Can a company force staff to attend Christmas Party?

[Deleted User]

lloydy84 wrote: »

Another person has social anxiety and has really worked himself into a frenzy over this. Especially after hearing about the last christmas party

Can anyone please advise as to what our options are?

Considered quitting? *think what might happen*

For your colleague, I know I was the same being stuck with Bob last Christmas out of the office not once but twice during silly season - the relief I felt when I quit that job never explainable, even spending run up to last Christmas getting up at 5:30am to shift parcels on a temp contract was more bearable instead.

Again recently quit my job (instead of anti D's) this time I got a new job lined up - I start before December.

"There are no bars on the Windows" if a company does something you genuinely don't like, why work yourselves up.

The company I depart from holds an annual awards event in another county which they provide transport to/from and by heck, even they allow their staff to leave early on day to make up for time at awards do - in fact it is a staff members decision to go as a refundable deposit gets taken as confirmation weeks in advance, of who wants to remain to work as opposed to who wants to spend 8 hours at the awards.

nicechap

On the one hand it seems strange OP doesn't want to be paid to spend time with his colleagues: especially as he has said on another of his employment dilemmas:

lloydy84 wrote: »

Thank you shortcrust for this response, I am not unsympathetic at all, and really do work with the nicest people as well .....

Taken from this thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5801362/need-advice-on-sensitive-but-urgent-issue

From which I wonder if the real reason is, the Op doesn't want to sit next to the smelly colleague on the coach.

pmduk

I'm not sure this is the place to go into decisions (probably) made in a Family court.

Comms69

pmduk wrote: »

I'm not sure this is the place to go into decisions (probably) made in a Family court.

Well given it's the crux of the argument; it's unavoidable.

takman

Deleted%20User wrote: »

Considered quitting? *think what might happen*

For your colleague, I know I was the same being stuck with Bob last Christmas out of the office not once but twice during silly season - the relief I felt when I quit that job never explainable, even spending run up to last Christmas getting up at 5:30am to shift parcels on a temp contract was more bearable instead.

Again recently quit my job (instead of anti D's) this time I got a new job lined up - I start before December.

From reading your posts on here you must get a new job every month :rotfl:

TBagpuss

Comms69 wrote: »

I know I've not read the exact order; but I've never seen (and I have seen a few) a child arrangement order which ordered that the NRP personally collect.


A new partner, family member or friend would be appropriate. The courts do not order the PWC to constantly supervise.

I've seen quite a few which specify who has to collect. Of course, with rational people on both sides the thing to do would be to arrange for a third party to collect and agree this with the other parent, but from what OP says it sounds as though that may not be possible.

The company would not be bound in any way by OP's court order. They are not a party to the court proceedings and have no obligation to comply with the order.

OP might, depending on the wording, be in breach of the order if they can't pick the child uo, however, family courts generally expect people to be reasonable and it is highly unlikely that any court would take any steps against them if they had made reasonable efforts to deal with the issue, for instance by giving the other parent ample notice and offering a realistic and workable alternative (e.g. a specific, named alternative person to collect your child, or a proposal to collect them later / the following morning as a one off, or the offer to swap the contact to a different day that week, although if the alternative would mean that the other parent was having to provide care then it would also be reasonable to consider any additional costs they might incur.


OP< I would suggest a 2 pronged approach - put forward suggestions to your ex to try to make alternative contact arrangements for that one day and in the meantime, also make a formal request to HR and your manager explaining that due to a pre-existing and firm commitment that evening, you absolutely do need to be back no later than 5.30 - offer options, e.g. that you would be happy to take a day's holiday, or to attend but travel by yourself and leave early, or whatever would actually work

scd3scd4

What a world we live in where you are forced to attend a party/meal. For what?


My company puts on beautiful parties on boats up the Thames like the Sturgeon
https://silverfleet.co.uk/silver-sturgeon/


Yet people are never forced and some still don't go despite free food and drink.

robatwork

scd3scd4 wrote: »

What a world we live in where you are forced to attend a party/meal. For what?

We live in a world where this didn't happen. Fakey news, but it certainly got people reacting like crazy, so I suspect job done for the OP.

Comms69

TBagpuss wrote: »

I've seen quite a few which specify who has to collect. Of course, with rational people on both sides the thing to do would be to arrange for a third party to collect and agree this with the other parent, but from what OP says it sounds as though that may not be possible.

The company would not be bound in any way by OP's court order. They are not a party to the court proceedings and have no obligation to comply with the order.

OP might, depending on the wording, be in breach of the order if they can't pick the child uo, however, family courts generally expect people to be reasonable and it is highly unlikely that any court would take any steps against them if they had made reasonable efforts to deal with the issue, for instance by giving the other parent ample notice and offering a realistic and workable alternative (e.g. a specific, named alternative person to collect your child, or a proposal to collect them later / the following morning as a one off, or the offer to swap the contact to a different day that week, although if the alternative would mean that the other parent was having to provide care then it would also be reasonable to consider any additional costs they might incur.


OP< I would suggest a 2 pronged approach - put forward suggestions to your ex to try to make alternative contact arrangements for that one day and in the meantime, also make a formal request to HR and your manager explaining that due to a pre-existing and firm commitment that evening, you absolutely do need to be back no later than 5.30 - offer options, e.g. that you would be happy to take a day's holiday, or to attend but travel by yourself and leave early, or whatever would actually work

Fair enough; I've not seen that.


Must be particularly acrimonious!

scd3scd4

robatwork wrote: »

We live in a world where this didn't happen. Fakey news, but it certainly got people reacting like crazy, so I suspect job done for the OP.

Crazy seems an exaggeration but I have heard similar.


My wife is a C Servant. They once expected her to travel hours away to a training centre and the same home in her time. When she works 10 minutes away. No compensation for the 3-4 hours travel..............she just said no and do what you like.