They very well could have the right, but I'm pretty burned about this. Basically I've been working part-time in an office for a federally regulated business for over a year now. Usually they have the option for part-timers to work 8 hour shifts, but lately, since New Year's, they've been inconsistent with how many hours they can offer.
The shifts on my contract are four hours; the office often asserts a minimum of five hours for part-timers, which is fine bc I really need the work. But despite being able to pick up overtime earlier this week, they've sent an email today saying I can only work three hour shifts next week (lower than what's on my contract).
Is this something a company can do under Canadian federal law? I mean, we don't have a union so they've probably slipped one of those iron fisted “we can dictate and change the terms anytime we want” clauses. But besides rent, I'm being reamed by loan repayments and medical expenses, so I really can't afford 15-hour weeks right now.
I'm planning on coming into work for 8 hours next anyway, because I volunteered for cross-training in another department in case they cut my hours again, and also planning to find some gigs in freelance writing too (if I could get it together), but I wanna know if there's any basis for shorting me on work and/or what I can/should do about it.