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Inside The Graveyard Shift At Notorious Exeter Off-licence
An Exeter shop assistant has shed light on what it is like to work the 'graveyard shift' in one of the city's most notorious off-licences.
The Premier Express, known as Newham Stores, on South Street recently came under fire for selling alcohol 20 hours a day. Earlier this year, nearby Exeter Cathedral School applied for a review of the store's licence, saying schoolchildren had been exposed to violence, drug-taking and public sexual acts by street drinkers.
The store's owner Ross Newham has agreed to reduce the hours in which booze is sold to 8am to 2am on a voluntary basis. It's hoped that this will prevent anti-social behaviour before the school opens.
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Marc Day is one of the shop assistants that works at the store and has been assigned to the busy shift of 10pm to 6am Thursday to Saturday. He said he wanted to give DevonLive readers an insight on what it's really like for night shift staff as they work hard to fend off shoplifting, violence and even deliver life-saving first aid.
He normally arrives around 9:50pm for a handover from staff who are just finishing their shift. This could include details of any shoplifters who are out and about or large groups of inebriated revellers who could cause problems.
He said: "I arrive at 9.50pm for a quick handover from the staff finishing their shift. Are the any known shoplifters doing the rounds? Are there any large groups of semi-drunk revellers we need to look out for? And have there been any incidents in store or on Ebac that I or the security guard need to know of?
"This 24 hour convenience store has security on the door Friday and Saturday nights, a fact which always takes visitors to the city by utter surprise."
By 11pm, he says he has already had to deal with someone trying to steal alcohol. Marc says this is something store owner Ross has become strict about, with a zero tolerance for stealing, no matter how small the item.
Between 11pm and 2am is when the store is at its busiest. During this time, staff are multitasking, serving customers, keeping an eye on groups outside the shop and remaining wary of customers who may be too drunk to be served.
He said: "By 11pm we have already prevented the theft of alcohol and kept an eye on several large groups and the shop is now very busy.
"Between 11pm and 2am the shop is constantly in use and most of the club goers have been in for their provisions and a side order of cheeky banter and some good music. At 2am the sale of alcohol stops until 8am, and up to 2am we will refuse the sale of alcohol to any customers who are already inebriated as is the law and common sense.
"We are serving the whole community and it's important to know what they want, to have an understanding of their needs, make recommendations and always smile."
Newham Stores, the Premier Express on South Street, Exeter (Image: Mary Stenson/DevonLive)South Street has long been at the centre of conversations around anti-social behaviour in Exeter city centre. Business owners have said street drinkers who gather at bus stops and benches are known to sometimes become violent, leaving them fearful to come to work. Locals even described the area as a "warzone".
Some have pointed the finger at the off-licence, believing the alcohol sold there is to blame for the breakdown in behaviour. Following the application to review the store's licence, Ross told DevonLive that he shared frustrations about anti-social behaviour in the area, which he said he and his staff had been victims of "many times".
At the time, he explained that the store's long opening times and licensed hours were an "integral part of the local community", providing a helpful service to people working all kinds of shift patterns, such as those in the emergency services. He said he remained committed to training staff to make judgements about a person's suitability to purchase alcohol.
Marc says its not just the long hours that serve the community's needs. On multiple occasions, he has helped people during "horrific" medical episodes.
He said: "On one recent Saturday night we had to retrieve some stolen drinks from a known street drinker, who despite being banned for previous offences, had slipped in unseen amongst the throng of customers in store. However, they had been seen leaving and were approached and the goods retrieved.
"Things then took a horrific twist as the person in question whilst sat on the floor outside the shop went into a seizure. Myself and another assistant had to quickly put them in the recovery position whilst calling an ambulance and keeping them safe and conscious. Luckily the ambulance arrived and the person was attended to swiftly.
"As much as theft is theft, we do care about these people and wouldn't see them come to harm.
"It didn't end there as, at about 4am a lad entered the store and claimed that another girl was in need of assistance at the top of the road, so again off I went to find a person, clearly in distress, having taken a substance. They were made comfortable as the ambulance came and took over again. Both of the people above have since thanked us for stepping in."
Marc's current role is his first job in retail, having previously been in hospitality. In spite of the challenges, he says it's a rewarding job that he wish he had started sooner.
