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

Yeah, fuck that, they can fucking spin on it. It takes me 20 minutes to get to work, and we usually work up until lunch time on Christmas Eve, If I was told I had to go somewhere other than my normal workplace, especially one 3 hours away and out of my own pocket, on any day at short notice they'd be told where to go. They'd especially be told where to fucking go if they had the audacity to mention that progression in the company depended on attendance too, the arseholes.

i think it's unreasonable of them to expect you to travel (in your own vehicle) all the way to Manchester in time for an event starting at 9am - you say it's a 3 hour journey so you' have to leave your house at 6am?!

Not getting home till 9pm means it's a 15 hour working day, including the 6 hours of driving, in the dark, in what might well be bad weather and /or treacherous/ busy road conditions...

Being ompensated with an extra 2 hours off in the new year hardly makes up for this double-length working day! or are they saying that you're being paid to work on both the 23rd an 24th but shouldn't do any work on the 24th?

I don't think that you can or should be forced to work outside of your ontracted hours? what would happen if you already had care or other commitments?

What woul happen if your car broke down between now and then?
or you found out from your insurance company that you weren't covered for business travel?

If I were you, I'd think about oviously 'feeling ill' (being prepared to show this to everyone the week before - while you talk about how much you're looking forward to the party) so that your eventual disappointment about being so sick that you can't go after all, is so much more believable?!

I don’t know that “most posters” would share your opinion actually.

Have either of you even read the thread? It’s not just about working the day before Christmas Eve( I’ll be working that day too and it’s fine ) it’s about asking her to travel 3 hours each way to Manchester relatively last minute. And on a day where the roads are likely to be super busy and not reimbursing her for travel expenses on train or car.

This could easily be a more enjoyable and productive event if they moved it to say late January, paid for accommodation or travel expenses and made it a slightly shorter day eg. 10am to 4:30pm.

Employees will respect them more and be more switched on and focused without having to make such a journey during the height of the festive period.

There’s no need for this. It’s inconsiderate and disrespectful and will do nothing to boost staff morale.

It’s a normal working day as not a bank
holiday and if it’s within your contracted normal hours then I would expect you to have to work. I’m having to work Christmas Eve as it’s not a BH and it’s one of my normal contracted days to work and we can’t book annual leave. It sucks but at least I have Christmas Day and Boxing Day off after working many years in an industry where every day is a normal working day

Yes, I agree with most posters, it’s a normal working day. I will be working until 6pm, colleagues until 7pm, on Christmas Eve and we open again at 8am on the 27th so I think you should be grateful that you have extra time off. I would love if we could finish early on Christmas Eve even.

Do you even know what irrelevant means- or how to spell it?

Exactly

Your travel to relatives is irrelevant to OPs situation.
Also, the post is not about having to work Christmas Eve or Christmas day, so thats also irrelavant.

I didn’t say anything was her fault. I said I understand her annoyance. But my original point was most people work jobs where they even work Christmas Eve (and some Christmas Day) to give her some perspective that it’s not too bad.
Stand up to relatives? You want me to shout at my sister just because I didn’t feel like travelling hours but did anyway because I’m a good sister?
Are you actually ok?

I was exactly the same. My MO was let's do a great job as quickly as possible so we can piss off early.

I had to spend all week with those staff, who wants to be surrounded by tense or miserable people?

They wholeheartedly embraced the approach, and productivity went through the roof.

During the years when I ran a significant business one of my main aims was, as far as possible, to make sure everyone had a good time. This objective which had nothing obviously to do with profit was in fact very profitable and we sold out for a handsome sum in which everyone had a share. We had amazing parties.

It might be a one off, it might not.

What I'm interested in is where you draw the line?

What is an acceptable amount of work related expenses for the OP to pay from her own pocket to do something which is not in her contract?

They are not considering your health and safety with such a long day driving etc. they should pay you for the time. Just take a days holiday instead or review your sick pay policy.

yea people work long shifts and don’t get Xmas off but this isn’t even your regular place of work.
is the shop actually shut? You are available to work there. This is how companies lose staff.

speak to ACAS. You will also need business insurance on your car as commuting only covers you to one place of work if you read the policy carefully.

they can’t expect travel time to come out of your regular day and the cost. What if you didn’t drive and there was no public transport available.

this wouldn’t fit in with people with childcare or caring responsibilities either.

personally I just would take the hit on pay and have a day off as if it will cost you more to work that day then you actually save money.

or just call and say broken down. Can you lift share with other people?

Do what you want to do. Forget the pay it's just life it's in your contract somewhere no doubt and make sure you belong to a union in future.

This is utterly ridiculous. What are they thinking?

You chose to work there, 15 minutes from home because it's convenient for you; yet they expect you to travel for 6 hours to attend a crappy Xmas do.

I wouldn't attend.

OK, if it helps:

Pp asked what kind of business you were in. You replied with some waffle about 'someone else's job, pay or costs' but didn't answer the question of what business you were in, and still haven't. Which is your prerogative, but then don't be surprised if you're accused of dodging the question. Wouldn't it have been easier just to say you didn't want to answer it?

The reason I asked you what area you work in is because I know a lot of people who travel for work, but I don't know any who don't get paid for it.
Well paid jobs, sure, you suck it up as part of the job, but anything lower paid, you should not be out of pocket for attending another workplace.
I was just curious if there were industries that did expect employees to travel at their own (in this case considerable) expense and why people would put up with that.
It's not the usual situation in retail, there's usually a mileage allowance and public transport paid.

If the post you quote doesn't relate in any way to the random assertion you go on to make, it doesn't really deserve a response.

I'm neither an employer or someone being asked to go to another location as a one off. I can still think it's fine.

£150 which is most likely more than the op would get deducted from her pay.

Question nicely dodged there.

So how much would you be willing to give to your own employer, particularly just before Christmas?

Can you put a figure on the amount of work related expenses you think employees should have to meet from their own pocket before it becomes unreasonable and their employer should pay?

You appear to think £150 is a low enough amount that the employee should cover it.

My reply here was to someone obnoxiously asking if I'd like to personally contribute towards the OP's costs. I'd obviously not wish to involve myself in someone else's job, pay or costs just because I replied with my opinion on an open anonymous forum.

This!

This is the issue ... the travel time and costs being mandatory and all falling on the OP ... that's not her job!

OK so where do you draw the line?

Commuting to and from her regular place of work = obviously at her own cost.

Being sent to New York for work = obviously at her employer's cost.

Why does Manchester fall on the "OP's cost" side of that line?

Do you have any idea how much 350 miles worth of petrol costs? It used to be standard that people could claim 45p a mile when travelling for work in their own car. In this case, that would be over £150. Why do you think the OP should meet this cost out of her own pocket, just to eat some sausage rolls and listen to someone give a speech?

Ive just lived through something really difficult as i mentioned upthread and i agree with the OP She should tell you to shove your emotional blackmail bollocks