or compromise.

To help encourage flexible working at our co-op, any manager who feels they may not be able to accommodate a request is required to discuss the circumstances with a peer (i.e. another manager) to see if they can offer any ideas or suggestions as to how the request could be supported. The final decision is ultimately that of the manager who is handling the request.

How is the outcome confirmed to me?

The outcome of your flexible working request will be confirmed to you via Zellis ESS. Where your original request is agreed (or an otherwise mutually acceptable agreement is reached), this will detail confirmation of:

• The agreed changes.
• The implementation / effective date.
• That these changes are considered permanent (unless otherwise agreed) and you do not have the right to revert back to your previous contract / working arrangements thereafter.

Where a change to your Contract of Employment arises as a result (e.g. reduction in contracted hours), you will also subsequently receive an amendment to your Contract of Employment.

If your request is declined, we'll also let you know via Zellis ESS. This will set out the manager’s grounds for refusing your application and provide explanation as to why they apply in the circumstances. The reasons for refusing a flexible working request include:

• Extra costs that will damage the business.
• The work cannot be reorganised among other colleagues.
• People cannot be recruited to do the work.
• Flexible working will affect quality and performance.
• The business will not be able to meet customer demand.
• There’s a lack of work to do during the proposed working times.
• The business is planning changes to the workforce.

If your request is refused, you'll be advised of your right of appeal.

Can I, or my manager, suggest a trial of the flexible working arrangements?

Yes. This is sometimes a good idea to give you both an idea of how the arrangements might work in practice. However, this is something which would need to be mutually agreeable to you both (i.e. this might not be something the business can accommodate for the reasons listed above). If a trial is agreed, the arrangements for this, including the date it is to be reviewed will be confirmed. Your Contract of Employment will only be varied for the duration of the trial period and you will have no right to continue the revised working arrangements beyond this time.

Can I appeal if my flexible working request is declined?

Yes. If you do want to appeal, you must do so within 7 calendar days of receiving the outcome letter, setting out your grounds for appeal. You should submit your appeal via Zellis Employee Self Service (Your Working Arrangements > Flexible Working Appeal).

What does the appeal process entail?

The details of your request and your line manager’s outcome will be passed on to another manager for them to review. The appeal manager will be allocated by the business and, wherever reasonably possible, will not have been involved in the process to date and will be senior to the manager who made the original decision. You’ll be asked to attend an appeal hearing with this manager, for them to discuss your request and appeal in further detail. As with your flexible working meeting, you’ll have the right to be accompanied at your appeal hearing by a work colleague or trade union representative.

Following the appeal hearing, and further to any appropriate investigations, the manager will consider:

• Whether the outcome was appropriate and fair in the circumstances.
• Whether any new information has been submitted that may have altered the original decision.
• Whether the information available supports the original decision.
• Whether our policies and procedures have been correctly and fairly followed.
• What you would like as an outcome (although, ultimately, the decision will be the appeal hearing managers). 

Further to due consideration, you’ll receive an appeal outcome in writing. This will explain what the appeal manager has considered and whether they uphold your appeal or your line manager’s original decision.

If your appeal is upheld and your flexible working request is agreed, you'll receive written confirmation of:

• The agreed changes.
• The implementation / effective date.
• That these changes are considered permanent (unless otherwise agreed) and you do not have the right to revert back to your previous contract / working arrangements thereafter.

If the original decision is upheld and your flexible working request is refused, the appeal manager will set out why the business grounds (outlined earlier in this section) apply in the circumstances. You only have the right to appeal against a flexible working outcome, so the formal process is exhausted once you have received your appeal outcome.

I made a flexible working request but I don’t need these arrangements anymore. Can I withdraw my request?

If you haven’t already had an outcome to your request, you can contact your line manager to provide the revised details of your request or to withdraw this altogether. The details of your revised request should be made in writing, but we will accept and process both verbal and written requests to withdraw your application. Furthermore, we will consider your request as withdrawn if, without reasonable cause, you either:

• Fail on two separate occasions to attend your flexible working or appeal meeting.
• Refuse to provide us with information we need to assess your flexible working request.

If your flexible working request is withdrawn, we will confirm this in writing to you. If your request has already been agreed, then you do not have the right to revert back to your previous contract / working arrangements. You can make a further flexible working request in the future, as long as this doesn’t exceed a total of two requests in a 12 month period. That said, if this applies to you and your circumstances have changed, please discuss this with your line manager.

