Would you say this is standard for work day ?

[TinaTeaspoons]

Asking someone twice a week to-
Get up at 5.45AM
Walk for 40 minutes and then a 20 minute bus journey to workplace.
Work for 9 hours on feet all day but have an hours lunch.
40 minutes walk home and 20 minute bus journey back.

Person has autoimmune diseases also but they are well controlled. Aibu to say this isn't too much?

It might be entirely standard for some professions or jobs, but if somebody is finding their working day difficult to manage due to the hours involved and/or the need to be on their feet all day, then it’s clearly too much for them, whether it’s standard or not, and they need to discuss it with their employer.

I would say the person should look for a job closer to home. 2 hour commute including 1hr 20 minutes walking, public transport and a job that requires you to be on your feet all day will be tiring for anybody.

It’s “standard” for whoever has this as their standard day

Are you that person? If not then it really does depend, especially if they have an autoimmune disease. Regardless of what I personally can do, it's all very individual and needs looking at in regards to that person's circumstances.

Well if you are the employer, you are not asking them to get up at a certain time or walk/catch buses, you are asking them to arrive at work by a particular time and work a 9 hour shift. What time they get there and how they get there is not really your concern. If they are struggling to get to work for whatever reason, they need to have a discussion with their employer.

A bit of both.

For a healthy individual, I'd probably say YANBU.

But even if the auto-immune issue is currently well controlled that is a long time to be standing/walking, which coupled with an early start is in my experience likely to lead to flares. So I wouldn't blame someone for not wanting to work that job.

It's up to the individual to decide if it's too much, presumably they knew the length of commute and nature of the job when they accepted it?

That's really an impossible question to answer unless you're the person being asked to do it. Just because you have a well-managed auto-immune condition doesn't mean their health won't be affected by these hours...and vice versa of course.

The commute isn't the responsibility of the employer. An eight hour day (9 hours minus lunch break) feels long, especially if it's a physical job and five days a week. I can't comment on the autoimmune disease as I don't really know anything about it.

Who is "asking" someone to do that? Surely it's down to the person's circumstances as to whether that's what they need to do to get to work.

Sounds like a fairly normal day really. The equivalent of an 9-6pm shift and an hour lunch.

’autoimmune disease’ is a bit irrelevant really. Lots of things are autoimmune diseases and don’t remotely get in the way of a normal amount of daily activity.

If someone has a particular condition that does get in the way of normal daily activities then that’s its own thing.

The commute is irrelevant to an employer. Thats the employees problem

So the question is is a 9 hour shift with an hour break unreasonable?

40 mins walk is 2 - 3 miles. Could you get a (cheap) bike. Even at a very “pootley” 10m.p.h you could do 3 miles in less than 20 mins.

It's DH. Said it would be too much for him but I think it would be ok as just 2 days that he would need to do this.

The commute is irrelevant to an employer. Thats the employees problem

Whether it’s relevant depends on the situation really. Does the employee usually work at Place A, a ten minute walk away; and is now being asked to cover another shift twice a week at Place B which has the much longer commute? There’s not enough context here to decide what should be acceptable or standard.

Sounds within the range of normal to me.

If he needs a job then he just has to get on with it.

Working nine hours and having a hour’s lunch break is standard. It isn’t really the employer’s business what the person’s commute is like. It’s the employee’s job to decide how far they can reasonably commute without it affecting their life. Same with ‘ask the employee to wake up at 5.45.’ None of that is the employer’s business. They offer work from 8-6. You decide whether you want it. It isn’t really their business or interest to work out your daily schedule for you.

I think your DH should be the one to judge if this is too much, if he has auto-immune diseases.

That's an early start, a tiring commute both ways and an on-your-feet job. I’d imagine if one or two of those could be changed then it’s a different ball game.

But I assume you’re asking because you think he’s avoiding work somehow?

Does he not work at all at the minute if he thinks 2x9 hour shifts a week is ‘too much’?

He could get a food up bicycle to use to get to the bus stop
if someone really wants the job then they will find a way to do it

40 minutes each way is a pretty long walk if it's avoidable on top of 9 hours on your feet.

Is he already doing this now or do you want to not drop him off?

What does the rest of the week look like work or home wise? It might determine how reasonable it is.

You would know better than any of us whether he's likely to be taking the piss or not.

Has he tried something like this before? If he needs a job and this has come up then he needs to at least give it a go IMO.

Dh gets up at that time and drives 2 hours. It's shit and makes him grumpy. Does it twice a week.

40 minutes walk is a bit much. I'd do it for leisure easily but not work. If he isn't working the rest of the time then I'd argue its a fairly easy week.

I said YABU because i wouldn't like it. I get up at 7am and do a short drive, a short walk a tram and a 10 min walk twice a week or more. I don't really mind spending about 40 mins to an hour on a commute. It's me time to listen to podcasts or do life admin.

How about getting a commuter/folding bike? Make light work of the trip to the bus.