Training away from the office

Latheofheaven

The trainer works in our office and reports back on how many hours we do. They are also trying to take 1 hour 15 in breaks off us on training but that's another story!

jobbingmusician

Are they paying your (excess) travel time to get to this training?

sangie595

Latheofheaven wrote: »

I think it is the matter of flexi time being about choice - I don't believe it is there for the employer to tell you which hours to work. It is to allow flexibility for the employee. Otherwise they could tell us to come in 10 til 6 whenever they liked despite the fact many of us would struggle with those hours.

In previously answering, I did not assume you were on flexitime, although being NHS staff I thought it possible. Now that you have confirmed that you are, you need to revise your opinion of what flexi time is. It is not solely to benefit the employee. And it is not solely about choice. It works both ways. And if you aren't willing to allow for that on a one off occasion, don't be surprised when flexi time disappears. It is reasonable that the difference in time traveling be accounted for as work time. It is not reasonable that you expect flexi time arrangements to work solely on one direction.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Latheofheaven wrote: »

I think it is the matter of flexi time being about choice - I don't believe it is there for the employer to tell you which hours to work. It is to allow flexibility for the employee. Otherwise they could tell us to come in 10 til 6 whenever they liked despite the fact many of us would struggle with those hours.

It is generally by choice. In this one, brief instance there are some hours that you will have to work, because training has been arranged. And you can still work other hours on those days if you choose.

Would you claim that the employer can never arrange anything on any days in case you don't want to work that particular time? Obviously not.

Latheofheaven

They are now. I had to bring the union in to fight for that as they told us we weren't entitled to it.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Latheofheaven wrote: »

They are now. I had to bring the union in to fight for that as they told us we weren't entitled to it.

Who are you replying to? They are what now?

Latheofheaven

I do think it is unreasonable. Because the majority work regular hours and by forcing us to work three or four shorter days they are leaving us up to 8 hours down. That is a lot of time to make up.

Latheofheaven

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

Who are you replying to? They are what now?

That was to jobbingmusician re travel time. As you can probably tell, I am new to the forum. Thank you for your patience.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Latheofheaven wrote: »

I do think it is unreasonable. Because the majority work regular hours and by forcing us to work three or four shorter days they are leaving us up to 8 hours down. That is a lot of time to make up.

If your travel time is being counted, then how are they doing this?

If the training is 6 hours and there is an hour travelling every day, you will be booking 8 hour days. If it finishes early travel back to the office and work the hours then.

This makes no sense.

Latheofheaven

I also think my point stands about the early finish not being our own time. We are told to be available for specific hours and not to make plans to leave before 4.30. If training finishes early and we can't get back to the office until after our normal hours that is as if we have been on call for that last hour. It isn't time we were aware we would have off work until that moment. If we did return to work at that time, to make up a full day, we would have to be there until 6.30 at the earliest. That is after an 8.45 start. And all for a 7.5 hour day. Something about this is not right.