We want to support our colleagues to do their best work, have a good work/life balance, work flexibly whilst staying connected and get the job done. Your expectations about what work looks like has changed over the years due to the pandemic and we’ve listened to your feedback. We know that choice and flexibility are important to you and that what works for some won’t work for others.

The purpose of this policy is to set out guidelines to keep the good bits of agile working whilst looking at how our office space can support everyone to stay connected and work in their best way. This policy won’t work for everyone and won’t be available to everyone. It will depend on the kind of role you do, the part of the business you work in and the level of supervision you need in your role  as well as looking at any minimum levels of physical cover required as well as the technology and environment you have available to you.

What is Agile Working?

Agile working gives both our co-op and you more choice over deciding how, when and where you work in a way that balances the needs of our co-op, your team and yourself. It offers a mix of working remotely, in an office environment, in a store or at home. Where, when and how you choose to work might depend on the task you are doing and the kind of role you have. Agile working is not replacing our Flexible Working policy so if you are looking to permanently change your work location, work pattern or the hours you work please use the Flexible Working policy instead.

Key principles of Agile Working

• It is open to everyone who has a suitable role regardless of length of service.
• We will make sure that you have the right technology and equipment to support you to work in this way.
• Your performance will be evaluated on the impact you have and the outcomes you deliver.
• Agile working should not impact the level or quality of service to customers or your colleagues.
• We will continue to provide safe office spaces for you to collaborate and connect with each other.
• There will be times when being on site is crucial, such as when you first start working at our co-op, have started a new role, for training or for face-to-face meetings.  This may also include times when you are needed to collaborate with different departments or managers.  Your line manager will define when you are required to be on site.

Some key things to remember about Agile Working

• Agile working will not be available for those who need to be on site to do their jobs.
• Working in this way will not change your contractual terms and conditions of employment in respect of working hours or normal location of work; it’s an informal arrangement that may be changed depending on business needs.
• The expenses you can claim will be unchanged.
• It’s not the same as a flexible working agreement. If you want to make a more permanent change to your hours, location, place of work and/or hours of work/working pattern, you will need to request this separately through our Flexible Working policy.
• Your manager will work with you to explore how agile working could work for you and your team based on the needs the business, the needs of your role and your preferences.
• Given that we have lots of meeting rooms and access to Microsoft Teams, we do not feel it’s appropriate or necessary, on health and safety grounds, to allow meetings to be held in colleague’s homes. A more informal meeting may be held in a coffee shop or restaurant; however, if it’s more formal where confidential or sensitive topics may be discussed, we would recommend booking a meeting room or meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams.  If you choose to hold a meeting off site and costs are incurred, this will be at your own expenses unless prior approval has been sought from your Head of Department.

Working Hours and Keeping in Touch

We want you to be able to flex the times you work so you can balance your home life around the needs of your role. We trust you to manage your own time and make sure you do the hours you are contracted to do. However, there are some important things you need to be aware of:

• You should expect to make yourself available to others during reasonable working hours when you are needed by your team or other teams/departments. The definition of reasonable working hours will vary from team to team and will be defined by your line manager.
• We may ask you to be available at certain times to meet the needs of the business, to physically be in the office/another site to collaborate or attend training.
• We may ask you to work a certain number of shifts per week/month at your base location.
• Flexing your working times should not result in extra work for other members of the team or compromise the objectives of your team.
• You won’t be entitled to any overpayments or overtime if you choose to work unsociable hours or more hours than you are contracted to do unless this has been agreed by your line manager in advance.
• We understand working in this way can help you balance your home and work life, however, agile working is not suited as a way of managing Emergency Leave or for long term childcare/pet care as it could have a significant impact on your ability to carry out your day-to-day role.

