To think we shouldn't have to work the day before Christmas Eve?

Always been Mad Friday where I’ve worked. (NHS/Ambulance services.)

Not offering travel expenses is unreasonable. (Presumably employees could car-share, though.)

Expecting you to work on 23rd December is not unreasonable at all. (My daughter, who has young children, is on her work rota for the whole of Christmas week.)

Do you have evidence for this? I’m 59 and disabled and can easily not need the loo in a three-hour period. I would think it very odd if “most” adults can’t.

Have you read even a little bit of the thread?

@blinddoorshyt take it as unpaid leave, it’s not worth driving all that way for party nibbles

Day before Christmas eve.

This sounds perfectly fine to me. Part and parcel of the job

It’s really not part and parcel of a shop assistant’s job (probably on close to minimum wage) to attend a mandatory ‘jolly’, three hours drive from home, resulting in a 15 hour work day, for no extra pay, while actually having to pay the best part of a days wages to be there! After previously being told this day would be a non-working day.

I think you’re muddling the jobs/expectations of more senior/better paid members of staff in some companies with those more junior members. Although I don’t know of any company that wouldn’t pay travel expenses for a day like this, at the very minimum.

Sorry. Got wrong end of stick. I wouldn't travel anywhere for 6 hours in a day, work or not.

You work in a shop. You should be open on 24th.

The level to the bottom on employees rights some posters here are having is beyond disgusting.

Her company is making the OP travel 6 hours for a fucking presentation 2 days before Christmas. They don't give a shit about her contract or the fact the company is closing for business on the 20th of December. They are forcing her to attend a presentation that easily could be moved to January, and are not paying mileage for using her car or higher wages for the hours (with travelling involved).

None of this is in her contract but she's expected to take it on the chin. Bullshit. I would raise it with the manager but I'd be going to a GP to get sick leave for gastroenteritis if the company didn't listen or care.

I disagree. If your job is working in a shop, it's working in a shop - 9-6, not doing six hour round trips on one of the shortest days of the year.

Also, does the OP have car insurance for business purposes?

This whole thing is ridiculous.

OP, tell the boss you aren't going because it's too long a day, too much driving, too expensive and potentially dangerous if the weather is bad, and look for another job.

Err, most people can't. Certainly not me.

Aside from the obvious pregnant women and women on their periods, whether it's just age or health only a minority of adults can go 3 hours without the toilet in the day. Many can't at night either.

I agree there are two different issues here. OP can certainly be required to attend events she personally considers pointless for the benefit of the business, and team building and corporate away days fall into this.

She should be getting paid travel, expenses and extra time, or the equivalent of the time off in lieu, and consideration for those who will find the travel difficult. She should be allowed to book annual leave for this reason without it affecting her job prospects.

I don't blame you op for not wanting to work that day when you have to travel so far and not get adequate compensation.

It's unfortunate the way you worded your AIBU and missed out that the real issue is the unpaid and unreasonable travel.

I would not go, take the day as leave and look for a new job in the new year if you find it has affected your prospects as they've threatened.

But that's the point: it's not unfair or unreasonable to work on what is a normal working day.

The unpaid travel is unreasonable, absolutely, as is not offering TOIL or similar for travel outside of working hours.

But working per se? It's not at all unreasonable to expect someone to work on one of their normal working day if they're not using annual leave.

They’ve been told not going will halt progression so it’s not just about getting paid. There is clearly an expectation they should be there (with significant travel time and expense being borne by the employee )

What if you don't drive ?

I assume those unable to drive for whatever reason will be expected to take the train or bus.

Good luck to the non-drivers who live far from Manchester considering the general unreliability of public transport, and how much worse and more crowded it gets on the 23rd.

My work head office is 2.5 hours away from me on the train and we do have some away days etc here and there, and I quite enjoy the occasional train trip down.

However thankfully they reimburse for travel (as any decent company should do) AND they’d never do this kind of thing so close to Christmas just out of consideration for the employees.

A couple of times when I’ve travelled to or from a head office meeting or event, my 2.5 hour journey has been closer to 5 hours because of excessive delays and cancellations so I typically don’t arrange meetings before 11am when going to head office. Just to give me some wiggle room. And that’s just been at a “normal” time of year so I couldn’t imagine how it’s going to be like on the 23rd.

You don't have to go though. Theyre just saying that if you go to this party you will be paid as if you were at work, and if you dont. You can take the day off but you won't be paid?

I dont see the issue. Sounds pretty cushy to me to get paid for going to a xmas party and then you get all xmas off.

Well lots of people have to work Christmas Day doesn’t mean we all should.
lots of people will spend Christmas Day alone, doesn’t mean we all should etc etc.

people should be able to express if things that are not fair/ not reasonable are happening to them

OP would be 2 hours and 20 minutes late (at least!) given the event starts at 9am though.

Just because you do doesn’t mean everyone has to

I wouldn't be able to do that - I can't drive in the dark, as I literally can't see in the dark. It would have to be a train, and of course they need to pay expenses! I'd be having a few nice wines on the train home too!

Actually OP. This whole day potentially indirect sex discrimination because it’s been around on you at short notice and will impact disproportionately negatively on those with childcare responsibilities, who are disproportionately women

At such short notice, childcare is likely to be impossible to arrange and you have been told that not going may adversely affect your prospects.

I would be pointing out the above, but if you want less exposure just take the day as leave. It will be a complete nightmare being on the road for that length of time 2 days before Xmas. The management are idiots

It's a normal working day. As is Christmas eve.
The timing for travelling a long way is inconvenient, but unless you're taking annual leave OR it's written into your contract that you don't work that day then you have to work. They should definitely be paying your travel though.
I'll be working that day, and Christmas eve, and between Christmas and new year - as do millions of other people 🤷🏽‍♀️

It's going to cost you at least £60-100 to travel by public transport, so I would simply say you cannot afford to spend that on public transport and not get it back, that's the cost of a week's shopping, and offer to go in and help with rearranging the store for the influx of post Christmas visitors who want bathroom refurbishment advice instead.