Why it gets messy
Each employer has its own rota, rate, pay cycle and payslip. Shifts arrive by WhatsApp, text and app. Pay for one week's work lands weeks later, mixed in with other weeks. Without one record, a missing shift is almost impossible to spot.
What to record for every shift
- The employer or agency, and the site or place
- Date, real start and finish time (not just the rota time)
- Unpaid break
- The hourly rate for that shift, or the fixed amount
- Any expenses such as parking or travel
- Whether it's been paid, part-paid or is still waiting
Check each payslip against your record
When a payslip arrives, find the shifts it covers (use the pay period dates on the payslip), add up the hours and expected pay, and compare. If something's missing, you'll know exactly which shift and how much.
Watch your total hours
All your jobs count together for the 48-hour average working week (unless you've opted out in writing), the 11 hours' rest between working days and, if you're on a Student visa, your weekly hours limit.
Tax with more than one job
Your tax-free allowance usually goes to one job and the other is taxed at 20% (code BR). See tax with two jobs.
A real week across three jobs
Say you work Monday and Tuesday nights for a care agency (2 × 12 hours, 1-hour unpaid break, £14.00 an hour), Thursday and Friday in a café (2 × 6 hours at £12.71) and a Saturday event shift (8 hours at £13.00). That's 42 hours and £564.52 gross, paid on three different dates by three different payrolls.
The agency pays weekly in arrears, the café monthly, and the event company 14 days after the event. Without one list, you'd have to remember in three weeks' time whether that Saturday was paid.
Pick one place and one habit
- Use one record for every job. Separate notes for each employer is how shifts slip through.
- Log the shift as soon as it ends, with the real finish time.
- Each payday, tick off the shifts that were paid and look at what's left.
- Once a month, add up your hours for each week, especially if you're near 48 hours or a visa limit.
Keep your own record
Shiftaan works out your hours and expected pay for every shift, even ones that cross midnight. Open the app.
Common questions
What's the easiest way to track shifts for two jobs?
Keep one list of every shift with its employer, hours, rate and paid status, and update it straight after each shift. An app built for this, like Shiftaan, does the maths and shows what each employer owes you.
Do both jobs count towards the 48-hour week?
Yes. The limit applies to all your work added together, averaged over 17 weeks, unless you've opted out in writing.
How long should I keep my shift records?
At least until each shift has been paid correctly, and ideally for six years, which is how far back a claim for unpaid wages can sometimes go in a civil court.