work trip not what it seemed :/

[biokult]

Accepted a job of which international travel was involved, was very lucky in that I had a couple offers, which I turned down for my current position. Country is considered unsafe, however the insitute I would be based at is in a tourist-y area which is why I was comfortable agreeing.

Things have been very rushed due to lack of staff, and feel like my queries are not being answered.

My current dilemna is thus: a member of the team mentioned they would be based at a certain site, which was not the area I had expected to working in. I would then be expected to commute there via taxi, or "maybe collegues can drop you". I said no problem, assuming that if it was part of their company the area would also be fine.

Have since looked up the area and it is dodgy AF, yougov strongly recommend avoiding this and similar neighbourhoods. If you must go there you should have a local guide/security. Cabs will often refuse to pick you up from there due to high crime rate. I do not want to rely on collegues I do not for lifts in case they let me down and I am stuck.

I have agreed to the trip, although had this detail been made clear I would've said no. I feel like no precuations have been put in place, or discussed with me.

Please help me navigate this. My sister & her partner (who I live with) are being incredibly unhelpful, telling me to quit on the spot and no job is worth my life or being assualted etc etc. Obviously this is true, but I also want to maintain good working relationships and ideally not be unemployed!

Pretty pissed off tbh, anyone been in similar situations?

Sorry hadn't RTF, I can see risk assessment has already been suggested.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

I’m confused. You say they are a reputable company but also say:

I haven't heard about a risk assessment although the company have confirmed I need to do one.

That is not the approach of a reputable company. That is a company that is dodgy AF! If they are sending you to this work location - they do the risk assessment.

So to be clear, my line manager is the one who didn't mention this.

It only came up when I was liasing with travel company they use. I then asked our HR department who said that categorically yes one was needed. So I think the company is fine, it is my direct team who are being crap.

It is most definitely their responsibility to carry out a risk assessment and to provide you with anything needed as a result of that assessment. It seems like a car plus driver/local 'fixer' would be a necessity, seeing as taxis do not want to go there, and possibly personal hostile territory training for you and/or a bodyguard.
They will definitely need to provide you with full insurance cover, including medical costs. This would not be that expensive considering what it would cost them if you were to come to any harm or fall seriously ill whilst in their employment overseas, in a dodgy area.
I worked for an international media organisation which posted people literally all over the world and the above was the very least you could expect, even so there have been some tragedies in war zones.

personally id never risk it. its never worth risking your life or risking a life of being traumatised.

I was nearly kidnapped and raped in such a situation once. I thank the stars that i managed to get away that day.

Sounds like you would also need kidnap insurance. It is very very expensive.

Can the company arrange an account with a cab firm so you have no bother getting the cab?

This is a serious EHS issue. A risk assessment needs to be performed by someone who knows how to do it, not by you. The risks identified need to include that you will be a lone women. It is not sexists to ask for this- this is your equal rights for safety…some risks are specific to women such as being an obvious setting duck driving yourself for car jacking in areas of high crime rates.
Then they need to mitigate every one of those risks.
You need to review that so you can see what you must do, not do and how your visit will be managed. Ask for a specific reference number for your companies insurance for this specific visit (you should get one if visit is to a FO deemed higher risk company), print out and pack to copies, keep one in your hotel and one on you at all times. Similarly with copies of your passport and any visas.
Most reputable companies will also have a emergency health line to call if you have health issues whilst you are away- again 2 copies of detials.

My company had a 24/7 contact for ANY emergency weather health or safety, legal, money etc. I did use the, a few times over the years and needed them.
Do not go anywhere without these things being put into place. Hopefully as soon as your manager picks up your email they’ll step in and put everything* on hold until these issues are sorted out.

It is one thing locals working in areas that are dodgy…they know the geography, the culture, the people and the language. A foreigner, especially a woman on her own, is a completely different level of risk. Sounds like the local team don’t have that sort of awareness of what a thorough risk assessment looks like

I'd be job searching, at the very least checking how they'll keep me safe abs what happens in situations such as kidnapping etc
Mexico City is one of the most dangerous cities in the world so be careful and do your research and ensure your company are keeping you safe

Are you able to contact the lo team and ask THEM about the situation?