He said: "This is my first job in retail having previously worked in hospitality but if I'm honest I wish I had done this all my life because, despite the obvious risks associated with nights on South Street, the rewards are amazing and all the staff we have are worth their weight in gold. I know that the surrounding community appreciates what we do but maybe not the ones who are banned."
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How To Calculate Shift Differentials
Shift differential pay incentivizes employees to pick up shifts at irregular times of day. We explore how to calculate them and the most common questions about the process.
Picture this: It's the holiday season, and inventory is flying off the shelves at your store. You've extended your business hours for last-minute shoppers.
You ask three of your trusty employees to work an overnight shift to restock the store for the next day. They all just look at you with blank stares.
What can you do to make them raise their hands enthusiastically? Shift differential pay.
Overview: What is shift differential?Shift differential refers to additional compensation for employees who work outside their normal work hours. Since it can be less desirable to work the graveyard shift or weekend shifts, employers incentivize their workforce with a premium hourly rate.
You calculate shift differentials in step three of the payroll process, which calculates gross wages.
Shift differentials are not legally required, but they're a common perk given to employees who agree to work at odd hours or on holidays. Employers decide the amount of shift differential pay.
Shift differentials don't differ by employee: When you offer differential pay, you offer it to all employees who work those hours.
Don't confuse shift differentials with overtime pay, which is federally mandated and kicks in when a non-exempt employee works more than 40 hours in a standard workweek.
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How to calculate shift differentialShift differentials come in three forms: a percentage of basic hourly pay, a dollar amount per hour, or a dollar amount per shift.
Let's say you own a jewelry store with a 24/7 security guard. Guards work in three shifts: 7 a.M. To 3 p.M., 3 p.M. To 11 p.M., and 11 p.M. To 7 a.M.
As a percentage of basic hourly payThe jewelry store offers a 10% differential for second shift hours and a 20% differential for overnight hours (a night differential).
A guard who works from 3 p.M. To 11 p.M. Earns $16.50 per hour ($15 basic rate x 1.1 shift differential). An overnight guard makes $18 per hour ($15 basic rate x 1.2 shift differential).
As a dollar amount per hourWhile most businesses pay shift differentials as a percentage of an employee's basic rate, you can express the differential as a dollar amount. That way, employees with different hourly rates receive the same premium on irregular shifts.
Let's say your guards are paid at rates commensurate with experience. You can offer a standard $5 increase for second shift hours and a $10 increase on third shift hours.
The premium rate for a guard with a basic $15 per hour rate makes $20 per hour on the second shift. A guard whose basic rate is $25 per hour has a premium rate of $30 per hour.
As a dollar amount per shiftFinally, you can give a lump sum differential payment for second and third shifts. You add a flat payment to an employee's pay without adjusting the basic hourly rate. This is the most common method for salaried employees.
For example, guards who work the second shift still earn $15 per hour, leaving them with $120 in gross pay ($15 x 8 hours). If you offer a lump sum differential, add $75 to their gross pay, bringing their shift earnings to $195.
What industries pay shift differentials?Many industries pay shift differentials to employees who work outside regular hours, but differential amounts and when they're offered vary by industry.
Though governments have no mandates on shift differentials, they're common in the following industries:
Most industries that offer shift differentials have employees working all hours of the day. You might find shift differentials in parts of the hospitality industry, such as hotels where the check-in desk must always be staffed.
Since regular hours of operation vary by industry, so do the hours that offer differential pay.
For example, some small businesses offer customer support from 9 a.M. To 5 p.M. Employers that add weekend hours during the holiday season might offer differential pay for those irregular hours.
A hospital is less likely to offer weekend differentials because weekend work is typical in the industry.
Industries that offer shift differentials often require 24-hour work. Image source: Author
How does overtime work with shift differential?Hourly employees who work more than a 40-hour standard workweek are generally entitled to overtime pay, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The FLSA requires employers pay overtime hours at 150% of an employee's hourly pay, also known as time and a half, after 40 hours of work in a week.
Check with your state's labor department to know what constitutes overtime for your business. Some states require overtime pay when employees work more than eight, nine, or 10 hours in a day.
