To not go to Christmas do due to this?

[KeiraKnightley2]

I work in the private sector. Me and the one other person who lives a 1.5 hour commute away either get a taxi home after or a hotel stay. I've done both.

This year I asked for a taxi and at first they said yes. The next day I received an email saying budgets this year wouldn't stretch to it so it isn't possible. So I'll need to travel in and I won't be able to relax because then I need to worry about travelling back again.

The trains are hellish enough just now never mind the week before Christmas. In all honesty I've been struggling lately due to a bereavement last month but thought at least I can show face then have the taxi home.

There's always the feeling you need to be seen going to these things. Would you suck it up even if it's pretty crap?

it's really not that unusual and in the OP's case they've done it in the past.

And having been a person who's arranged work Christmas parties in the past I can tell you that all the arranger wants is for you to either accept or decline. No one cares about reasons for declining in my experience. Just click the response button.

You've just had a bereavement only last month, and I'd say that alone would be reason enough to sit this one out, even without the additional hassle/cost of travel.

If it was an event during your working day - a lunch or something - it would be different, but if it's an out-of-hours thing and they aren't covering travel then they need to accept that not everyone will be able to afford the extra expense (or be able to get childcare or whatever).

At the end of the day, although it's organised by your work, it's a social event and they can't make it compulsory or expected that you attend if it's in your spare time and they're not covering expenses. Any other compulsory work event outside normal hours would incur expenses you'd be able to claim back, so by not paying for travel they're essentially agreeing that it's an optional thing.

As I say, though - just the very fact that you're recently bereaved is enough reason not to attend a Christmas party if you'd find it difficult, and your employer should understand that.

I'm very sorry that you've lost someone x

My employers do this. It’s not about expectation, it’s about the employers having offered.

Quite frankly, a company who can´t afford a taxi for two people would give me a lot of reservations about their economic viability.

You must have a lot of reservations about the economic viability of a very large number of companies.

I agree that the employer is under absolutely no obligation to provide a taxi/hotel - but for that reason, the employee is also under no obligation to attend the event. We don't get travel paid for a Christmas do where I work either - but it's totally understood and made clear that nobody needs to feel obliged to come. There's no expectation at all that people 'should show their face'.

I think the 'big deal' here is that the OP feels there's a pressure from the employer to attend. Otherwise I agree it would be a non-issue.

i just wouldn’t go. It’s not mandatory

Hello

Just don't go. These things are always awful anyway 😂

In that case, assuming the end of your normal work day is 4.30 or 5pm, just stay for the first bit to be sociable, leave at your normal time, and take your normal mode of transport home.

I’ve had 2 Christmas dos paid for in over 20 years of working (not travel though, that was always our responsibility) so personally I would just be very happy if someone paid for my food and drink 😃

I doubt that argument would stand up in court though. Companies make budget cuts all the time.

And why should only 2 people get the taxi paid for, everyone needs to get home somehow.

Aye, we should all pay t'Mill owners for permission to come to work, really.

Many employers, including mine, recruit the best person for the job, not the person that lives closest to the office.

Where I work many people work from home most of the time and travel into the office once or twice a month. When it comes to Christmas events, those who live over 50 miles away are put up in a hotel, others who live in rural areas with no trains/buses to get home are offered taxis to make sure they get home safely. The rest of us are happy to make our own way there and back.

No one begrudges any financial support given to any of the team to get them to/from the event. Equally, if someone doesn't want to go there is absolutely no pressure to attend.

When you're not really in the right frame of mind to go, the lack of care of how you get safely to/from the Christmas event is just too much.

So simply tell them that due to your recent bereavement you're not in the right place for a big event this year, but wish them all a lovely time and you'll see them in the New Year.

Sorry but I agree with this.

I think private sector employers should pay for meals but not travel. A 90 minute taxi must cost hundreds! And when you have the train as an alternative I don’t blame them for saying no - it might be busy and unpleasant but it’s a valid option

I have two jobs, one public sector, one private.

Honestly, it would never even occur to me, in my public sector job, that my employer would fund something like a taxi or a hotel. It's just not done. You get there and back under your own steam, or you don't go.

But with my private sector employer, I expense them for everything without a thought! And they pay it without a single query, every time!

Christmas party taxis are tax deductible if you're a limited company. You also get £150 per employee for a Christmas party, on top. So the OP's company is either stingy af or in serious trouble.

I work for a large private sector organisation,.
Our Christmas allowance is £50. Not wanting to spend £150 per employee or not paying for £100+ taxis doesn't make a company stingy.

• What is public transport like? Could you get a train?
• Can you pay for the taxi?
• Can you pay for a hotel room?

A small minority of posters on this thread live in Cloud Cuckoo Land.

How would you usually get to work, or do you WFH?

My work do a huge Christmas do but they've never offered travel or hotels or anything
why would they ?
but I've also worked for public sector and got nothing but a Christmas do paid for and organized by us as a team
I think you've been lucky so far to get one in previous years to be honest
sorry to sound brutal but I think people need to realise times have changed and whilst yes maybe they can stretch to a taxi or hotel they certainly aren't obligated to
go or don't go it's up to you

I would just say that I was really disappointed to be missing it but I have to put my safety first, commuting home afterwards is not an option and your budget is also tight this year with col crisis so it really isn’t an option.

I'm NHS, we don't even get a Christmas party. I think you've been really lucky up til now if they've paid for your travel home as it's not their fault you live so far away, so I get why you're disappointed this time but really I'd count yourself lucky they've paid it before rather than expecting it forever