Returning after MAT: what are “Field base” hours really mean?

[Tommo26]

So in 5 weeks time I’ll be returning back to work after being on maternity leave for 10month.

My job entails me going to the office (1.45hr drive each way) twice a week (minimum once a week, if something else crops up), and the other 3.5 days is spent visiting supplier or working from home.

My working weeks is 37.5hrs a week, 4 days 8.30am-5pm and 1 day 8.30am-12.30pm.

However, before I went on maternity leave I would normally get to the office between 8.30am-9.30am depending on traffic and would leave the office between 3.15-4.30pm. My boss never monitored my hours, because she knew some days I would be leave home before 8.30 or wouldn’t be home till after 5pm (sometimes wouldn’t get back till 6-7.30pm) after seeing customer due to travelling.

When I returned to work I will have a new boss, and I’m not sure what she will be expecting as my role isn’t a 9-5 office job and I live nearly 2hrs from the office. She confirmed on the phone I am “field base” even though my contract says office, my role has never been more than 2/3days in the office.

So I need some advice.

What does “field base” mean? Does my working day start when I leave the house to visit a customer from my home? Is that also the same case if I am travelling to the office? So, if I have a two hour drive to visit a customer, does that mean I count the two hour drive as part of my 8 hour working day?

Before going on maternity I would never count my driving to the office or visiting customers as part of my working day, I would leave the office normally once a week at 3.30 to make up for all the driving I had done in my own time. Which I think as fair and clearly my old boss did too.

I’m just panicking as I have a baby now and want to be home by 5pm most days to give him his tea and put him to bed. Worst come to worst I’ll have to reduce my hours, but still not sure how that would help because of the driving time to customers.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

In my job, the first journey of the day is in your own time, and the last journey of the day is in your own time. Any other journeys count as work time.

If you were having to go somewhere that took a lot longer than your journey to the office would, there is discretion and you would generally be able to count the time over and above the time it would normally take you to get to the office, as work time.

The starting point would be that it is not the employer's issue if you have chosen to either live a long way from where your work is, or chosen a job that is a long way from where your home is. You made that decision.

Of course, every employer will have different policies on this sort of thing (incl mileage claims) - particularly if the main part of your role (like a sales rep or a site inspector or something) is traveling around the country to do your job.

I am field based and all of my travelling time is considered working hours. Some days I need to leave at 6.30am to get to first customer and so if I get home at 3.30pm I consider my working day done (although often have admin work to do!).

Thanks for your comment. Due to where I live, I actually save the business money, as I live closer to many customers so the journey time is a lot short from my home compared to the office. I’m not 4.5day office base, that makes a difference?

When I was field based, my working hours started when I reached either the office or my first call. My hours were 8-5 so I needed to either be in the office or outside my first call by 8. Travelling time to my first location and home from my last location was not included in my working hours