Earning less than taxi fare

duchy

SailorSam wrote: »

It always use to be anyone working overtime; Sunday (or perhaps even Saturday); or working a Bank Holiday would get extra pay. At least time + half. If it's a Black Cab you're friend is using don't blame the driver or even the taxi company, their obliged to charge what the Council tell them to. (Private hire are different) When i drove a Cab we had clock + half after midnight and double clock for Bank Holidays.

Not in retail - in other industries yes though
It's a bit ridiculous to class a day with no transport as a normal working day but legally companies are doing nothing wrong as it technically isn't a bank holiday so retail workers are reliant on their employers using commonsense as many people on NMW don't/can't afford to run a car.

If the person works in a retail park it might be worth seeing if there is anyone else in another store who would be interested in sharing a cab or prepared to give them a lift for petrol. It seems unlikely they are the only ones in their local area needing to travel in early that day (although they have left it very late to sort something out)

duchy

When_the_going_gets_tough wrote: »

How about we all stop needing to go shopping on Boxing Day and let the hard working retail staff have a proper rest after the Christmas madness. Essential services have to keep going but shopping doesn't.

Although I'm off this Boxing day (but my work is open its usual 8am-11pm both Christmas day & Boxing day) as I've worked in retail in the past I will continue my usual practice of not shopping on Boxing day as I simply think it is unfair on retail staff....and if everyone did this - shops would drop this stupid idea and retail workers would get the two days off in a row that most people in other industries take for granted.

Mind you last Christmas day I got a load of abuse from a customer because I couldn't send out an Open Reach engineer on the same day -apparently it was fine for them to have Christmas day off but not anyone else !!!!!

MacMickster

I would certainly ask around others at work to see if anyone is prepared to provide a lift. Other than that then the taxi-fare can't be avoided - unless Santa Claus is likely to drop one of those hoverboard jobs down the chimney.

System

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

If she starts work at 5am, how does she normally get there?

Possibilities are:-

1-Suck it up - there will be others in this situatioin
2-Phone in sick - everyone knows she is skiving
3-Borrow a pushbike?
4-Ask more friends / relatives - however this is a HUGE ask, as will involve getting up sober at what, say 4am boxing day, so is a bit of a christmas day ruiner for the lift giver

To be honest, I would be looking at borrowing a bike

She normally starts between 8am-12pm. No issues with getting to work on buses normally

devilivus

I don't think it mentions how 'vocal' she's been with her unhappiness about the situation.
If she's been complaining and 'showing her hand' then she's in a bit of a pickle.
If not, then she should be able to pull a sickie.

I remember being forced into working Christmas eve along time ago now.
I already had plans to meet a large group of my friends I'd not seen in ages and didn't want to miss out.
I pretended to be really pleased with working, though.
''Excellent! I could really use the extra money and I don't have any plans...good stuff!!''
Then when I called in sick, there were no suspicions or repurcussions.

jjgold

you must be really proud of yourself devilivus

chuckley

8 miles is pretty far in a taxi on boxing day where fares are double...

can they uber part of it? tons of 'free £15/20' credits knocking around.

zagfles

ScarletMarble wrote: »

She normally starts between 8am-12pm. No issues with getting to work on buses normally

What does her contract say? Does it specify working hours? Or a range of possible hours?

RosiPossum

I had to pay £80 in taxi fares one day as my car broke down and I live 25 miles from work, starting at 7.30am and finishing at 8.30pm! I just had to deal with it because it's not the fault of my employers.

Sharon87

I had a situation once where our store never used to open Sundays, but the first Sunday they decided to open was the day after the work's Christmas party... we didn't know this when we booked to go. By the time we found out it was too late to cancel going to the Christmas party - and would have been charged pretty much a day's pay if we didn't go (a 17 year old's pay anyway).

We arrived back into our home town at 5am as the party was probably about 50 miles away... the poor Saturday (and Sunday) staff had to start at 11am... I never made it in. Got in trouble for it, but I never got fired as I am usually a good employee! Besides, I'm sure they didn't want me running to the bathroom to throw up every hour lol.

Not the same as the OP - but just goes to show how unreasonable employers can be with store opening times.

I do think the employer should have in place a system where they will reimburse (at least partly) for transport when travelling at unsociable hours. When I worked at a cinema, if we chose to get a taxi home after midnight the company would give us a small amount towards it - something like £5 or £10 (in London, so taxis cost a bit more here)