It can happen that you must pay an employee overtime on top of shift differential premium pay. Add in the differential pay before the overtime rate.
Many employers think you calculate FLSA overtime based on an employee's basic hourly rate, but that's incorrect and illegal. Overtime pay must be calculated as 1.5 times your employee's hourly pay, including shift differential pay.
Let's say a hospital nurse, Chris, is working the overnight shift with a 20% differential on his $45 basic hourly rate. Chris already worked 35 hours this week before going into the eight-hour shift.
First, calculate hourly pay for the overnight shift. Chris's premium pay is $54 per hour ($45 basic hourly rate x 1.2 shift differential).
The FLSA requires overtime pay for the last three hours of his shift (35 hours worked + 8-hour shift = 43 hours). Chris earns overtime for those three hours, calculated based on premium rate, $54 per hour.
His overtime hourly rate is:
$81 ($54 premium rate x 1.5 overtime rate)
Chris's gross pay for the night shift is:
$513 [($54 x 5 hours) + ($81 x 3 hours)]
Shift differentials and overtime together can significantly increase your payroll costs. Your payroll software payroll analytics can reveal ways to keep payroll costs within budget.
How does blended overtime work with shift differentials?Some employees have multiple hourly rates depending on the task they're performing. As with other hourly employees, they are entitled to overtime pay and may be offered differential pay.
Think of restaurant workers who might be both bartenders and waiters. They might have one hourly wage when bartending and another when waiting tables.
When employees with two hourly rates work overtime, their employers must calculate a blended overtime rate, also called a weighted average overtime rate.
Put multiple hourly rates, shift differentials, and overtime together, and you have a pretty complicated payroll calculation.
Let's break it down:
Consider Melanie, a diner line cook, who's responsible for cleaning the kitchen during slow times. She's paid $20 per hour when she's cooking and $15 per hour when she's cleaning.
The diner is 24/7, so Melanie works the night shift sometimes. The diner pays a $10 shift differential.
Melanie has already worked 40 hours this week, and she's about to work an eight-hour night shift. Her entire shift is subject to both shift differential and overtime pay.
First, calculate her night differential pay for each of her hourly rates.
Melanie's gross pay before overtime is $230 ($180 cooking + $50 cleaning).
Then, find the average hourly rate by dividing total gross pay before overtime by the number of hours worked. For Melanie, that's $28.75 ($230 / 8 hours).
Now you can calculate the blended overtime rate by multiplying the average hourly rate by 1.5. Melanie's blended overtime rate is $43.13 ($28.75 x 1.5 overtime rate).
Melanie's gross pay for the shift is $345 ($43.13 x 8 hours).
How do payroll taxes work with shift differentials?Shift differentials don't fundamentally change how payroll works. Payroll taxes are calculated on gross wages or taxable wages, depending on the tax. Shift differentials are taxed in the same way as regular wages.
Say that Scott earned $600 by working from 9 a.M. Until 5 p.M. At $15 per hour for five days ($15 x 40 hours). Renee, who works at the same company, also earned $600. She worked 30 hours on the night shift, which offers a $5 hourly differential.
Scott and Renee are taxed the same way even though they earned $600 in different ways. As their employer, you can take the same payroll deductions for their wages.
Convince your employees with shift differentialsIt's hard to get employees to set their alarms for the middle of the night to get to work. Shift differentials can be a strong incentive and help employers keep their operations running at all hours.
Knowing that it won't significantly affect how you do payroll, consider adding a shift differential the next time your business requires weekend or overnight work.
How To Calculate Night Shift Differential Pay
Your business may benefit from incentivizing employees to work late hours, but be sure to have a clear and consistent policy to handle it.
Imagine working on a difficult project for a difficult customer. At every step along the way, the client has added more requirements and pushed for earlier completion. Now you're down to the final week, and there's no way you can get everything done without some people working through the night.
Employees may be happy for extra hours, but they won't be happy having to be at work at 10 p.M. How can you sweeten the pot for those who stay late?
In this article, we'll go over how to do payroll for night shift work. We'll discuss when a night differential is required, how much the pay increase should be, and how to calculate it.
