Daylight saving: What happens if you are working through the night of the changeover?

Sunday, 29 September 2019

Twice a year, every year, people are thrown off by the clock either losing or gaining an hour because of daylight saving.

It kicked in at 2am on Sunday morning, forcing clocks forward an hour. Sunday was chosen as the day for the changeover because fewer people are working, reducing the impact on workers and employers.

But what happens if you are one of the few working through the night of the changeover?

Under the 1974 Time Act, when a person ends up working less than they normally would because of daylight saving, their pay should be 'equal to the amount of the pay and allowances for the hours he would otherwise have worked'.

**READ MORE:

Twice a year, every year, people are thrown off by the clock either losing or gaining an hour because of daylight saving.

* Shift worker angry at extra hour's work for daylight saving

* Time's up: Should we end daylight saving in New Zealand?

* Daylight saving: How to cope with those summer nights**

This might not be complicated for a salaried worker, but what about shift workers?

If you're contracted to work 12am to 8am, when daylight saving kicks in, skipping an hour, you would have worked seven hours. Some shift workers may be asked to come in an hour early or stay back an extra hour to do eight hours.

E tu union head of aviation, Savage said after pay rates the biggest issue for aviation workers was roster stability and decreasing fatigue, both of which were highlighted during daylight saving changes.

Cows head to the milking shed at the same time each day so daylight saving can be a little confusing.

Although, he said in the greater scheme of things, it was only a small adjustment that happened twice a year.

Council of Trade Unions president Richard Wagstaff said he had not heard of shift workers having to work an extra hour to complete their total rostered shift hours when the clock ticked an hour ahead.

'If you're technically working a shorter shift, you shouldn't have to lose out on pay even if you're a shift worker,' Wagstaff said.

Have you had to work an extra hour? Get in touch anuja.nadkarni@stuff.co.nz

British-born Kiwi, George Vernon Hudson, who first advocated for daylight saving.

First Union southern secretary Paul Watson said while had had not come across any complaints from shift workers having to work an extra hour to make up for lost time, he said the only impact it had was on their circadian rhythm.

'I think just like most of us, shift workers would mostly be affected by changes in sleeping patterns.'

Federated Farmers spokesman Chris Lewis said starting an hour later affected working with cows.

'It's not a difficult adjustment, it's just that cows are creatures of habit and know time so they'll be waiting around for you if you're late.'

Earlier this year the European parliament voted to scrap daylight saving by 2021.

The idea was thought of by British-born Kiwi George Hudson, but New Zealand adopted it about 32 years later.

But a 1928 act reduced the advance to half-an-hour.

'Summer Time', as it was known, stopped in 1945 when New Zealand standard time was advanced permanently by half-an-hour.

It was revived in 1974 and in 2008, the daylight saving was extended from the last Sunday in September to the first week in April.

A survey that year found more than 80 per cent of Kiwis approved, including just over half of dairy farmers.