Equipment and Environment

• It is important for us to know that wherever you are working from, you have the equipment and environment you need to do your job well and that you are safe, well and comfortable. If you are setting yourself up to working remotely or at home, you will need to complete the Display Screen Equipment assessment form on Zellis Employee Self Service. This will take you through a workstation self-assessment to help you make sure that your place of work is safe, supportive, free from risk and that any access to confidential information or data is treated with care.
• Colleagues working remotely or at home must ensure they have a secure, private and appropriately lit and heated space to work in, with a reliable and secure internet connection.
• The times you work from a public space should be kept to a minimum however in the rare circumstances that you are working from a public place, please be mindful of any potential confidentiality or IT security risks.
• If you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments to be made to your workstation whether in the office or in another location, please let your line manager know.
• If any equipment gets lost, damaged or stolen, you will need to let your line manager know as soon as possible
• When working from one of our co-op offices or sites, please make sure that you know how to evacuate the building in the case of an emergency and that you have completed the fire safety training assigned to you.
• If you need any extra equipment to help you do your job or have any technical or supportive equipment requirements, please discuss these with your line manager before ordering.

Your Wellbeing

We know that for many of you, working in this way can boost your wellbeing, however there are still some important things for you to be aware of:

• It can be easy to lose track of time and work more hours than you usually would when working remotely. It is important that to remember to take regular rest breaks; at least 20 consecutive minutes if working for 6 hours or more and make time to switch off. Working in this way should not significantly change how many hours you usually work.
• Agile working should not be used as a way of carrying on working when you are sick. If you are ill, then you would need to take time off until you have recovered and follow our Absence Policy by calling your line manager.
• Where working for long spells at a screen make sure you take regular breaks away from your screens.
• We know that collaboration, connection and having a sense of belonging can help you stay well.  We encourage you to think about what this means for you and to actively make time to connect with your colleagues. To find out what support we offer visit our Wellbeing section on The Loop.

Costs and Expenses

• Your contractual normal location of work won’t change when you adopt an agile way of working so your entitlement to claim expenses will remain the same. For further information please read our Expenses Policy.  
• We will provide you with workstation and IT equipment that you need to be able to do your job. Just so it’s clear, you won’t be able to claim expenses for any equipment that you buy yourself. All workstation and IT equipment needs to be ordered through our co-op.
• Any costs for Wi-Fi, heating, lighting and electricity and commuting costs to your designated place of work will always be a personal expense in line with HMRC guidelines but you may be able to claim tax relief for working from home.  
• We would advise that you check that there isn’t anything that would prevent you working from home, for example in your mortgage agreement, lease or insurance. You should also get confirmation of cover from your home insurer should work equipment cause any damage to your home.
• If you are a Business Needs Car User and your business mileage reduces significantly as a result of agile working, we may review whether you continue to be eligible for a car. If we do make any changes, we will always give you plenty of notice.

Working outside the UK

There are potentially complex legal and tax implications with working temporarily or permanently overseas, along with associated risks and cost that this presents to the business. Therefore, working overseas, even for a short period will not normally be feasible but please speak to your manager or the People Team for further guidance.

If you need further support

Remember we have GroceryAid who can provide all colleagues, across the business, with support. You can contact them on 08088 021 222.  It’s independent and totally confidential. And there’s no charge for co-op colleagues. If managers need advice, they should contact our Colleague Relations Team.

We encourage flexible working (as above) across our co-op. For some of our colleagues this will mean they’re able to work in different roles within our organisation, whilst for others, this may mean being able to balance other employment alongside their role with us.

What should I do if I want to take another position outside our co-op?

Please speak with your line manager to seek their agreement, letting them know the following:

• The name of the employer.
• What type of business they are.
• What your role will entail.
• Where you’ll be working.
• What your working hours will be.

How will my line manager determine whether to agree or not?

We don’t wish to restrict your ability to earn extra money or explore other career interests. Therefore, we will support other employment providing it doesn’t:

• Interfere with the performance of your role with our co-op.
• Present a potential conflict of interest.
• Result in a breach of Working Time Regulations (see 'Working Time' below).

What about if the other role I want to take on is in our co-op?

You should still speak to your line manager. Whilst there shouldn’t be a conflict of interest, your line manager will still need to check that it won’t interfere with your existing role and there aren’t any working time issues which need to be considered.

Are there any exceptions?

UK employment regulations will always prevail over these arrangements. For example, we have a small number of colleagues on casual / zero-hour contracts (e.g. catering and bar roles in our events business). The above policy does not preclude them from undertaking other employment.

Work is a big part of our daily lives so many of us will have close personal relationships at work, including friendships, relatives and, in some cases, more intimate relationships. Such relationships are important to the individuals involved and we know that emotional connection with others is fundamental to good mental health and wellbeing.

