Refusing to travel = Sacking?

indianabones

haras_nosirrah wrote: »

is it just for 1 week or are they asking you to basically work in kent permanently and live there mon to fri

They've said it's for 1 week, possibly 2. However there's another guy currently on leave who's been away from home for 6 weeks and another guy currently I'm told in his 3rd week. So the occasional travel they told me about and short term nature, well it looks like they lied to me at the interview.


I made it pretty clear at the start, happy to do 1 or 2 days here or there, perhaps even spend the night away. But a full week away is not something I'm prepared for or want.


I'm pretty sure if they got rid of me, I'd find a new job quickly (inside 4-8 weeks) as there's a high demand for people with my skillset currently. But of course would be easier if I didn't have to worry about that.

Money_maker

indianabones wrote: »

My daughter won't sleep if I'm not nearby.

This is an excellent time for the little one to learn to self soothe and would probably be beneficial for your wife too. A week (or two) away from the family could be looked at positively, you not letting them be alone for this time feels quite creepy, especially as you want to do an additional 6 hours driving each day. Why are you so dependant on them or do you need to keep an eye on them?

warby68

I don't know your odds of being fired but can certainly say your reasons and wants are at the ususual end of the scale as is the preference to be sacked. I've never heard of anyone being allowed to take their whole family to work or asking for that matter and its perfectly reasonable for your employer not to want you working on top of a 6h daily commute.

indianabones

warby68 wrote: »

I don't know your odds of being fired but can certainly say your reasons and wants are at the ususual end of the scale as is the preference to be sacked. I've never heard of anyone being allowed to take their whole family to work or asking for that matter and its perfectly reasonable for your employer not to want you working on top of a 6h daily commute.

I completely understand your point of view and I understand my new company's point of view. But as I said, unfortunately the circumstances are not right for me.


I was lead to believe travel would be occasional and short term, the wording in my interview was "maybe 1 or 2 night every few weeks".


Seems like the main question is being missed here, which I suppose I don't have much control over now anyway.

iammumtoone

indianabones wrote: »

I was lead to believe travel would be occasional and short term, the wording in my interview was "maybe 1 or 2 night every few weeks".

On average it might work out at that, after this one or two weeks you may not be asked to travel again for another month or so.

I would go this time. It might not be as bad for yourself/wife/baby as you are imagining you can Skype home every evening. This will be a test how you all cope, if it does turn out to be unworkable then at least you have brought yourself sometime still in your current role to look elsewhere.

I would not quit/get sacked without at least giving it a go, you can always refuse to do the second week if it comes to that.

Good Luck.

indianabones

iammumtoone wrote: »

I would not quit/get sacked without at least giving it a go, you can always refuse to do the second week if it comes to that.

Good Luck.

Thanks for the reply.


It might already be a bit too late. I've already said no to them and they began asking others, they may have to force someone because the general feeling I got was, everyone hated it as nothing ever got done due to logistics and so it meant they were staying much longer than officially being told.


I hope they don't fire me, not just yet anyway. As I said, I really wanted the role and they really wanted me, but this will be a sad way for it to end. Before it even begins.

tacpot12

I think I would have been inclined to let them put me up in a hotel for four nights, and travelled home on the Tuesday night and not stayed in the hotel room. How would they know, unless you have trouble on the commute the following morning?

Your employer does have a duty of care for your safety and couldn't sanction a six hour commute on top of a seven hour day. But only traveling home in the evening and then back again the next day in the middle of the week would be safe.

You weren't going to subsidise your employer by paying for the hotel yourself were you?

I expect you are right about them being "economical with the truth" at interview and that there is more travelling needed than you will be happy with. I don't think they will sack you if you do a bit of travelling, say, one week every other month. Whereas if you refuse to do any, then you make it very easy for them to sack you.

McKneff

The job centre will ask the employer and he will be deemed to have deliberatel made himself unemployed by not carrying out a reqest from his employer. They sanction for that now

Geoff1963

I personally get very very homesick if I don't see my daughter

Skype home every evening

Good plan.
Try it first, before you go, so you both get used to the idea ; and can be "virtually present". This is 2017, we should all practice that. Get a ( secure) webcam for her bedroom.

My daughter won't sleep if I'm not nearby.

If you are away for a working day plus 6 hours, she will be asleep for some of that time anyway. Does she need to know exactly how far away you are, or what that means ?

Commuting isn't just time and effort, it is also stress ; so you won't be as good a father or employee as you would like to be.

getmore4less

There should be no reason you can't take family to share the room.

To say you can't is hinting they want more from you than normal hours.

Never been a problem places I have worked.