Unreasonable working travel request 18hours

Gtidave

Hi there, work have requested with 4 days notice I drive to a project 6 hours away from my local office to perform my duties which will take 6 hours and then return 6 hours (18hour day) and are demanding I do this trip with no hotel stay over as there's no budget. I often travel but this seems ridiculous and when it is too far I get a hotel paid for by the company, apparently as there's no budget I would have to foot the bill myself (not happening). I checked the company handbook and bizarrely there's no driving at work policy. Personally I think its dangerous to drive home 6hours having done a 12hr day comprising of a 6hour drive followed by 6 hours of work.
Are there any rules on this as all I can find are hgv drivers hours and nothing about doing work in-between travel. (I'm not a hgv driver)

getmore4less

Any other transport options available 

Any TOIL

How are they handling meal times and expenses

As a one off if all on the same day I would want the next day off.

74jax

Do you have an expenses policy? Ours clearly stated if it was over 2hrs away and took you outside of your working hours overnight accomm was provided. 

I would state if the company budget didn't provide for this service then your personal budget wasn't there to provide the service.

Do you have set hours?

I wouldn't do it, but not everyone is in the same situation, can you afford to say no? 

Martin_the_Unjust

I’d be saying ‘no’ as well, especially in the current job market.

TELLIT01

I would refuse to do it.  A 6 hour drive after already driving 6 hours and then working 6 is a recipe for disaster.  I have experience of 2 colleagues doing similar.  One fell asleep at the wheel and went straight over a large roundabout, fortunately with only minor injuries.  The other was driving back to the west of England from Edinburgh and had decided to stop to get a drink.  They pulled into the motorway services and say the next thing they knew it was a couple of hours later, they were still in their car with the engine running.  Obviously that scared the **** out of them because they said they actually felt OK when then drove into the services.  Sleep had obviously been virtually instant.

Grumpy_chap

Gtidave said:

Hi there, work have requested with 4 days notice I drive to a project 6 hours away from my local office to perform my duties which will take 6 hours and then return 6 hours (18hour day) and are demanding I do this trip with no hotel stay over as there's no budget. I often travel but this seems ridiculous and when it is too far I get a hotel paid for by the company, apparently as there's no budget I would have to foot the bill myself (not happening). I checked the company handbook and bizarrely there's no driving at work policy. Personally I think its dangerous to drive home 6hours having done a 12hr day comprising of a 6hour drive followed by 6 hours of work.
Are there any rules on this as all I can find are hgv drivers hours and nothing about doing work in-between travel. (I'm not a hgv driver)

This looks like a case where the OP has the employer "bang-to-rights" and should be finding a way to not do what has been requested.  

The OP could build their case and seek discussion around the following areas:

• Travel, expenses, subsistence policy
• H&S - ask for the risk assessment for that activity

Ultimately, if the company undersold the work and forgot to include these costs, that is not the OP's issue, nor should the OP put themselves and others at danger to overcome the issue, nor should the OP be out of pocket.

Rather than a challenge, the OP could seek to present the concerns as an efficiency for the business.  6 hours drive must be 300 miles or more each way (600 miles total), so the "mileage" cost to the business will be from £100 - £300.  Could the OP research alternative travel options and present that as a "win".  Along the lines of "instead of £250 mileage, I could fly at only £xx and then also be more productive the following day".

The situation that would change the above would be if this travel is not really down to the business.  For example I work in the South East (England) and during COVID, two colleagues moved "back home" to Scotland and one moved to the West Country.  These individuals are now bleating about cost when attending the office and there is little sympathy for them.

adamp87

OP I think all you need to do here is be direct and state the obvious

I’m sorry but that’s just not a feasible day, either I’ll need a hotel to be put up in or we’ll have to look after something else.

Being asked to travel for 12 hours & work for 6 totalling 18 hours in a day isn’t right

They’ll find something in their budget no doubt. 

Dakta

Easier to say this when not the one in the situation but got to look after yourself, if it genuinely is 6 hours there, 6 hours back and a shift between then I don't think you could do this safely if driving so you want to stamp your foot.

Whilst dramatic, these are how the seeds of incidents get sown. 

Marvel1

What is more worrying about 6 hours each way, probably doesn't take into account any traffic jams you may encounter!

AskAsk

where i work, people often travel this far at least once a week.  they don't get hotel stay but they can claim travel expense and they often use the train as it is faster.  you will probably find that if you got the train, it wouldn't take you 6 hours.

i think they should pay you travel expense but if it is not a regular occurence and just a one off then i don't think it is a huge problem.

i myself have had to travel 5 hours or more to meetings at short notice and i only get travel expense re-imbursed.

Thrugelmir

Is there a neccessity to drive?  Is rail an alternative for the majority of the journey.