Why is this a work matter?

Normally it won’t be and is a private matter between the colleagues involved. However, for transparency and to protect the interests of the colleagues, there are certain circumstances where this should be disclosed.

When should I disclose a personal relationship, and who to?

You should let your line manager know if you develop a close personal relationship with someone:

• Who you have a line management relationship with (either directly or indirectly).
• Where the nature of your job roles and responsibilities creates an actual or perceived conflict of interest.

If you’re unsure whether your personal relationship falls into the above categories, we’d advise you to disclose the details so advice and guidance can be provided. If, for any reason, you don’t feel able to talk to your line manager about this, then you should speak to a more senior manager or contact the People Team.

What will happen if I disclose a personal relationship?

We will consider what actual and perceived conflicts of interest exist, along with any other relevant factors, when determining what appropriate action should be taken (if any) to resolve the matter in as fair and equitable a manner as possible.  Any course of action is not intended to penalise anyone for being in such a relationship, but is there to ensure fairness (or perceptions of fairness) and to avoid potential tensions that the combination of working and personal relationships can bring. In some cases, it may be appropriate to move one of the colleagues to another position or location so the line-management relationship no longer exists or to otherwise remove (or reduce) the conflict of interest.

What are my responsibilities as a hiring manager?

As a hiring manager, you have a particular responsibility to ensure that any recruitment process you are involved in is fair, transparent and is open to a diverse pool of applicants. As a first step, you should consider whether the potential recruitment of someone you have a close personal relationship with will ‘work’ for you both on a personal and professional level, taking into account the points discussed in this policy. Should someone you have a personal relationship with (e.g. friend, relative or otherwise) apply for the role, then you need to take action to avoid bias (or the perception of bias). This is the case for both internal and external recruitment processes. Such action includes removing yourself from the selection process and asking a peer to undertake this instead. If for any reason this isn’t possible, or you’re otherwise unsure on the best course of action, then you should disclose the nature of your relationship with the candidate to your line manager so you can consider together what steps should be taken to ensure a fair process. Should the person you have a personal relationship with be successfully appointed, you should disclose this to your line manager in accordance with this policy. You can read more about recruitment within our Resourcing policy.

It’s important that we’re there when our members and customers need us. Therefore, we expect colleagues to be ready to start work at the time they’re scheduled to (including when they’re due back from their break). This applies to all colleagues, not just those working in our stores and branches, as the service and support we provide to one another (like in Central Functions and other support roles) is just as important.

Time off in lieu (TOIL) is time off work which is taken at a later date, instead of overtime being paid to eligible colleagues who have worked hours in addition to their contractual hours. To ensure we’re complying with our legal obligations on pay, we will not always be able to provide TOIL as an alternative to pay for hours worked. It will depend on your hourly rate of pay, as well as when you worked the additional hours and plan to take them back. This is because TOIL cannot be used as a substitute for payment where this would result in the actual payment falling below National Living / Minimum Wage requirements. Your line manager may seek further clarification on your eligibility for TOIL from the People Team, if required.

Where TOIL can be provided, there are some principles which will apply:

• TOIL will normally accrue on a like-for-like basis (i.e. 1 hour TOIL for 1 hour worked), but there is discretion to agree TOIL at enhanced rates in lieu of premium overtime rates (i.e. 2 hours TOIL for each hour where double-time would’ve been payable).
• Your line manager will need to approve your accrual of TOIL, as well as when this is taken. They may stipulate to you occasions where you are required to take TOIL.
• TOIL accrued and taken must be recorded on our time and attendance system, Riteq.
• It is generally expected that your TOIL balance shouldn’t be any more than 1 week at any point in time (1 week being equivalent to your weekly contractual hours).
• Unless otherwise agreed, TOIL is not normally transferable when colleagues move to another department / branch within our co-op, nor is payment normally made in lieu of accrued TOIL when a colleague’s employment ends (unless expressly authorised by a Regional Leader or equivalent). Therefore, every effort should be made to take any outstanding TOIL balance as soon as possible, in your current role.
• You won’t normally accrue TOIL for additional hours undertaken outside of your normal working environment (for example, if you travel for work or attend an off-site training event during the course of your normal working day and these hours would be considered your normal working time).

