Law regarding attending unpaid employee meetings on day off.

newbie01_2

Hi there,

I work for company A and have recently been instructed to attend a work meeting on my day off unpaid, travel to the meeting at the workplace is also unpaid. It used to be paid but now new owners have taken over the company and stopped paying for travel reimbursement and the hourly rate if you attend.

Doesn't sound right to me as it should either be voluntarily, paid or held withinworking hours.

I have tried looking this up but no luck.

Any help on this subject?

A link to the correct law spelling this out in black and white would be a godsend.

DVardysShadow

It takes a bit of brass neck, but you just have to refuse. It is hard to point to specific law on this, because the argument that they are wrong will be constructed of several pieces of law and there may be more than 1 way to argue it.

Tactically, I would start with a simple email, saying 'unable to attend' and see if you get anything back in writing instructing you to attend. If you are verbally instructed, ask about pay and when you are refused, write back and refuse as <name> has advised that it is unpaid.

Randvegeta

Hi newbie01,


Normally I would agree to complain also but only do so if your job is safe. In the economic climate, wouldn't want to be left unemployed right?

getmore4less

DVardysShadow wrote: »

It takes a bit of brass neck, but you just have to refuse. It is hard to point to specific law on this, because the argument that they are wrong will be constructed of several pieces of law and there may be more than 1 way to argue it.

Tactically, I would start with a simple email, saying 'unable to attend' and see if you get anything back in writing instructing you to attend. If you are verbally instructed, ask about pay and when you are refused, write back and refuse as <name> has advised that it is unpaid.

The only* way will be National minimum wage.

working time directive might catch it but there are enough get outs in that to make a case very hard and in most case there won't be one.

That leaves the contract.


*If the meetings are on a Sunday some workers may be able to use the sunday working laws but I guess that is most unlikely here.