Travelling to/from Work

Ms_Chocaholic

I have been working from home throughout the pandemic but now the situation is slowly returning to normal I have been asked to go in occasionally.  One of my colleagues (John) has been travelling to work throughout the pandemic because he needed to be on site to do his job and, because John worked in my team at one point, our Manager informed me at that time that John travelled to/from work in "work time" rather than his own time.

When I was asked to go in I asked if I was expected to travel in my own time or work time and I was told it had to be my own time, I then raised that John had always travelled in work time and I was struggling to understand why there was a difference but she couldn't really give an answer and when I raised why John could and I couldn't, she said she couldn't discuss my colleagues working patterns with me.

Am I being unreasonable to ask and expect the same?

Thrugelmir

That was then and this is now.  You incurred no work to travel expenses whilst at home. While John did. Perhaps that's part of your management's thinking. A cost free option for them. 

Savvy_Sue

does John always travel to the same site?

Ms_Chocaholic

Savvy_Sue said:

does John always travel to the same site?

Yes but it’s a different site to the one I travel to, although it’s nearer to John’s home than mine is (just in case it’s relevant)

Marcon

Ms_Chocaholic said:

I have been working from home throughout the pandemic but now the situation is slowly returning to normal I have been asked to go in occasionally.  One of my colleagues (John) has been travelling to work throughout the pandemic because he needed to be on site to do his job and, because John worked in my team at one point, our Manager informed me at that time that John travelled to/from work in "work time" rather than his own time.

When I was asked to go in I asked if I was expected to travel in my own time or work time and I was told it had to be my own time, I then raised that John had always travelled in work time and I was struggling to understand why there was a difference but she couldn't really give an answer and when I raised why John could and I couldn't, she said she couldn't discuss my colleagues working patterns with me.

Am I being unreasonable to ask and expect the same?

If you travelled in your own time before the pandemic, why would that change now? Your manager is quite correct in refusing to discuss personal matters relating to a colleague; who knows why that arrangement applies to him - but it clearly didn't and doesn't apply to you, so I think you're being unrealistic rather than unreasonable.

Undervalued

Ms_Chocaholic said:

I have been working from home throughout the pandemic but now the situation is slowly returning to normal I have been asked to go in occasionally.  One of my colleagues (John) has been travelling to work throughout the pandemic because he needed to be on site to do his job and, because John worked in my team at one point, our Manager informed me at that time that John travelled to/from work in "work time" rather than his own time.

When I was asked to go in I asked if I was expected to travel in my own time or work time and I was told it had to be my own time, I then raised that John had always travelled in work time and I was struggling to understand why there was a difference but she couldn't really give an answer and when I raised why John could and I couldn't, she said she couldn't discuss my colleagues working patterns with me.

Am I being unreasonable to ask and expect the same?

Probably yes.

Unless you have genuine reason to believe that you are being discriminated against on one of the few legally prohibited grounds (e.g race, gender, sexual orientation etc) then the firm are quite entitled to treat John differently to you.

TELLIT01

Management were trying to be fair to John in the described situation.  The OP was able to work from home so had no travel time or travel cost so should be grateful for that.  John didn't have that option so was having extra cost involved.  As things return to normal it's almost certain that John will be told he has to get to and from work in their own time.

Undervalued

TELLIT01 said:

Management were trying to be fair to John in the described situation.  The OP was able to work from home so had no travel time or travel cost so should be grateful for that.  John didn't have that option so was having extra cost involved.  As things return to normal it's almost certain that John will be told he has to get to and from work in their own time.

That may well be.

Equally the firm might be so impressed with John's work that they give him all sorts of perks and a £10K pay rise! That is entirely up to them and, to be blunt, none of the OP's business.

wilfred30

John also had to risk his health to work on site every day whilst the OP was sat all cozy and safe at home.  Not to mention the fact that they saved all the money they would've spent on travelling to/from work.

I notice the OP didn't expect to be treated the same as John when it came to physically having to go into work.

Savvy_Sue

Ms_Chocaholic said:

Savvy_Sue said:

does John always travel to the same site?

Yes but it’s a different site to the one I travel to, although it’s nearer to John’s home than mine is (just in case it’s relevant)

OK, in that case I don't understand why John should be paid for his travelling time - if he was going to multiple different sites then it would make sense. 

HOWEVER, individual contracts are for individuals to negotiate. John appears to have negotiated one which included his travel time, you didn't (although frankly I've never known time for travelling to one site to be paid time!)

The details of John's, Fred's and Uncle Tom Cobley's contracts are none of your business, and I'm not sure why a manager disclosed any details to you. 

yvonne13_2

OP why was John's travel arrangement part of your discussion? If its bothering you that much you could always raise your query with HR. Sometimes it's best off not getting to wrapped up in idol gossip which doesn't really concern you. You already said he travels to a different site to you, so the answer you're looking for could be at the place of work it's self.