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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is my manager being unreasonable?

52 replies

insancerre · 23/05/2020 09:47

Work want me to attend training next week at another site but I don’t want to go and feel they are being unreasonable to expect this of me

Background- I have been on furlough for 3 weeks and was told to take annual leave for the next week and my annual leave I had booked for June was cancelled
I got a call telling me I have to go to training on Wednesday all day at another site
Thing is I don’t drive and it’s 2 buses there and 2 back, and I don’t want to go on public transport, and the government is telling me to avoid it
I have asked if the other people who attended the training this week can feed back to me when I return from annual leave. The directors have to ok this
So, am i being unreasonable to say I can’t attend?

OP posts:
biggirlknickers · 23/05/2020 09:50

I don’t think they can make you go to the training day while you are on annual leave.

Moondust001 · 23/05/2020 09:51

In my opinion yes, you are being unreasonable. The world must go on and work needs to happen. If training is needed, it's needed. The government haven't told people to avoid public transport entirely. They have suggested people limit their use to essential travel. This is essential travel. Why should everyone else go on the course and then have to feedback to you because you refuse to go?

DahliaDay · 23/05/2020 09:51

Speak to them, ask for their solution?

Lazypuppy · 23/05/2020 09:51

If you are now off furlough and supposed to be working then YABU.

Life has to carry on, gov says to avoid public transport if you can. You can't so you can use it

Moondust001 · 23/05/2020 09:53

I don’t think they can make you go to the training day while you are on annual leave.

But they can cancel the days leave.

OhioOhioOhio · 23/05/2020 09:54

A bit. And the 2 bus trip sounds rubbish but honestly at this time of not he messing with my job.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/05/2020 09:54

You've had three weeks owing paid to sit at home. Just go to the training. YABU

Toddlerteaplease · 23/05/2020 09:55

Being paid

CareBear50 · 23/05/2020 09:55

I'd be careful OP by making that decision that you don't put yourself on the "potential redundancies" list

Chachang · 23/05/2020 09:56

I would make every effort to go, if your company has had to furlough staff redundancies might be on the horizon and I would be doing everything I could to not put my head above the parapet.

Womencanlift · 23/05/2020 10:01

Having to go in on annual leave - YANBU but what would you be doing anyway?

Have to get buses - YABU. This virus is going to around for a while. Are you seriously going to refuse to go anywhere, including work when furlough finishes, just because you don’t want to get on a bus?

catgirl1976 · 23/05/2020 10:02

If you are being directed to take leave your employer should have given you notice of twice the length of the leave. Other than that they are not really doing much wrong. But can this training not be delivered remotely? If not speak to them and see if there’s another solution but failing that you’re going to have to suck it up I’m afraid. If you have to use public transport the advice is to try and avoid peak times and wear a face covering.

I wouldn’t want to do it either and if it’s not essential, can be done later or can be done remotely I’d be asking for a solution but if there isn’t one then I don’t think you have much choice unfortunately

Carrie7469 · 23/05/2020 10:07

The government isn’t telling people to avoid public transport. It is telling people to use public transport for essential journeys only, yours is an essential journey.

I can understand your reluctance but YABVVU

Original poster
insancerre · 23/05/2020 10:09

I don’t think redundancies are on the horizon
I’m unhappy that it seems I can’t go and visit my family but I have to attend training. It doesn’t make sense
My step mum died recently and I couldn’t go to the funeral or go and see my dad.
My sister is having an operation on her brain next week but I can’t visit her either
Our priorities are all wrong

OP posts:
LIZS · 23/05/2020 10:10

Is a taxi an option rather than public transport? Is the training important to your role (ie. policy update, safeguarding, risk assessment)?

Rainycloudyday · 23/05/2020 10:16

@insancerre I’m sorry it sounds like you’re having a rough time not seeing family but be realistic, if the govt prioritised everyone visiting their families instead of going to work we’d be even further up shit creek economically than we already are. Of course it would be lovely if we were all told to see our loved ones but don’t worry about going to work. But we’d be utterly fucked within about a week.

notalwaysalondoner · 23/05/2020 10:18

My work has already said they’d pay for taxis for anything they required us to attend in person. Is that an option? Have you checked?

mooching · 23/05/2020 10:18

Our priorities are not necessarily wrong. Sorry to hear about your step mum but presumably she died when the lockdown was more severe.

No you shouldn't see anyone who has had an op as they are vulnerable.

Should you go to training? Yes, wear a mask, wash hands, distance. We have to get the economy back up and running

TheTeenageYears · 23/05/2020 10:18

Is the plan for you to return to work after the weeks annual leave? I'm just trying to understand why you were taken off furlough and made to take annual leave for a week? If you were still furloughed the training would constitute work so they would be breaking the furlough rules. Do you think they've insisted you take annual leave this week so they can make you do the training course? Not sure that would be legal contractually but it's probably less illegal than them making you work whilst on furlough.

Neolara · 23/05/2020 10:21

I don't know where you live, but buses around me are virtually empty. Double deckers seem to have 2 or 3 people at most on them.

headhurtstoomuch · 23/05/2020 10:22

If you take furlough then a week's holiday the company is legally obliged to pay the additional 20% on top of the Govt's 80%.

Op - if the company has furloughed staff than redundancies are a very real possibility.

MarieQueenofScots · 23/05/2020 10:25

YANBU.

If they have directed you to take annual leave you’re already adhering today their requirements, you wouldn’t attend a training day if it was during your annual leave usually so I don’t see why this is different.

JetSetGo · 23/05/2020 10:28

I dont think its that unfair for them to ask:

  1. you still have a job while millions do not. Do not give them an excuse to make you redundent.
  2. Public transport is quiet at the moment. Its not that big a deal
  3. I assume you havent any underlying health conditions that make you vulnerable therefore its perfectly acceptable for you to continue working with adequete precautions in place.

At the end of the day most of us will contract the virus until a vaccine in place.

Sorry to be harsh but your post reads that quite simply you cant really be bothered.

PegasusReturns · 23/05/2020 10:33

Provided they have complied with the notice period for cancelling your annual leave YABU

PilatesPeach · 23/05/2020 10:37

You may think that priorities are wrong however, atm it is legal for some occupations to be working & training but not ok for us to go visiting family - the government has decided it wants to get the economy going again and has decided that some work stuff is ok despite the fact that it may not seem logical or fair or a bit of a pain. I live alone and work in the leisure sector - I'd like to visit a friend in their house or garden 2m apart however, I can't despite being allowed to get on a bus or go the supermarket - it is the way it is and hard for many of us. I would do the training myself and show willing and present a positive image to work.

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