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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be annoyed with work again!

18 replies

Gangie · 12/01/2016 15:49

So next Friday week we have a compulsory staff day. The venue is A - which from my house is 1hr.50 away.

I live an hours drive away from the office (in opposite direction)

A bus has been arranged leaving from my office. There has been a memo saying that they will not be paying travel expenses as they are organizing a bus. - however that is an hours drive away from where I live meaning I will need to leave home at 6.15am to get bus leaving at 7.30am and wont be back in office until 7.30pm which means I wont be home again until 8.30/9pm.

The hotel is 1hr.50 mins from my house. I could leave at 7.45/8am and be back home by around 7pm.

I dont work Fridays so will have to pay for childminder for the extra day and will be paying Childcare from 6am - 8.30/9pm if I have to drive to catch the bus.

AIBU to be questioning this? I understand the logic that they are paying for a bus to keep costs down as to pay mileage for all staff would cost a lot - but it doesnt make sense to me in this instance!!

Whos BU?

OP posts:

ThereIsIron · 12/01/2016 15:55

You're right to be annoyed, but you can either not go, or drive yourself and not claim travel expenses. I would drive myself.

AlpacaStockingFullOfChocolate · 12/01/2016 15:57

Yes, I would be considering the extra hour in bed at home compensation for the travelling.

Unless the bus is likely to be a fun trip - is anyone bringing bucks fizz and croissants?

AlpacaStockingFullOfChocolate · 12/01/2016 15:58

Or is the bus going past your house, or near it? Can you not get them to pick you up and drop you off en route?

Original poster

Gangie · 12/01/2016 16:03

It is not going past the house. I could meet it an hour up the road but I think that adds some 40 minutes to their journey! (that could make for angry colleagues!) There are NO croissants or bucksfizz supplied :(

I often have to travel in my role and get mileage for that. If I had to go to head office say (2.5hrs away) I would drive and be expensed for that.......

To me it seems the same thing - I have to drive to a venue thats not the office for my job so should be expensed as normal!!

I dont get why it should cost me £££ in diesel and childcare and by the way I prob wont even get TOIL for the extra day.

Agh!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

Gangie · 12/01/2016 16:04

My husband is working abroad at the moment and I have no family support near by so I have to pay for childcare....and I feel v bad about leaving my kids from 6am - 9pm!! Especially when it doesnt have to be that way!

(I am looking for another job btw!!)

OP posts:

MoreGilmoreGirls · 12/01/2016 16:06

I would drive myself and question the expenses but I don't think they are obliged to pay them. You just happen to live in between the office and the venue. It sucks

Iggi999 · 12/01/2016 16:07

If it's compulsory, and you don't work on that day, then they need to pay you for the day or give you a definite other day off.

Original poster

Gangie · 12/01/2016 16:30

Iggi999 they probably wont. I seem to be the only one that kicks up a fuss about these things~! Everyone else gives out about it here to other colleagues but never brings it up with management so I always end up looking like the awkward one!

Hopefully I will get TOIL.......(take it!!)

I have sent an email to my manager outlining my issue - so will see what comes back. I can imagine he is rolling his eyes right now!

OP posts:

Inertia · 12/01/2016 16:33

If it's not your working day you should get TOIL or be paid!

fredfredgeorgejnrsnr · 12/01/2016 16:34

You don't work Fridays - so just work your normal hours and stay home. If you're looking for another job you've nothing to gain by going out of your way for them.

Marynary · 12/01/2016 16:37

I would be more annoyed to be told I have to work on a Friday if it's not a working day. In your position I might say that I am unable to get childcare for those hours. Why should you be out of pocket?

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 12/01/2016 16:46

Two issues.

If it's not a working day, and your contract doesn't say that you may have to attend events outside of your working days occasionally, you should either be paid or get TOIL.

Your expenses are different. They didn't choose for you to live an hour away, and the bulk of your inconvenience is from that - they are putting on a bus once you've got yourself to the office, which is quite nice really.

I get travel etc expensed too, so I understand where you're coming from, but I think in this instance as they are asking you to travel to a base location and providing transport from that point, it seems fair?

NotMeNotYouNotAnyone · 12/01/2016 16:51

Travel expenses yabu, they're providing travel, it's inconvenient for you but it's your choice to live where you do and you can use the bus provided.

But yanbu to object to working your day off without pay or toil

maggiethemagpie · 12/01/2016 17:03

I would ask nicely, stating your case, to be allowed to drive to the venue and claim mileage. Bear in mind that they may think if they do it for you they have to do it for others.

If they say no, I'd suck it up, it can seriously blot your copybook if you are seen as a whinger!

maggiethemagpie · 12/01/2016 17:04

They really should give you toil or an extra days pay, they can't seriously expect you to work on a non contracted day for free.

zipzap · 12/01/2016 17:07

What would happen if you had a different job (or some other commitments) on a Friday and that was the reason for you not working on a Friday - you wouldn't be able to go.

I'd be really tempted to say to them that it's not one of your working days and that you don't have childcare - if you don't usually need childcare on that day then chances are your nursery or cm has got somebody else booked in on that day. sorry. but if they want you there then they need to choose a day when you are there... (although I guess if there are lots of people that work part time then it could be difficult to find a day when everyone is in). Although I guess that you need to check your contract to check what it says about working extra days.

Would your colleagues be happy to go in on a Saturday for the training? I'd be tempted to suggest to your boss that (next time?) you would find it easier to go to training days on a Saturday because your dh would be home and able to cover childcare so that at least it wouldn't be costing you to attend. When s/he points out that Saturday isn't a working day, then you get to point out that for you nor is Friday - it's exactly the same as Saturday - and they're perfectly happy in demanding that you give up a non-work day.

Of course this could back fire if they decide it sounds a good idea as then you still lose a day and so does everybody else - but they get annoyed with you if they discover you suggested it

Are they expecting everyone to be on the bus regardless of how close they live to the venue? Will there be discussions / etc / ?? that you will be missing out on by being not on the bus? I think it is being perfectly reasonable to say that you will be driving yourself to the venue as otherwise you will be being charged an extra ££££ for the extra childcare (which I am guessing is more expensive per hour than normal childcare at those times!) and to point out exactly how much it will be costing you to go to the staff day.

Alternatively could be a good day to get d&v. Or maybe get it the day before and thus still be in the 48hour stay at home period the next day... Just remember to lie low on those days!

Littlef00t · 12/01/2016 18:39

Could you make out you can't get childcare starting that early, so you'll need to drive as you can leave later? But obviously the hassle you're already having to deal with means they should of course pay your travel.

whois · 12/01/2016 18:56

You need to be paid, or be given TOIL. That is not negotiable.

Apart from that I would drive and pay myself.

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