Benefit-In-Kind ...

Benefits_2

ok, we all know that when you're in employment you sometimes get ‘official benefits’ (pension plan, health care... etc) and then occasionally the company might offer ‘flexible benefits’. But my benefit sort of falls in a different category... anyone else in the same boat?!

Where I’ve been working for some years now, in an office environment, the company has always supplied and paid for lunch for the building (an outside company basically makes sandwiches for each employee). Realistically this probably saves me £500+ a year... not to mention all the hassle and time!

But recession and cuts are the name of the game and this perk is possibly going to be withdrawn! There are a couple of options the word from the management is that they’re just going to change it this perk to give a subsidised supply. But let’s be honest it’s just a way of getting rid on the quite... Either way I look at it I’m going to now be paying for my daily food. I’ve been told that this is seen as a ‘Benefit-In-Kind’, but what does that imply and have we any rights?!


Should we as employees be compensated, does the company have to give us notice of this withdrawal? Is it just tough...

Anyone been here before?

myothercarisaferrari

take a packed lunch??

alwaysonthego_2

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McKneff

Just tough, they can withdraw 'perks' anytime they like I'm afraid.

Unless it is written into your contract of course.

Rockporkchop

I'm really surprised your company are still doing it.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do, apart from keep your fingers crossed that the sandwiches will be the only cutbacks they make. Better that than redundancies.

fengirl_2

Even though its not in your written terms and conditions, this could become part of your contract under 'custom and practice'. Like any contractual right, the company would need to negotiate its way out of it, but ultimately, they can change a contract and you can choose whether to accept or leave.

SandC

Sorry but it's tough really. That's a perk I never heard of before! Well not for the ordinary folk anyway!

Benefits_2

myothercarisaferrari wrote: »

take a packed lunch??

yeah... kind of worked that out.

Just thought that I might get some useful input from this website, but as it says... This forum isn't moderated. So I guess I should have guessed someone would post the obvious.:beer:

Benefits_2

fengirl wrote: »

Even though its not in your written terms and conditions, this could become part of your contract under 'custom and practice'. Like any contractual right, the company would need to negotiate its way out of it, but ultimately, they can change a contract and you can choose whether to accept or leave.

Interesting... thank you !

Benefits_2

Rockporkchop wrote: »

I'm really surprised your company are still doing it.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do, apart from keep your fingers crossed that the sandwiches will be the only cutbacks they make. Better that than redundancies.

Unfortunately they've already made the other cut backs and to be honest some think they probably should have cut this before they let people go... anyhow given the fact that the organisation has reported reasonable results to the city, some employees are just starting to think that the management are just trying to use the cover of recession as a smoke screen to pull it!

Benefits_2

SandC wrote: »

Sorry but it's tough really. That's a perk I never heard of before! Well not for the ordinary folk anyway!

Are you implying that just because I work in office that I'm not ordinary... come on!! I'm in an office yes... but that doesn't mean I'm Sir Allan Sugar!