Question about benefits from employer

salesman1979

I work at a car dealership (main dealer) and some of my colleagues took advantage of a deal from the manufacturer that allowed them to get into a 12 month deal with a very low monthly payment. The dealership then allowed them to insure their cars on the dealership insurance and just pay benefit in kind on this which costs them roughly £25 per month.


I recently opted out of the company car scheme as it is ridiculously expensive and got a car (different manufacturer) through a work scheme. I asked to add that to the insurance and was told that I can't as it is not our brand. We insure an other brand as company cars for our service department employees.


Is this fair? Surely one employee cannot be given a benefit that another cannot take advantage of? Also, as I have opted out of the company car scheme, am I entitled to take a car allowance in leiu of that benefit?

nicechap

salesman1979 wrote: »

I work at a car dealership (main dealer) and some of my colleagues took advantage of a deal from the manufacturer that allowed them to get into a 12 month deal with a very low monthly payment. The dealership then allowed them to insure their cars on the dealership insurance and just pay benefit in kind on this which costs them roughly £25 per month.


I recently opted out of the company car scheme as it is ridiculously expensive and got a car (different manufacturer) through a work scheme. I asked to add that to the insurance and was told that I can't as it is not our brand. We insure an other brand as company cars for our service department employees.


Is this fair? Surely one employee cannot be given a benefit that another cannot take advantage of? Also, as I have opted out of the company car scheme, am I entitled to take a car allowance in leiu of that benefit?

Fair? From who's perspective? your employer? You? a homeless person?

Different employees are allowed to be given different benefits according and in line with their contracts as long as its not due to a protected characteristic.

What does your contract say about a car allowance in lieu of company car scheme?

salesman1979

I'll check my contract tonight.


What about the insurance benefit in my colleagues and I have the same contract?

nicechap

salesman1979 wrote: »

I'll check my contract tonight.


What about the insurance benefit in my colleagues and I have the same contract?

That'll be a benefit in kind your colleagues will be taxed on but you won't.

Same argument applies about what's in your contract and people doing the same job can be paid differently as long as its not due to a protected characteristic.

Pj1981

Whilst im no expert on this, i would say no.you opted out of this perk as it was too expensive.Do the service centre employees also get the cars through a work scheme or just the insurance?if its just the insurance then you could probably argue your case, but you would need to be opted in for a start.As for the payment instead of this benefit, no chance.You said it was overly expensive to do anyway, so ofset the overexpense of the benefit against any 'compensation' you feel your due .Is there any alternative ?as in service discounts etc...you could argue for? Like i say, im no expert on the legal side of this but surely these were all set in stone when you signed your contract?

TBagpuss

Even if the other employers get the insurance perk and you don't, I don't think this would be unlawful unless the reason you were not offered it was discriminatory - e.g. if the refusal was because you had a disability and had adaptations to your car as a result.

There is nothing legally wrong with an employer offering different terms to different employees, even where the employees are doing the same or a broadly similar job, unless the different treatment is down to discrimination (direct or indirect) because of a protected characteristic.

You can of course raise the fact that other employees have been offered the perk despite driving different brand vehicles, but that doesn't mean that the employer has to offer you the same benefit.

salesman1979

The service department get company cars, so includes insurance and maintenance. They’re a different brand to the manufacturer we represent though.

The reason I ask about an alternative to a company car is because in a previous job I didn’t need a company car as I had literally just bought a new car ,use,f so they offered me a car allowance instead.

nicechap

salesman1979 wrote: »

The service department get company cars, so includes insurance and maintenance. They’re a different brand to the manufacturer we represent though.

The reason I ask about an alternative to a company car is because in a previous job I didn’t need a company car as I had literally just bought a new car ,use,f so they offered me a car allowance instead.

Companies can offer alternatives to company cars, but they are not obliged to.

Look at your overall package, the value you bring to the company, your personal relationships with your boss/ their boss and decide whether this is something you want to pursue and are likely to win.