I suspect that the situation isn’t as clear cut as your company is presenting. First they’ll have their ow cars which removes one layer if issues. They’ll know the areas/what to do or not. They won’t look like a tourists etc etc.
Also they might well no go to that area very often/avoid it etc…

Fwiw I’ve travelled for work in a similar area to see a customer. We were completely looked after by them. From finding a suitable hotel, picked up and dropped off with their own cars, never went outside alone etc….
Yes it was safe enough. But that’s because the locals had the full control of our safety (and obviously they knew what to do/not to do iyswim)

Btw I would NEVER rely on a cab there!!

Does your employer have correct travel insurance in place for this? I've had repeated issues with the company trying to reduce ours as they try to cut costs, particularly around ransom and kidnap cover. As part of that cover though, we have access to a security company (presumably they are the ones that would send a nice man in black to get you) who will analyse whether the exact situation is insurable/safe and what mitigation would be necessary.
They have been the ones I go to when unsure, especially after I was pressured to go somewhere that the security company said they would get sacked rather than go to, my company said nah, totally safe, and the week I would have been there had I not refused, the hotel was bombed.

And while we’re at it…when you get to hotel, in terms of EHS, walk the fire escape route form your room at least once. Check where the extinguishers are if you need to use to make your escape. Make sure you can open doors if needed . Do the same from public spaces in hotel- make sure you can get out.
We had to do this as part of our companies EHS policy as soon as we arrived.
On multiple occasions I had to go to reception as fire escape doors were bolted locked without break keys, or fire doors were being propped open, accesses blocked. Some countries , or even states, have a very “flexible” view on fire safety.

I suppose you will need to get things like tasers to take in your suitcase - if allowed. Can you contact the British Consul there to ask for latest information for the area?

I haven’t looked at the foreign office info but the Australian version breaks it down by region. Info here www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/mexico?

I think they’ve really dropped the ball here. They should’ve done the risk assessment, they need to be sure about your insurance coverage. I think unless this gets sorted by experienced people, you shouldn’t risk going. Doesn’t matter what the team already there is doing. Maybe they shouldn’t be there either but no one bothered checking for them.

It sounds like your company are absolving themselves of the responsibilities here. I would try and speak to someone in the FO and ask for something in writing re getting private security and go from there.

By region I mean the entry for Mexico breaks it down by different areas in Mexico, since some are totally fine and others are do not go.

@biokult

An added complication which I feel irritated them is that I cannot drive - they suggested a hire car. However, this wasn't a job requirement and nor did they ask at interview.

Even if I could drive I wouldn't be comfortable driving there, particurlaly to suburbs where car break ins are common, and you're vulnerable in car parks/red lights etc.

But I feel this makes me the problem.

Even if you could drive, it is not acceptable to expect you to drive in a foreign country Driving is one of the most risky things you can do everyday even in this country. Think about number of accidents people have So, I always refused to drive on business travel- used to early in my career, but after a couple of near misses I just refused. Driving in foreign country is made even more risky by

1. Most countries drive on opposite side of road. When your tired and jet lagged this is not a good idea
2. Many road signs work differently . Highway codes are local
3. You don’t know where you are going, you’re on your own trying to drive and navigate a strange place at same time
4. You are not used to the car. Places like USA have default of automatics and i never felt that the mechanics of driving were subconscious in way that driving a manual is. Controls on opposite sides etc. it takes time to get used to driving a new car so that you aren’t having to actively think about changing gears, pedal positions etc

Add to all that it is fecking stressful. You have all the other junk like thinking about who you are meeting, what you have to get through.

Nope. Nope, nope. Don’t ever do it. Don’t even think about learning to drive for future travel for them.

