staff meeting outside hours

Mrs_Arcanum

pinkprincessangel wrote: »

He wants a staff meeting monthly, but this is the only one to last 3 hours as its got all the paperwork to do.
When I told him about the travel he seemed unsympathetic as he's having to drive in and a supervisor is having to get a lift in from 25 miles away, both have children, but both have partners/family to care for them. He stated that anyone who doesnt attend will lose their job and he told me to bring my daughter, give her a muffin and sit her in the corner and she'll be ok. :eek:
The meeting is city centre and theres noone working there from by me, so a lift is impossible unless my DD dad takes us but he's made it clear he wants reimbursement from the company. Its not like I cant get there, its the financial issues as we're on holiday the following day and travelling 170 odd miles and we cant afford additional fuel on top. I havent said to him I cant go, I've told him its difficult with travel at that time and its only that day its fell fortunate with my DD's dads work rota as any other sunday he's working so generally speaking I wouldnt be available if it was another sunday. And he said the company wont offer to pay for fuel and parking as he's not getting it.
And while I do see the possibilities of a disruptive 3 year old, its not fair to her or the other staff. Plus with the legal consequences of her not being insured to be on the premises outside opening hours I'm not willing to take her. The previous manager was fully aware of my circumstances and I never had to go as she made it sunday evenings when everyone could make it in with travel.

Pity you are not on holiday on the Sunday. You would have no reason to book this time as it is not a normal working day but now he knows you are home on the Sunday you are stuck.

You could say to the boss unless he picks you up you cannot get there unless he pays for a taxi up front.

Googlewhacker

pinkprincessangel wrote: »

is there anywhere online that states this law? It doesnt say anywhere in my handbook that i have to work outside my hours. Also as a side point but also relevant. My tax credits are paid based on what i earn, to attend this meeting he'd have to let me go 3 hours early on my usual day to balance my hours, and if monthly meetings go ahead and I do attend I will have to drop an hour elsewhere in that month. I dont honestly believe i can be made to attend with my circumstances but I need the right information to approach him with to state this.

Your tax credits are irrelivant to the situation for the employer, however the manager is an idiot if he thinks he can go down the dismissal route.

judywoody

The OP wouldn't have a problem with attending the meeting if her circumstances were different....her manager is very unreasonable and petty. I don't think she could lose her job but I would look for a different job anyway if I were you...I wouldn't want to work within such an environment..

Sambucus_Nigra

pinkprincessangel wrote: »

is there anywhere online that states this law?

It will be general employment law. As mentioned in the previous post, if you were sacked for not attending work on a day when you don't attend work you would be able to take them down the 'unfair dismissal' route.

Also, if it is to do missing paperwork, it should be done in work time - and meetings should be held on days when you are in work, not days when you do not work. As you stated yourself...You should not be dismissed, or made redundant or disciplined for refusing to work Sundays.

The guy needs training on management if you ask me.

getmore4less

NOTE the sunday rules may not apply, it depends on contract

What paperwork is missing? Ask for it in advance o it can all be filled in so the metting dos not need to be 3hr.

I suspect they are going to throw a change of T&C's at you.

here is the legislation you need to read
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/part/IV

If your current contract includes Sunday working you need to give 3 months notice to opt out.

anamenottaken

The "meeting" seems to be very long if it is to deal with missing paperwork in personnel files.
Surely his time should be spent on his own getting together a list of what is missing from each file and contacting each individual to arrange to get that missing material.
Calling everyone in for a group meeting if it is really individual matters is crazy.

Sambucus_Nigra

And I'd want to see assurance that my child was insured whilst on the premises...

picnic

shouldnt personal files be filled in in private? wouldnt having them filled in at a staff meeting breach everyone's data protection?? doesnt sound like the new guy knows what he's doing.....

pinkprincessangel

from what i've been told we're missing health and safety paperwork, and food & hygiene to name 2. Both of which we should have to be working there so it is important paperwork, and on top of paperwork its his first meeting with us and a staff meeting so it will likely fill 3 hours.
As for what my current contract entails I dont remember it saying about sundays but i dont have a copy to refer to so will be contacting HR on monday about it. If it did say and i noticed it obviously I'm unable to work sundays as I dont have childcare so the company cannot expect it from me.

thanks for the link getmore4less :kisses:

bristol_pilot

Saying you can't make it because of childcare/travel arrangements is the wrong approach because that sounds like you would be happy to come in otherwise. It is up to employees to sort out these arrangements, so I'm not surprised that the manager - yes, he sounds like a plank - is not listening. A better approach would be to say that you will not attend the meeting because it is not in your contact as you don't work Sundays. If he still persists, contact Head Office and take out a grievance, throw in a sex discrimination claim while you are about it. A new manager has a lot to lose, actually.