For relative to travel 2 hours + to a 2 hours shift??

[AmeliaWarnerBros]

Hello all!

So, a relative of mine is currently in a care-type job. She's lovely & they're lucky to have her. She likes the job but shifts are often changed/cancelled which she finds frustrating.

But she regularly travels a 1 hour round trip for a low-paid 2 hour shift due to being overqualified yet unskilled in other local areas of work. This we think is already a bit barmy.

The AIBU is that a client of hers has unfortunately just gone into hospital, & whilst this is sad, she is now expected to travel over 2 hours now for this 2 hour shift. Without traffic, which is bad in the area. We all think- well me mostly- that this is ridiculous.

WWYD? Refuse to go to these short shifts with the lady, or suck it up? She does NOT get paid for travel time. AFAIK, there is basic petrol payment for the mileage, but I don't think she'll get extra for this extra mileage.

Again, I think the whole thing is ridiculous & that she shouldn't be having to travel so far for such a short shift. I can't even believe the company/client would request/allow this madness. But how do you tell the company- what would you say?!

I think she should tell them straight up "I'm not taking that client anymore, the travel time etc is not worth my while. You'll have to find someone else more locally"

They are DESPERATE for carers so id be surprised if she lost hours elsewhere, but they will 100% try to bully her into keeping the client. She needs to stay strong and refuse.

Thanks @Dacadactyl - I think she finds it hard to tell them without looking like it's all about the money etc...

It is all about the money. Why the fuck else would anyone go to work in a minimum wage job?

yanbu

For the company its likely to only be about the money!

Well is she a charity worker on a permanent contract, who gets paid for 9-5 whether or not she has one client or 20 clients?

Or, is she a carer on a zero hours contract who is only getting paid for the time she is with any given client?

If the former, then I still don't think she is being unreasonable for not wanting to do the travelling. However, if its the latter they're taking the absolute piss and she's far too nice.

@Dacadactyl; technically it's a zero hour contract. The company often cancel her last minute- as family cancel- & she gets paid f-all for that. Recently, the family/client/company have booked her, cancelled her shift, then reinstated her, only to be baffled when she's like, "er, you cancelled the booking, so I've made other plans". Then they offer her shite hours the following week. I don't know how people live like this & how it's acceptable.

Sorry @Dacadactyl ; it's the latter as I forgot to add!

OK so all she needs to do is ring and tell them she doesnt want to do it anymore. Then follow up with an email to her care co-ordinator, copying in the branch manager saying "as of xxx date I will no longer be seeing Mrs. Smith because the travel time does not make it worth my while. I am sorry to lose her as a client because we get along well etc etc, but I'm sure you can appreciate my position. Thank you."

They may well keep adding the client to her rota after the date she gives for stopping, but she should just keep emailing saying "I'm not going to Mrs. Smith anymore, as per my email dated xxx. And I will not be going to the scheduled visit on my rota because I've told you I'm not doing it after xxx date, which has now passed."

Hopefully they won't add the client to her rota after the date she gives, but it's not unheard of. I doubt she will lose hours/other clients because of it.

I am however surprised she is being drafted in to do the care of someone so far away. Is the client awkward or does your relative only want certain days/times? Or does she live rurally? Usually you'd find that every area is crying out for staff and she'd be needed more locally. Does she have many other regular clients who live nearer to her?

Have I understood this correctly? Because the client is in hospital, she has to travel further to work with them?

Or is it that because one client is in hospital, she only has one in the area - so is travelling the same distance for less work?

Either way, care workers are not paid properly for the work they do and she WNBU at all for refusing.

The above advice would be for a carer. If she is not strictly a carer, then they may well not be as desperate for staff and could potentially punish her with fewer hours.

It's a job, it should be all about the money.

Lord love her.

Hi @StripyHorse; yes, her client is now in a hospital indefinitely. One that is a pain to get to & from.

Originally she had an already long enough drive for a quick little shift. Now she's expected- for the same fee- to go further to the hospital. She does not get travel time £. She gets a little mileage contribution but no mention of more for the longer commute- which she finds difficult to bring up.

It's well known that agencies treat carers terribly with no regard to their welfare. I would advise her to talk to them but also get looking for another job in the care sector, working in a care home or similar almost guarantees she will be treated better.

Why does she need to go to the client if they're in hospital?

I think I'm missing something?