They need to provide a named chauffeur company or assure you that taxis are freely and readily available and safe for you to stand around while waiting for a taxi. And that ALL taxis are safe- or tell you types that are. I was thrown out of a taxi on middle of duel carriageway in Madrid once on my own. In middle of central reservation. Because a car whacked into offside of my taxi and my taxi driver wanted an argument with the driver of the other car. He just pulled up in outside Lane. Stopped the car. Threw my bags out the boot, ritually pulled me out of the car as I was trying to not budge till he called another taxi for me, and left me to go and argue with this other guy. Not a nice situation. Luckily another taxi driver was passing a few minutes later and saw the batshit taxi in a fight with this other driver, in the idle of a rush hour road, and picked me up- but that was cos it was Madrid and loads of taxis going past. Taxis were regulated. And a lot of people could speak English. Another time I was in Kansas City, my taxi driver got blue lighted but police and stopped. He was using his phone to say nav in his hand. I’d already asked him to stop and raised concerns , so glad when police stopped him. But then they made me get out. Literally in middle of no where much. Taxi driver went through the security checks, issued a ticket. I was by then late for my morning start. They completed the paperwork and then BOTH cars drove off leaving me at side of road on my own. No passing taxis, no shops. Nowt. I rang my site and said someone needed to come and pick me up urgently. 15 minutes before they arrived. Not good. Cars were slowing to look at me. Site I was visiting were horrified and called the taxi company to complain.

They do the risk assessment not you - link to everything on the government sites (they won’t go on local social
Media)

Eg home office says you need an armed guard - whatever it is link to this and ask they include this in their extensive risk assessment whEn THEY complete it. Make sure you quote reported figures eg murders x number rapes y number and this is the number reported

Ask to see their insurance not yours. What does it cover if you fall
Ill put there etc

But I agree I would be terminating my contract immediately - I’d go through the original post and say you are deeply unhappy that the job you agreed to is not the one they are asking you to do.

Personally I wouldn’t take it but I would make sure there was a massive paper trail.

Absolutely no to cabs in Mexico City - a named driver and you want to see their insurance documents too and the contract with the company

I have been working on a project for Mexico for the last year and recently declined travelling there for work, co-incidentally also for 2-4 weeks! Some colleagues have agreed to go, but not sure if they have looked into the details yet.

I am in a different position where I made it clear I was not interested in travelling prior to taking the role and consistently since I have been in it, but even if you did agree to travelling for your role it is your line manager and company's responsibility to ensure you feel confident with their arrangements for your safety during that travel/visit. They can't just send you anywhere without doing that and if they don't you should be able to decline.

We have colleagues who have travelled to very high crime countries/areas but they have had local armed escorts between hotels/workplace/airport, which to me is terrifying in itself, but they agreed they were happy with those arrangements.

Unless they provided you with a car on tap and a qualified official driver on tap plus full insurance provision it would be a hard no from me. Was this all on the cards and discussed before you started the job— is it totally integral to the job? Could someone else go— doesn’t sound that suitable for anyone— but certainly probably less risky for a fit and savvy guy who drives. I hate to sound sexist and maybe tgeirxare some women who would have no issue— but you do and quite rightly I think. I was going to ask if it was Johannesburg/Durban but you’ve said it’s Mexico.

@CMOTDibbler

Does your employer have correct travel insurance in place for this? I've had repeated issues with the company trying to reduce ours as they try to cut costs, particularly around ransom and kidnap cover. As part of that cover though, we have access to a security company (presumably they are the ones that would send a nice man in black to get you) who will analyse whether the exact situation is insurable/safe and what mitigation would be necessary. They have been the ones I go to when unsure, especially after I was pressured to go somewhere that the security company said they would get sacked rather than go to, my company said nah, totally safe, and the week I would have been there had I not refused, the hotel was bombed.

This.

If there is a risk of kidnapping, they need specialist insurance cover and that usually comes with access to security advisors who will deal with the risk assessment, advise on mitigation. You (presumably) aren't qualified to do it yourself. Have you had hostile environment training?

TBH I think you're probably right that this is a screw up. Particularly as you haven't heard back from your LM yet - bet there's a few people running round like headless chickens behind the scenes going, "YOU SAID WHAT?!!".

keep asking questions on the assumption that this is a massive ballsup; most likely there will be a, "dearie me, did we say you had to drive yourself to the Suburb Of Death, hahaha no that was...a misprint, yes", the noise of bad plans being shredded, and the new plans will be sane.

Ofc if you end up with the head of HR going, "I see no problem with an obvious foreigner who can't drive driving themselves to and from one of the world's leading crime zones", then I guess say no and start looking for a less mad job. But hopefully it won't come to that.

Far from being incredibly unhelpful, I would say that your sister and her partner are absolutely correct. You should listen to them!

I’m guessing jo’burg

Either way - if a “reputable” English company as you say it is - are they really going to put up a lone female in such a dangerous place?