Overview: What is night differential?Night differential is an increase in pay to compensate employees for working night shifts. Employees will receive either an absolute increase in pay per hour or additional money calculated as a percent of base pay in exchange for working graveyard shift hours.
Shift differential pay is different from the basic pay that goes to night shift workers. Employees who always work third shift and are paid more receive what is called "night pay" because they do not have a different base pay that is increased during night hours.
Night differential, on the other hand, goes to employees who only occasionally receive extra money for working shifts between certain hours. There is actually no night shift differential law in the U.S. For private companies.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "Extra pay for working weekends or nights is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee (or the employee's representative). The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require extra pay for weekend or night work."
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If you decide to use differential pay for night shift work, there are a few special situations to keep in mind:
Let's work through an example of night differential. Marty Martinson typically works from 9 a.M. To 5 p.M. For LP Security. Lately the company has had some issues with attendance, and because Marty is the most reliable employee, it has had to move him around to make sure the most important shifts are covered.
Marty typically makes $25/hr and has a differential pay of $5/hr for night shift work. Here's what his timecard looks like:
Marty worked 16 total night shift hours, which added $80 to his paycheck. Image source: Author
Marty worked a total of 16 night shift hours for this week. To calculate his night shift differential, first calculate his total base pay:
40 hours x $25/hr = $1,000
Next, multiply the night shift hours by the night shift differential to find the total night shift pay:
16 hours x $5/hr = $80
FInally, add the night differential to his base pay for the total pay:
$1,000 base pay + $80 night differential = $1,080 total pay
Payroll deductions are based on the total pay. This process is fairly simple, and your payroll software should be able to calculate it automatically.
For salaried workers, use the same formula to calculate the differential pay. Start by calculating the implied wage per hour by dividing the employee's salary by 52 to get the salary per week and then by 40 to get the salary per hour.
If you set the differential at a percentage of pay, use that per-hour number. Alternatively, if you use an absolute amount per hour, like with Marty Martinson, you can simply multiply that amount by the night hours worked and add it to the salary for the pay period.
Why pay night differential?Since there is no law requiring night differential as part of the payroll process, you could certainly get away without paying it.
However, all else being equal, the majority of your employees will see night shift work as more difficult to deal with. If they are scheduled for night work with no bump in pay, they may start looking for normal day shift work elsewhere.
Eventually, you will only be able to schedule employees for night work if they couldn't find a better job.
The $80 increase in the above example may not seem like much, but it adds up. If you make an extra $80 for 20 weeks out of the year, that's $1,600 straight into your bank account. For a lot of people, that is several months of car payments or two months' rent.
How do I institute night differential?If you don't currently have a night shift differential policy, but you have night work planned, start thinking about instituting one.
The key is consistency. Set strict policy guidelines for which hours earn the differential and stick to those hours. Likewise, set a general standard (or a standard based on employee classification) for the additional pay and stick to it.
Even if you aren't playing favorites, any hint that some employees earn different amounts because of careless application of differential pay can lead to malcontentment among your staff.
Additionally, make sure to schedule work empathetically. Whenever an employee works late into the night, they need a day or two to recover before working the day shift again.
You can choose whichever hours and pay differential you think works for your company. A good example to go by is the federal government's night differential pay program.
How does the federal government do night differential pay?According to the Office of Personnel Management, federal employees earn an extra 7.5% for working between 3 p.M. And 11 p.M. And an extra 10% for working between 11 p.M. And 8 a.M.
The government does not pay the differential per hour worked in those time periods. Instead it pays it for the whole shift if the majority of hours worked for the shift take place in the period.
For example, if an employee worked from 2 a.M. To 10 a.M., their entire pay for the shift would be increased by 10% because six of the eight hours they worked took place during night work hours. If the hours worked were from 6 a.M. To 2 p.M., there would be no differential.
Additionally, when employees are assigned to a normal shift that takes place during night hours, any holiday, vacation, or travel pay will be calculated based on their normal scheduled shift.
I wear my differential sunglasses at nightNo matter how well you plan ahead, you may sometimes need to hold employees over through the night shift. An easy way to keep employees happy when this happens is to add an incentive for working night hours.
Make sure to develop an easy-to-understand policy for how payroll works with night differential and keep it consistent every time it's applied.
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