Can my employer force me to be a Fire Marshall / warden?

Nesty

Hi All 

I would like to ask a question about employment law, it’s not in the direct sense of saving money, but more my time. 

The question is can my Employer force me to be a fire marshal / warden? 

I wasn’t asked to be a fire warden I, came back of holiday a few years ago, only to receive an email thank you for becoming a fire warden and placed on training, I feel I am a willing member of staff and like to contribute where possible, so then I did not oppose this.

However, then covid came along and most staff started working from home, (I cannot due to my duties), I was giving some like gentleman agreement of flexible working hours, now that has been withdrawn stating lack of fire wardens in the building, so now I am back on standard hours (staying longer in the day) to cover this requirement. 

However, the lack of Fire wardens is down to everyone else in the building (about 500 people) working from home, also me being very lowly paid, these additional duties offer no financial incentive and now being used, as a stick to beat me.

I understand there has to be some cover, but I am fed up with being taken for granted, so want to release myself from these duties, as it is not directly in my contract.  

Any replies be appreciative. 

Thanks

comeandgo

I’m surprised you are not getting any recompense for being fire warden.  I used to audit lots of different companies payrolls and the fire wardens always got something extra, sometimes not very much, about £10 a week but there was something.  

elsien

You say you are doing longer hours - are you still within your contracted hours or do you just mean that you can’t leave the premises to go home early?

Marcon

Nesty said:

Hi All 

I would like to ask a question about employment law, it’s not in the direct sense of saving money, but more my time. 

The question is can my Employer force me to be a fire marshal / warden? 

I wasn’t asked to be a fire warden I, came back of holiday a few years ago, only to receive an email thank you for becoming a fire warden and placed on training, I feel I am a willing member of staff and like to contribute where possible, so then I did not oppose this.

However, then covid came along and most staff started working from home, (I cannot due to my duties), I was giving some like gentleman agreement of flexible working hours, now that has been withdrawn stating lack of fire wardens in the building, so now I am back on standard hours (staying longer in the day) to cover this requirement. 

However, the lack of Fire wardens is down to everyone else in the building (about 500 people) working from home, also me being very lowly paid, these additional duties offer no financial incentive and now being used, as a stick to beat me.

I understand there has to be some cover, but I am fed up with being taken for granted, so want to release myself from these duties, as it is not directly in my contract.  

Any replies be appreciative. 

Thanks

This isn't about employment law; it's about feeling put upon and undervalued. Your resentment is simmering away in your post - so you need to do something to release that tension. 

Nesty said:

However, the lack of Fire wardens is down to everyone else in the building (about 500 people) working from home, also me being very lowly paid, these additional duties offer no financial incentive and now being used, as a stick to beat me.

I understand there has to be some cover, but I am fed up with being taken for granted, so want to release myself from these duties, as it is not directly in my contract.  

There really isn't a sensible alternative to discussing this with your employer. If you don't want to be a fire warden, that's one issue; if you don't want to be a fire warden without some financial recognition, that's a different issue. Decide which applies to you and then decide how far you're prepared to push it with your employer.

TELLIT01

If you don't wish to be a fire warden, say so formally in writing to your employer.  Wording along the lines of "I voluntarily took on the role of fire warden 'x' years ago.  I no longer wish to fulfil this voluntary role and am giving 'x' months notice that I will withdraw from the role of fire warden on (date).

Nesty

Many thanks for the replies.

I have been placed back on contracted hours, I did pre covid.

However, all the people who are now working from home, (the working from home isn't in their contract either), as company HR didn't bring in the WFH contracts until 2022 for new staff. No one in my department has working from home in their contracts (because we haven't had any new starters since 2018), but they they are not returning to office 5 days a week (pre covid hours) and getting paid more then me.

The summary is they now are holding me to my pre covid contracted hours citing it's because of fire warden cover. I feel then if I wasn't a fire warden, I would then be free to negotiate more flexible working pattern IE shorter lunch break to go home earlier, under the company staff wellbeing flexible working arrangements programme.   

The flexible hours I did were greatly appreciative, as it helped me with my commute leaving the building earlier, as less traffic to encounter. 

 

Savvy_Sue

Who covers your Fire Warden duties if you're sick / on holiday? It seems to me that increasing the number (even above recommended limits) would get round the issue, especially if they're not prepared to pay you extra. 

Are you in a union? Could be worth talking to them. 

We didn't get extra for FW, FA or anything like that either. I did decline to re-do FA simply because I knew my wrists weren't up to doing the resuscitation - frankly I'm astonished I passed the last time I did it! 

Nesty

Well pre covid when everyone in the office 5 days a week, we had a list of about 20 wardens, but nearly everyone of them works from home, so they only in the office maybe 1 or 2 days a week, if at all 

Yes I am in a union, I do plan to talk to them about this, just wanted to gauge some information prior about things.   

It is a responsibility being a FW, I am sure most people don't realise this.

TadleyBaggie

I was both a fire marshal and a first aider when I was working. I can’t recall it impacting the hours I worked in any way shape or form. 

BestnamesRgone

I got asked if I would be a fire warden where I work, “no thanks, I’ll be first out of the door if there’s a fire” put an end to that suggestion 😊

Savvy_Sue

Nesty said:

Well pre covid when everyone in the office 5 days a week, we had a list of about 20 wardens, but nearly everyone of them works from home, so they only in the office maybe 1 or 2 days a week, if at all 

Yes I am in a union, I do plan to talk to them about this, just wanted to gauge some information prior about things.   

It is a responsibility being a FW, I am sure most people don't realise this.

I think it's always good to offer a solution to a problem, rather than just raising a problem. 

People don't have to be in every day to be a FW, although that's partly why we had more than we needed (because many of us only did 4 days pw). I think for our size of building / no. of staff we only needed a couple, but we had at least 6 (and even more first aiders - we'd train anyone who asked!) All of our admin team were trained, plus everyone who worked with clients coming into the building. Yes, there was a training cost but it meant we didn't need to worry about there ever not being one.

And again, to help with a solution, if we had to evacuate, all of us knew what to do in terms of sweeping the building and picking up the Fire Bag on the way out, but it would be the most Senior Manager who'd been trained who would put on the hi-vis jacket and take charge. If no manager present, we in the admin team would fight NOT to take charge (but it was usually me because I'd been there forever!)