Is this legal? Expected to travel on Sunday for no pay?

lucylucky

I would make sure the vehicle is filled up to the brim before they set off, using the garage where they have an account, and as soon as they arrive at their destination they stop using it.

Will limit the amount they have to pay for - before claiming it back

SarEl

I do not wish to worry you, but you mentioned earlier that you didn't want to identify your husbands workplace for obvious reasons. I was a bit worried for your sake - you have ranted an awful lot of facts in these posts and the combined information and rarity of the job... suffice it to say that I am 95% certain that I have just found your husbands workplace and company with a 45 second google search. You may want to go through and very rapidly edit this entire thread (and possibly the other) to remove details. The employer getting to know your opinion etc will absolutely not help !

SarahLou

Sadly they'll have to use the vehicle Mon-Fri to get them to/from the actual site from the B&B itself - and apparently its over difficult terrain too so it'll eat the fuel in no time.

SarahLou

Thanks SarEl, I shall do just that.

ariarnia

Pete111 wrote: »

Oooo Look! - a parrallel (inverse) universe!!

If your company pays out for you on that basis DB then kudos to you for having your boss wrapped round your little finger! - most employers would laugh the 'before 8.50' demand out the room! I know I would...

OP. Some valid points have been raised here. And there is a definite case (though not necessarily a legal one) to be made that the employer is taking the mick. What to do about this is not clear cut however and given the state of the economy he needs to take care. You don't want your Husband to end up out of work for making a fuss.

The business car insurance point is very valid also - this is a risk.

Can you give us more info on the company - does it have an HR dept or is it unionised for example? Also, what are the chances of getting the other people to agree to stand behind your husband so the complaint is a 'group' one?

I feel that he may need to lose this battle (do try to get the Sunday night costs back to pay for part of the petrol however) but try to win the 'war' by getting the others on side re this to present a united front . I doubt they are all happy to be giving up their sundays...

Not so much a parrallel universe, just respect for staff.

I used to work for the national trust and they would pay travel time above that needed to get to your normal place of work (for me 30 mins, so 1 hour travel time in the day was unpaid) and my hours of normal pay were from my front door to my front door. Toil was encouraged but not enforced so we could avoid going over the WTD and at no time was time and a half paid.

Travel costs were refunded at cheapest cost (milage v's 2nd class train ticket) and care sharing was encouraged but not enforced (wales is a bit of a bother when it comes to co-ordinating car shares).

Meals allowance was £5 breakfast or hotel standard rate, £10 lunch, £15 dinner (but as long as it wasn't over £30 the day this wasn't enforced)

Hotel costs were £100 per night or £150 London.

It's not that unusual that if a workplace values it's staff it treats them well.

EDIT: Oh, and reading following posts, If we were to stay with friends and family we don't get the hotel allowance, but we do get £5 a night to pay to the F&F or to buy them a thank you gift - it was in the HR policy...

SarahLou

Often my hubby is put up in below-standard B&Bs (no star rating types) - often not ensuite and often has to share rooms with colleagues (we're not sure yet what the sleeping arrangements will be for this latest job he'll be on next week - he suspect he'll be sharing a room again).

Before now, he's been in a guesthouse that was literally some old blokes house who spent the entire week whinging on about how lonely he was since his wife had passed away. It wasn't ensuite, it was literally just a spare room in this old blokes house. I wouldn't have been comfortable stopping there by myself (hubby was on his own on this job). Mind you, better that than having to share a room with a chronic snorer!!

Their average spend per person, per night, is £20 tops. (£25 inclusive of the subsistence).

Sometimes the staff have to pay the B&B themselves on departure when they learn the bosses haven't actually paid for the accomodation in advance. Sure, they get the money back, but sometimes its weeks/months late.

Travelling policy wise, I believe they're told that they are expected to travel 1 hour 30 mins away from home without being able to claim overtime/time off in lieu. Thats fair enough. You can get a long way in an hour and a half. But to travel 280 miles is pushing it a bit. Can't do that in an hour and a half from the front door.

Pete111

dizzyblonde82 wrote: »

I don't have my boss wrapped around my little finger. I work for the NHS and there are policies in places stating that any extra time travelling outside of normal working hours can be taken as time in lieu.

The 8:50 time is not a demand, it takes me 10 minutes to get to my regular place of work so any meetings which require longer travel time I take the time back at a later date, this is also written in a policy and is applicable to all NHS staff within my organisation.

Aha! the public sector. I refer you to my initial comment re the parrallel and inverse universe.

I'm probably jealous but enjoy it while you can!

Pete111

ariarnia wrote: »

Not so much a parrallel universe, just respect for staff.

I used to work for the national trust and they would pay travel time above that needed to get to your normal place of work (for me 30 mins, so 1 hour travel time in the day was unpaid) and my hours of normal pay were from my front door to my front door. Toil was encouraged but not enforced so we could avoid going over the WTD and at no time was time and a half paid.

Travel costs were refunded at cheapest cost (milage v's 2nd class train ticket) and care sharing was encouraged but not enforced (wales is a bit of a bother when it comes to co-ordinating car shares).



Meals allowance was £5 breakfast or hotel standard rate, £10 lunch, £15 dinner (but as long as it wasn't over £30 the day this wasn't enforced)

Hotel costs were £100 per night or £150 London.

It's not that unusual that if a workplace values it's staff it treats them well.

EDIT: Oh, and reading following posts, If we were to stay with friends and family we don't get the hotel allowance, but we do get £5 a night to pay to the F&F or to buy them a thank you gift - it was in the HR policy...

What happened if you got stuck in traffic?

lucylucky

Pete111 wrote: »

What happened if you got stuck in traffic?

We used to allow an average of 45 miles an hour for travel, if you were using major roads, which usually covered this eventuality.

And not a public sector worker in site!

paulwf

What was written a year ago seemed bad enough, now it seems to have descended into high farce. It isn't rational behaviour by a company, it reads like the plot of a bizarre sitcom! OP I'm sure in a few months time you'll actually be able to step back and laugh at it.

My guess would be that there is only enough profit generated for local work. Now they are doing national work the profit is being taken up with travel costs, B&B's etc (even on a shoestring I bet each employee is now costing the company an extra £50 a day). I think your husband has to seriously think about changing career as I don't think this company is going to be around much longer. It also isn't going to do his health any good, and to be honest potential 1am starts for travelling and not getting enough sleep due to sharing rooms etc is going to lead to a serious accident sooner or later, and I'm sure you don't want to be a single parent.

From when he took the job on he is now worse off by 5-6 hours travel time, 5 nights away in substandard accommodation with inadequate provision for food, and now you are going to lose a days pay due to not being able to work. I think I'd want £200 a week extra to compensate, at least a minimum of £100 to cover travel time and you missing a day of work.

OP do you mind if I ask how much he earns? If you don't want to answer that feel free to ignore it.

I'm not sure all the staff getting together is really going to help. If a company can't afford fuel for a company vehicle it's finished.