How many hours can I work a week?

The number of hours you’re contracted to work for us will be clear in your contract of employment. However, you may also be asked to work additional hours outside of these. 

Under the Working Time Regulations (1998), there is a limit on the average working weekly time of 48 hours. Average weekly working time is based on a 17-week reference period. Any absence due to holiday, sickness or family leave is still included in the reference period as extra time is added to the total hours worked to compensate for this. If you want to, you are allowed to work more than 48 hours per week, but you’ll need to ‘opt-out’ of the Working Time Regulations. Please contact the People Team to find out more. This can be terminated at any time by providing us with 28 days’ notice in writing. Even if you don’t opt-out, you can still work more than 48 hours in a single week, just not ‘on average’ over the 17-week reference period.

What is considered working time?

Working time is defined as any time you’re working at our disposal and carrying out your activities and duties. For the avoidance of doubt, travelling to and from your normal place of work, lunchbreaks spent at your leisure and any other authorised breaks are not considered working time.

How is working time recorded?

Working hours are recorded within our time and attendance system, Dayforce. In the majority of our workplaces, you will clock in and out using a tablet (or via an app). You should clock in immediately prior to starting work (after you’ve used any rest areas, for example). Likewise, you should clock out as soon as you finish work (prior to using any rest areas or going to your locker, for example). This helps us to have an accurate record of your working hours and to ensure we pay you correctly. Please be assured that when your fingerprint is registered at the clocking machine it's converted and stored in an algorithmic format which cannot be used to recreate your fingerprint.

What breaks am I entitled to?

Daily and weekly rest periods apply to all colleagues, except in some special circumstances. In such circumstances, we will, wherever possible, provide an equivalent period of compensatory rest within a reasonable time period. There may also be specific arrangements regarding breaks which apply in highly regulated roles (for example, within Funeral Services or Security). These will prevail over any other arrangements. Your specific break entitlement will be advised to you by your line manager.

You should let us know if you have other employment (paid or otherwise) so that we can ensure, together, that you’re working in accordance with the Working Time Regulations. Please see 'Other Employment' above for more details.

I’m under 18. Are my working hours different?

If you are under 18 (but over school leaving age), you cannot usually work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Only in exceptional circumstances might these restrictions not apply, and the hours cannot be averaged over a longer period. You’re also required to take different rest breaks, as follows:

• If you work for more than 4.5 hours, you must have a rest break of 30 minutes. This should be taken in one block around the middle of your working day, not at the end.
• You should get 12 hours’ interrupted rest in each 24-hour period you work. However, these 12 hours may be interrupted if your periods of work are split up over the day or don’t last long.
• You must take two consecutive days off each week and this cannot be averaged (e.g. over 2 weeks).

Specific guidance relating to the particular requirements of employing Children & Young Workers is available from the Health & Safety team.

Can I opt out of working Sundays?

All our store colleagues have a statutory right to opt out of Sunday working by giving the appropriate notice period (unless you only work a Sunday). Please note, there is no obligation for us to provide you with alternative working hours to replace your Sunday working hours. If you'd like any further information about Sunday trading and how it affects your employment, then please contact the People Team.

Work-related social may include events which are organised amongst our own team (like Christmas parties), or other work-related events which clients and colleagues are invited to (like award evenings).

Why is this a work matter?

We recognise that these events take place away from work and outside of your normal working hours. Whilst we don’t want to stop anyone having fun, there are certain standards that we all need to adhere to for the protection, comfort and enjoyment of all colleagues (and others) at the event.

What is expected of me at work-related social events?

• We recommend that you consume alcohol only in moderation at work-related social events, irrespective of whether drinks are provided / paid for or not.
• You must not use illegal drugs at any work-related social event, whether on our premises or not.
• Our Dignity at Work policy applies to work-related social events too. For example, colleagues should not say or do anything at a work-related social event that could offend, intimidate, embarrass or upset any other person, whether intended as a joke or otherwise.
• You should not behave in a way that could bring our co-op into disrepute.

How will any problems or issues be addressed?

If you have any concerns about a work-related social event, then please speak with your line manager in the first instance who can investigate and address these, as appropriate. Depending on the severity of the issue, a colleague could be subject to Disciplinary action for behaviour which goes against the principles of this policy (or which is otherwise unacceptable).