Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Work location moving over an hour away

37 replies

WorkingMummy1234 · 01/06/2025 18:27

My current office location is around 25 min drive away. The company has bought another company and told us we’ll need to move to their office almost an hour and a half away. I only started this job 4 months ago and would NEVER have accepted a job at the new location. With 3 children in primary and husband working an hour away, it’s just not practical. Even with school breakfast clubs and after school clubs, I just can’t see how it’ll work. They want me to go into the new office twice a week. I’ll be losing an extra 2 hours of my day to travel time but work load not changing so even if I leave earlier in the morning and earlier in the evening to get home, I’ll still have the same workload so will have to catch up in the evenings and I’m so worried that there will be accidents on the M25 (unavoidable) delaying me getting home to collect kids. Also, the money! I’ve worked out in petrol alone it’ll be over £3k per year! Not including wear and tear in the car. Also additional wrap around/childcare costs.

Sooo.. we need to send our questions in next week. What is reasonable? Can I ask for compensation for these additional costs? I’m so worried!

OP posts:
roycroppersshopper · 01/06/2025 18:29

Do you have a moveability clause in your contract? It's fairly common to have this which means you have to suck it up and go with it or resign to be honest.

Andthedoor · 01/06/2025 18:30

Surely all your colleagues are also up in arms?

op there will be substantially more detail behind this

Andthedoor · 01/06/2025 18:31

How often are you currently in the office?

chocomoccalocca · 01/06/2025 18:53

My office moved years ago now, we each had a meeting with management about what we thought was reasonable. In my case I asked for and got the additional costs within my salary. I would ask what they are paying per mile for the additional travel as a starting point

MoominMai · 01/06/2025 18:55

It won’t hurt to ask. Appreciate you’re likely at a private employer but just for info, I know when something similar happened at a civil service location that for a period of time anyway, those with significantly longer journeys had some sort of compensatory allowance. Is there a union you can consult for support? It’s like a double whammy - extended travel time and on the MW too 😑

Donotpanicoknowpanic · 01/06/2025 19:13

My company is moving next year

I've been with them twenty years

I'm just going to be stubborn and tell them I'm not leaving my house any earlier
I'm not getting back home any later

I'm not spending any more money on fuel than I currently do

I'm a single parent and if they don't like it they can suck it

Although I have been at my company a lot longer than you and I have a company car so I just change the mileage in my book from private to company when I drive to work so it is a lot easier for me, I'm also not in most days so will not make a huge difference, and the days I am in I will just turn up late and leave 30 minutes earlier

Depte · 01/06/2025 19:36

I'm a single parent and if they don't like it they can suck it

or

Sack you

FlightCommanderPRJohnson · 01/06/2025 19:53

It's not clear from your post whether the existing office is closing. If it's still open you could ask if there are any roles you could apply for that would allow you to stay there.

Where I work, they will pay travel costs for a limited period if you are forced to relocate - you could ask if that's on the table.

Would home or hybrid working be an option to reduce your expenses? If it would work for you, that's something else you could ask.

Ultimately, if they won't offer any payment or flexibility, there isn't anything you can do but look for another job.

MumChp · 01/06/2025 19:55

Donotpanicoknowpanic · 01/06/2025 19:13

My company is moving next year

I've been with them twenty years

I'm just going to be stubborn and tell them I'm not leaving my house any earlier
I'm not getting back home any later

I'm not spending any more money on fuel than I currently do

I'm a single parent and if they don't like it they can suck it

Although I have been at my company a lot longer than you and I have a company car so I just change the mileage in my book from private to company when I drive to work so it is a lot easier for me, I'm also not in most days so will not make a huge difference, and the days I am in I will just turn up late and leave 30 minutes earlier

Or you get fired?

MumChp · 01/06/2025 19:56

Start looking for a new job?

Greenartywitch · 01/06/2025 20:02

I assume they knew 4 months ago that they were potentially moving offices in the near future, so they should have made you aware of it at the interview stage.

I would be furious that the job was misrepresented.

