- Swansea families plan Christmas on unique new contract which guarantees time off during school holidays for operations employees
- The innovative working pattern has now been expanded and figures show around two thirds of those currently term-time working are mums and grandmothers while dads and grandads make up the other third
Two Swansea parents are among hundreds of Amazon employees in the UK planning their first Christmas after joining the company’s innovative new term-time contract.
Launched earlier this year the contract, which remains a unique UK working option, guarantees time off for the Christmas school holidays, as well as Easter and the longer Summer break, without affecting a comprehensive range of benefits, including private medical insurance and life assurance.
Two-thirds of those who’ve signed up so far are mums and grandmothers. Dads and grandads make up the rest and one is David Brownhill, from Swansea.
David joined Amazon’s Welsh fulfilment centre five years ago following redundancy from a previous role. The single dad, who has twin teenage daughters, says the contract is exactly what his family needs:
“I’m trying to do the best I can for my kids and this flexibility gives me certainty. I can spend the time I need to with them and with life being so busy, it’s one less thing to think about.
“As I’ve got older I’ve become a lot more reflective of the past and the importance of time together. I spent a lot of time away when the children were younger and this contract helps me to make up for that and spend a lot more time together now.”
Based on employee feedback and initially launched in Amazon’s larger fulfilment centres, the contract – which is aimed at better supporting family needs – has now been expanded to include thousands of employees in the company’s network of delivery stations as well.
David said: “We’re looking forward to Christmas and it means a lot to me to be able to plan and make those memories. It’s a stabilising effect, and it helps to give my kids the consistency and wellbeing they really need, so they can focus on what’s important to them.”
Veronica Perez also works at Amazon’s Swansea fulfilment centre and is a mum of three young boys:
“I recently came back from maternity leave and went straight on to a term-time contract – I couldn’t believe it at first. It’s exactly what we needed and it takes a lot of pressure and cost off the family.
“I know I have the security that I’m going to be with my children and I don’t have to search for a holiday club or ask for help from others. This is my first Christmas on the contract and I’m looking forward to spending time with the children; not thinking about who I leave them with, and just enjoying the holiday together.”
A flexible part-time contract, with a minimum of 80 hours per month, is also now available to thousands of additional employees following its launch earlier this year. Amazon Anytime lets employees pick and mix the shifts which suit their needs; part-day or full-day, day or night, weekday or weekend. The contract is also aimed at supporting people who are unable to find work due to family or other commitments that require flexibility, return to the workplace.