To think we shouldn't have to work the day before Christmas Eve?

[blinddoorshyt]

I work in a bathroom shop.
We are closed over Christmas and were lead to believe we broke up on the 22nd
Turns out now we don't
On the 23rd we have to travel to Manchester (3 hours each way ) to have a buffet and games with the company owner.
We have to listen to a presentation on how the company's done this year.
If we don't go we will have a day deducted from our salary.
It's the day before Christmas Eve and we have to drive to Manchester to have picky food with the owner and play Christmas games.
Aibu to think it's ridiculous?
And we have been repeatedly told if we don't go we won't get paid and it will halt any progression in the company !

These aren't commuting costs.

Her job is a 15 minute drive away, not a 3 hour drive away.

If your employer wanted you to attend a meeting in New York, would you expect to pay for your own hotel and air fare?

I think I said it's up to us each to pay our own commuting costs. So probably not, but definitely worth making a ridiculous assertion like that.

This is in Manchester.

These aren't commuting costs though. They're asking her to travel to a completely different part of the country, which involves 6 hours' travel time and over 300 miles of driving, none of which they are intending to compensate her for.

Your point would only be valid if the OP was complaining about being asked to go to her actual work place, or somewhere a comparable distance away.

So what? She doesn't live anywhere near Manchester.

Yes, which is where the op isn’t.

If your work suddenly demanded that you had to pitch up somewhere 3 hours away would you be fine with that?

@Hellisemptyallthdevilsarehere You're right. I should not tell people to read the fucking thread, it's the fact that every time I get an alert, it's the same old shit from people who clearly haven't bothered. So probably best to let the thread fill up with that and I'll just hide it.

OP, I hope you find the courage to tell them their request is utterly unreasonable. I'd also be looking for a new job. Good luck.

Do you really work somewhere that would expect you to take on 6 hours of driving (outside of your working hours) in one day and not pay you for it?
I've never come across that before.

What kind of business are you in?

The whole if it was in New York... thing is just unnecessary and ridiculous, that's what.

I've made it clear I'm not outraged the employer isn't covering the cost for her, what exactly makes you think I think anyone else should help?

Completely agree. The phrase corporate bootlickers springs to mind.

I am in my late 30s and have had various jobs since age 17. Not one has asked me to travel 3 hours each way and then said I can’t claim travel expenses.

The fact some people are defending this is crazy.

Are you this kind of employer?

To and from our normal places of work, yes. Not three flipping hours, to a different location and back, on some whim of management who a) will be getting all their expenses paid and b) will probably be put up in some cushy hotel the night before, not have to set off at 6 a.m. or earlier the same day for this pointless hoop-jumping exercise.

Given some of your comments on this thread, you sound like your employers could be taking you for a complete mug and you'd still be bowing and scraping to them and being 'grateful' to have a job. Actually, come to think of it, you sound like my former employers. So glad my current ones actually treat me like a human being.

READ THE FUCKING THREAD FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST

Ive just lived through something really difficult as i mentioned upthread and i agree with the OP She should tell you to shove your emotional blackmail bollocks

OK so where do you draw the line?

Commuting to and from her regular place of work = obviously at her own cost.

Being sent to New York for work = obviously at her employer's cost.

Why does Manchester fall on the "OP's cost" side of that line?

Do you have any idea how much 350 miles worth of petrol costs? It used to be standard that people could claim 45p a mile when travelling for work in their own car. In this case, that would be over £150. Why do you think the OP should meet this cost out of her own pocket, just to eat some sausage rolls and listen to someone give a speech?

This!

This is the issue ... the travel time and costs being mandatory and all falling on the OP ... that's not her job!

My reply here was to someone obnoxiously asking if I'd like to personally contribute towards the OP's costs. I'd obviously not wish to involve myself in someone else's job, pay or costs just because I replied with my opinion on an open anonymous forum.

So how much would you be willing to give to your own employer, particularly just before Christmas?

Can you put a figure on the amount of work related expenses you think employees should have to meet from their own pocket before it becomes unreasonable and their employer should pay?

You appear to think £150 is a low enough amount that the employee should cover it.

Question nicely dodged there.

£150 which is most likely more than the op would get deducted from her pay.

If the post you quote doesn't relate in any way to the random assertion you go on to make, it doesn't really deserve a response.

I'm neither an employer or someone being asked to go to another location as a one off. I can still think it's fine.

The reason I asked you what area you work in is because I know a lot of people who travel for work, but I don't know any who don't get paid for it.
Well paid jobs, sure, you suck it up as part of the job, but anything lower paid, you should not be out of pocket for attending another workplace.
I was just curious if there were industries that did expect employees to travel at their own (in this case considerable) expense and why people would put up with that.
It's not the usual situation in retail, there's usually a mileage allowance and public transport paid.

OK, if it helps:

Pp asked what kind of business you were in. You replied with some waffle about 'someone else's job, pay or costs' but didn't answer the question of what business you were in, and still haven't. Which is your prerogative, but then don't be surprised if you're accused of dodging the question. Wouldn't it have been easier just to say you didn't want to answer it?

This is utterly ridiculous. What are they thinking?

You chose to work there, 15 minutes from home because it's convenient for you; yet they expect you to travel for 6 hours to attend a crappy Xmas do.

I wouldn't attend.