If you want to stay in the job I would ask for 1 day a week only in the office or a fully remote arrangement.

heatherwithapee · 01/06/2025 20:02

It used to be the case that if your normal place of work was relocating beyond a reasonable distance (or time, as that maybe more relevant in some urban areas), you could request redundancy instead if you couldn’t come to an agreement with your employer about them making reasonable allowances (such as commuting during ‘work time’, receiving a pay increase to take into consideration the additional travel expenses, working from home some days etc). It might be worth speaking to ACAS for clarification. This won’t help the OP as she wouldn’t be eligible having only worked for the company for a short time but may help some others in a similar situation.

Depte · 01/06/2025 20:08

Are you still on probation op?

Clearinguptheclutter · 01/06/2025 20:10

I’d be cross

this happened to me many years ago. They offered a small voluntary redundancy package that most of us took.

worth asking about compensation for extra travel and/or requesting going in once a week only. If they say no look for a new job I guess. It sucks.

Depte · 01/06/2025 20:31

They have asked the op to come in 2x a week

you are in more than that currently Op, yes?

Justploddingonandon · 01/06/2025 21:06

When my company did this they offered extra money to cover the extra costs for a year ( can’t remember how much as they were closing another office that was merging with mine, so I wasn’t directly affected) and relocation costs fir people who wanted to move closer. Those that weren’t happy with that were offered redundancy.

Sunshineclouds11 · 01/06/2025 21:09

I wouldn't be happy!

my company moved few year ago just to the other side of city centre so a 10 min walk and we were told a year in advance!

WorkingMummy1234 · 01/06/2025 22:22

Andthedoor · 01/06/2025 18:31

How often are you currently in the office?

I’m currently 3 days a week but it’s flexible. Some weeks I only go in twice currently.

OP posts:
WorkingMummy1234 · 01/06/2025 22:24

FlightCommanderPRJohnson · 01/06/2025 19:53

It's not clear from your post whether the existing office is closing. If it's still open you could ask if there are any roles you could apply for that would allow you to stay there.

Where I work, they will pay travel costs for a limited period if you are forced to relocate - you could ask if that's on the table.

Would home or hybrid working be an option to reduce your expenses? If it would work for you, that's something else you could ask.

Ultimately, if they won't offer any payment or flexibility, there isn't anything you can do but look for another job.

Sorry yes, my current office is closing and all colleagues expected to move to new office.it works for some people. Wrong direction for me!

OP posts:
SenseofPride · 01/06/2025 22:30

When office bases changed in my public sector role, consultation (including unions) resulted in (LA not listening) change of contract to include the changed base and to include travel anywhere within the large LA.

No travel time, no additional pay, no limitations on where you could be driving to.

LIZS · 01/06/2025 22:50

There should be a policy regarding alternative office venues, mobility and reasonable additional travel time. It is likely your role would potentially be redundant but as you have only been there a few months you could just be given notice.

Depte · 02/06/2025 06:12

WorkingMummy1234 · 01/06/2025 22:22

I’m currently 3 days a week but it’s flexible. Some weeks I only go in twice currently.

but they expect you in 3x a week

and now they’re saying… we are moving further and our expectation is 2x a week

seems reasonable to me.

Youre still on probation?

either way op…. You’re so new that if you don’t like, then you’ll have to leave. They’re not going to bend over backwards for someone that has barely even started.

This would have been in the pipeline for months. When is this move due to take place?

MoominUnderWater · 02/06/2025 06:35

I had similar. I was moved to a different office over an hour away. Had a 30 day consultation and then a change of contract. Union didn’t back me up. They agreed I could travel in work time. I ended up leaving for a better job as I was just so annoyed with how I was treated.

sashh · 02/06/2025 06:45

If the new office isn't your usual workplace then can you claim travel expenses?

I know they keep changing rules on who can and can't claim

Sorry that doesn't help with the logistics of childcare.

Nagginthenag · 02/06/2025 06:46

Happened to DH some years ago. He received travelling costs for 3 years - are they offering any mitigation?