Covering someone else's shift / travel costs over Christmas period

top_drawer_2

Hello,

Not sure if this would be better over on the Job related board as it relates to work.

I work around 14 miles away from where I am currently living with my parents. I have managed to keep my job on and travel each day using 2 x buses each way. Months ago someone I know at work started feeling people out for working a night shift over the Christmas period as she wanted to go and see family far away so would have to travel back to do the shift costing around £50 in fuel. I expressed an interest, more out of sympathy than actually wanting to work. She said as it was going to cost her this much she would put this towards a taxi. No-one was interested thus I've been rota'd to do it.

Now I gathered she wasn't happy about the cost and the Mgt weren't offering any concessions toward travel. I said I didn't mind putting something towards it as I would be getting double time + night allowance. I gather she has persuaded another colleague or he has offered (following her expressing dissatisfaction) to drive me home the following morning, saving part of the cost.

I've booked a taxi for tomorrow and its going to be £25 - she has said she will "give me something towards it." I don't want to be greedy but I feel like this wasn't really the deal I agreed too....

Just looking for opinions, really.

TD

Georgiegirl256

She's put you in a really awkward situation, and went back on a promise, you're doing her a favour, and she doesn't want to cough up. I would tell her I wanted the full taxi fare, why should you have to pay for it out of your pocket?

top_drawer_2

In part its really not the money thats the issue, more that I feel I agreed something and she hasn't adhered to her end of the bargain.

elsien

top_drawer wrote: »

Hello,

. I expressed an interest, more out of sympathy than actually wanting to work. She said as it was going to cost her this much she would put this towards a taxi. No-one was interested thus I've been rota'd to do it.

Now I gathered she wasn't happy about the cost and the Mgt weren't offering any concessions toward travel. I said I didn't mind putting something towards it as I would be getting double time + night allowance. I gather she has persuaded another colleague or he has offered (following her expressing dissatisfaction) to drive me home the following morning, saving part of the cost.

I've booked a taxi for tomorrow and its going to be £25 - she has said she will "give me something towards it." I don't want to be greedy but I feel like this wasn't really the deal I agreed too....


TD

I suppose technically if you're getting a free lift one way, and you're splitting the cost of the taxi for the other half of the journey, that is what you agreed, to pay part each.
If you're not happy, then say so, but if you're expecting her to pay the full taxi fare, where does your "putting something towards it" come into play?
From her perspective that may well look like you not keeping to your offer to help with costs.

top_drawer_2

elsien wrote: »

I suppose technically if you're getting a free lift one way, and you're splitting the cost of the taxi for the other half of the journey, that is what you agreed, to pay part each.
If you're not happy, then say so, but if you're expecting her to pay the full taxi fare, where does your "putting something towards it" come into play?
From her perspective that may well look like you not keeping to your offer to help with costs.

Yes I guess I'm going to have to wait and see what she gives me towards it ... hopefully around the 1/2 mark. It was only because I heard on the grapevine that she wasn't happy to pay out for taxi's that I offered, as I felt a bit guilty. I'm too soft and then I get taken advantage of as I feel that it must be me who has given the wrong impression to end up being treated like that IYSWIM.

TD

elsien

Unless the amount she gives you is miniscule, I don't think you're being taken advantage of as such, more a bit of miscommunication about what you both meant re putting something towards it.


Maybe next time, don't offer unless it's something you really don't mind doing? You don't need to feel guilty about it - those of us who do shiftwork accept that there are times when it's going to be inconvenient. All part and parcel of the job. Yes it's nice if someone will be helpful and swap, and ideally others will reciprocate when you want help in turn, but if no-one does want to help out, so be it.

top_drawer_2

elsien wrote: »

Unless the amount she gives you is miniscule, I don't think you're being taken advantage of as such, more a bit of miscommunication about what you both meant re putting something towards it.


Maybe next time, don't offer unless it's something you really don't mind doing? You don't need to feel guilty about it - those of us who do shiftwork accept that there are times when it's going to be inconvenient. All part and parcel of the job.

Yes I guess that's what I meant

I think I'm feeling a bit over sensitive at the moment about this topic as feeling taken advantage of / abused quite a lot elsewhere and looking for issues where there isn't one, maybe.

Thanks

maman

top_drawer wrote: »

Yes I guess that's what I meant

I think I'm feeling a bit over sensitive at the moment about this topic as feeling taken advantage of / abused quite a lot elsewhere and looking for issues where there isn't one, maybe.

Thanks

I think perhaps one of your resolutions needs to be sticking up for yourself.

On the taxi matter, it's all rather odd.

The way I see it presumably anyone who works over Christmas should pay for themselves to get to work (as they would anyway) unless the company are paying. That would be the case for whoever was down for the shift. The favour you've done is so that your colleague doesn't have to work but you're getting the pay for that and she's not. So anything she offers is a bonus. I think the confusion comes as she'd offered the fare as a bit of a thank you and now seems to be wriggling out of it. That's her problem. I'd tell her exactly what it cost you to get there, accept whatever she offers and write it down to experience.

paulineb_2

Anytime I worked on Christmas day I paid the taxi fare and the shift allowance made up for that.

To be honest, she really doesn't have to give you anything, you are doing the favour but she's helped organise a lift home. If she was going to give you taxi money you could have asked for it at the time and if it wasn't offered then you could have said no to the shift.

paulineb_2

When you take the shift on, its your shift. I'd never expect someone to pay my travel costs if I swapped a shift with them. You could have been paying 50 quid in two journeys, you are paying 25 and you want her to pay half even though you are getting double time plus a shift allowance?

She's going to be out of pocket, you aren't. And you are upset about the way she's treated you? I appreciate that you won't see the money for a few weeks but you are gaining financially as a result of the swap. She's losing.

The people who should be paying are your employers although I appreciate many don't.

If you didn't want the shift ,you should have said no.

maman

paulineb wrote: »

When you take the shift on, its your shift. I'd never expect someone to pay my travel costs if I swapped a shift with them. You could have been paying 50 quid in two journeys, you are paying 25 and you want her to pay half even though you are getting double time plus a shift allowance?

She's going to be out of pocket, you aren't. And you are upset about the way she's treated you? I appreciate that you won't see the money for a few weeks but you are gaining financially as a result of the swap. She's losing.

The people who should be paying are your employers although I appreciate many don't.

If you didn't want the shift ,you should have said no.

I agree with you Pauline. Ideally the employer would pay but I suppose it's difficult to differentiate on a shift pattern between those that have their own transport and those that would normally use public which isn't available. There'd be uproar if they let people who use public transport have the day off to save them money so they can't win. I imagine they've done their bit in the bonus payments.