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

This is the unreasonable part. They shouldn't be making you travel outside your working hours when there is no actual business need.

Not much sympathy. Sorry

Mad Friday here

@Poppybob You chose to work in a field that you knew, before going into it, would require Christmas working. You get zero sympathy from me for that, and frankly, I despise reading these types of posts, bleating on as if you're hard done by for doing what you specifically signed up to do.

OP, however, was told at the shop would close on the 20th, and had the expectation that she would have the time off from then until whenever it opened again.

She is now being told that she has to travel 6 hours (right before Xmas so busy) to attend what amounts to forced fun and pay for the privilege as they won't reimburse her.

Are you seriously saying you'd be more than happy to spend however much it costs in fuel-during the most expensive time of year-to attend a work function knowing you won't get a penny of it back?

Crawl back up your managers arsehole-it's getting cold.

The boss is wrong here. The short notice alone would annoy me. Many people have evening plans for the 23rd already.

OP if you really have to go, can you car-share with anyone at least part of the way?

And do you really want progression in this company anyway…

I work in the nhs and every Xmas is a lottery as to who gets which days off. It’s not great but it’s what I signed up to. Effectively berating the OP for working in retail instead of a hospital is crazy! Our shifts are irrelevant here.

It is like when women mention a wealthy ex for example only giving them £100 a week using dishonest means to hide their income. And posters jump in to say, ‘oh you should be grateful as I only get £7 a month. It is such a stupid argument.

Sounds like a pain in the arse and waste of time. They could have done it on one of the days before.

It's up to the business what they see as essential and expected

It's not Christmas Eve , it's the 23rd

Focus on the cost involved

Christmas eve isn't a bank holiday.

But it's a shitty joke on part of the owner to make staff do this due to travel being so tricky on Christmas eve.

Well what will they do if you're not there at 9am.
I don't know why you just don't take it unpaid and not go. You don't want to so just say you'll take it unpaid. Simple.

That’s terrible, 23rd is probably the worst travel day aswell.

6 hours of travel seems unreasonable. Are you in a union? They can often be useful to raise a challenge for the organisation without you having to do it.

Except the circumstances are not exceptional and it is not a business requirement, which in any case has to be reasonable

If some of the team are paid minimum wage or only slightly over it then surely the extra six hours needed to attend, plus the travel expenses, mean they are earning significantly less than minimum wage for that day which is illegal? Or does the travel time not count even if it is required?

I agree it's the cost that's the issue to me here

Partially true. It becomes problematic for employers when some employees are on minimum wage however, which seems quite likely for the more junior employees in a bathroom shop.

Many employers can "force" you to work or travel outside of your normal hours - it's a rare contract that doesn't have an "exceptional circumstances " or "as business requires" clause in there - you sign it, you sign up for it

Given how rarely this has been called on in the op case, they are reasonable to expect it ( expenses aside )

Expecting you to pay £55 for the train and travel outside of working hours is wrong in my book. A cheeky 10am-2pm and we'll cover your fare yes. Or can you share a lift with colleagues?

Life is short. Please tell me. Go on. Be a sport....

Well, assuming you usually finish work around 5pm, I'd offer my apologies and say you already have travel plans for the evening of that day, to travel to family for Christmas. You're leaving at 6pm and it's all booked. They may be able to tell you what to do in your work hours, but they can't force you to do unpaid overtime/travel outside of work hours, especially the day before Christmas Eve.

I certainly wouldn't be leaving home at 6am either, more so if not getting paid mileage.

Tbh, I don't think it's irrelevant.

We're a social species, and Christmas is a huge part of our culture. There are new productions of a Christmas Carol every single year, because the message of seasonal goodwill and God bless us every one resonates and still has relevance.

The illegal parts are one thing, but possibly people would even (unfairly) suck it up if it were a different time of year.

But asking people to sacrifice personal time for company business when people have a) been told to expect otherwise and b) will be more likely to have personal plans, is far from irrelevant.

No no no! Put your foot down.

Only read first page of comments but everyone is missing the point - OP was told 20th was the last day. That’s the issue, not the fact that the 23rd would normally be a working day.

Firstly, if you have to take the close-down days from your holiday allowance anyway, then presumably this would include the 23rd, had they gone ahead with the original plan. Point this out and request that your absence on the 23rd be classed as a holiday day rather than a pay dock. This is surely reasonable seeing as they went back on their earlier communication to you which is really unprofessional and inconsiderate of them. Say you’ve made arrangements.

Secondly, if the travel time takes you over your working hours then it is again unreasonable of them to expect you to accept at short notice and so they should give you the option to work from the shop or home. You’re available (e.g. 9-5pm but not before of after) and it’s not your fault they haven’t provided adequate warning.

If you work for the nhs and have to travel to another hospital to cover a shift that isn't your usual place of work then you are entitled to travel expenses. I know plenty of people who work in the nhs and this is the norm. You need to inform your manager.

The op has a 6hr round trip which is absolutely unreasonable.

No I don't have extra travel paid for 🙄 🙄🙄...it's the NHS...of course they don't pay for your travel 🤣and it's more than an hour away in unsocial hours :ie leaving house at 0530am to get to work for 700am. Anyhoo. . ..op has to travel on an official working day....to eat a buffet and socialise....and get paid for it!!!!! and then spend an actual Xmas with her family.

I think you might have got more helpful responses if you had titled your post something along the lines of ‘having to travel 6 hours unpaid’ as having to work the day before Christmas Eve in itself is clearly not unreasonable.

It is very poor to expect you to have such a long day ( when travel time is included) and also not cover out of pocket expenses.

The only options I can see are to try to share car travel with others to reduce the costs or take the day off unpaid.

On the rare occasions that I’ve had to take a day off unpaid I have always been surprised how little difference it made to my take home pay.