If you travel abroad for work..

[Squeezylemon]

how does it work for you in terms of the extra hours you have worked?

I am in a relatively new job and have travelled abroad once so far, we don't record the hours to claim back as holidays/time off. I was pretty much told we can take some time back at our discretion, like finish early/long lunches/later start. If we work or travel on a weekend we get a day in lieu.

When I am away I work long days and during these days I don't really get any time to myself - i might get 30 mins to freshen up before going for dinner but that's about it, lunch is usually eaten at my desk whilst working.

Some friends and family are surprised that I don't get paid for more the extra hours worked or get more time off to compensate for it.

assuming you’re in a salaried job, I’d only expect time in lieu if travelling over a weekend.
while the hours can be longer when working abroad, it’s just accepted. At least you don’t need to cook your own dinner etc.

I work for myself now thank Christ but in my previous role I travelled abroad and domestically.

I didn't get paid an hourly rate, it was an annual salary negotiated in general taking into consideration the role requirements including occasional travel. So when negotiating the package, I agreed to travel no more than twice a month and not longer than 3 days at a time, and I'd take no less than £xxx. If they wanted more travel, then my salary expectation would be £xxx.

That aside, I had the flexibility to WFH whenever and dictate my hours and workload. As long as I got shit done, nobody battered an eyelid how my hours were spread over a working week. So if I wanted a chill day after a business trip to make up for entertaining their clients for 2 nights in Frankfurt, then that was up to me.

I have my own company now and thank Jeebo Christ every day for inventing Teams and Zoom. No more schmoozy travel, I hated it with a passion.

Thanks both for your replies, thats pretty much how it is.. glad to know its normal then 😀 Tbh I knew what i was signing up for and when im not travelling im wfh so it's great for being able to get other things done in the day and be at home with the pets!
Yes and true about not needing to cook my own dinner, I save a lot of money whilst away! 😂

I’m an academic and honestly, we are just expected to do it. Getting actual travel paid for is such a unicorn these days that you take it and run. I’ve never say, claimed back travel time or extra long hours or whatever. We’re just expected to get on with it and be grateful. Now that’s not to say that’s how it should be, but that’s the culture.

Is it a professional salaried type role, and do the people making these comments work on more hourly / timed work basis?

Ive found there’s often a gulf between the expectations in the two.

Same, it's part of the expectations of the role so no overtime or days off in lieu. Just part and parcel of the job and expenses paid.

But the flip side is wfh and being able to do school runs and take in parcels, take breaks when it suits me rather than at fixed dictated times.
Lots of people on here seem shocked with the flexibility of wfh and think you should be chained to your desk for your working hours but forget it's a 2 way street and things like business travel are also part of the deal.

I got a day off in lieu if I travelled on a non-working day but the rest is part and parcel of the trip.

To be honest, I appreciate a breakfast in peace, no interruption first thing in the morning and no commute.

It just wasn’t talked about - no time off in lieu when travelling including over weekends. But then when we were in the office we’d work all the hours with no TOIL or overtime. Just part and parcel of a high-paying salaried role. If I was being paid an hourly rate on a low annual wage that would be something completely different though.

It’s just an expectation of my role so no overtime or time off in lieu for extra hours. And days are often very long.

I put in one boundary though - if I travel at a weekend day (unless by choice) I take a day off in lieu. Many don’t, but it was getting out of hand so discussed with my manager and agreed this.

On the other hand, the company is very flexible and allow extended trips, obviously covering hotels and expenses yourself on the extra days, but they don’t ask for us to pay the difference in flight costs for example. Also very generous with expense allowances.

No extra pay and if I had to travel over the weekend I would take time off in lieu - but honestly noone at my work would be bothered to check if I had or hadn’t taken the time off.

I am senior in a highly performance targeted profession (not law but similar) and so as long as I hit my targets I am free to work the hours I need to do to get the job done and no one is monitoring my working hours or actually gives a toss if I do or don’t take holiday/time off/take a random half day off.

Also I am fortunate that the travel I do if long haul will be business class and I get to stay in nice hotels. I get to keep all the airline/hotel “points” which is a perk of the job not open to many people. So the idea that I would ask for extra salary is just not a thing in my profession. It’s a quid pro quo situation- I get paid well with complete flexibility but the deal is I will have to work longer hours when my job requires it.

Personally I love travelling for work - I’ve been to cities I would never normally go to and eaten in great restaurants- all on expenses!

I get to keep all the airline/hotel “points” which is a perk of the job not open to many people.

This! DH had some years where he was constantly in the US. As his boss hated BA, they were only flying Virgin. He had so many miles, we saved a lot on holidays and flights for us.

Also, thanks to his hotel points, we have only to pay for transport for the next 2 weekends away.

I don't think we are supposed to claim anything. I've had staff calculate every extra minute from when they left the house until they got home!! For early / late flights that can really add up!!

We have the choice to take any time outside our usual work hours as additonal paid holiday, or we can ask for the extra hours to be paid, or a combination of both. You can now take a guest for free as a third option.

We note the time we left home to time we arrived ( at place of work or hotel) the note working time in all subsequent days and for return journey time left to go to work on final day) hotel if just traveling until time arrived home. Then any hours over contracted hours are Flexi to be taken when convenient.

Thanks all, very useful! 😁

I also get to travel business if long haul and get the points which is great!

Yes, the people who have commented are mostly on hourly pay so that probably does affect their view on it

My DP travels about 30% of the time. He’s often flying at a weekend to be at the international office for a Monday. He’s pretty senior and on a good salary, so it’s kind of factored into that - he knew travel was a big part of the role when he took it.

They do get time in lieu for weekend travel, so sometimes if eg he comes home on a Wednesday he would take that Thursday and Friday off. He ended up with almost a month off at Christmas, as he had something like 17 lieu days plus some annual leave to take or lose them before the new holiday year rolled in on 1 January!

This plus 4 hours toil for each overnight.

There are HMRC Rules regarding travel expenses. Basically you can be reimbursed to a cap or actual costs but will need to include any additional expenses claimed as benefits in kind which involves completing a self assessment tax return to pay the tax ( your employer issues a P11D).

I claim overtime at varying rates (additional time at weekends) which is taxed through my PAYE salary and claim a flexible time credit on travel days that are under my daily contracted hours.