Shift change costing me well over a grand a year

[NotBraveSoul]

Hi guys,

Hoping for some advice. I had my shifts “temporarily” changed a couple of months ago, against my will. One of the shifts is an early Sunday start. There is no public transport available that will get me to the office on time, so I have to get a cab. I naively thought I’d suck it up as it was only temporary but I’ve now been told the shift pattern is permanent.

I’ve calculated this will cost me close to £1,500 a year. Do I have any rights here? Looking at my contract I fear I don’t, no commuting costs on expenses and shifts can be changed at anytime to suit business needs.

I do have it in writing that the shift change was intended to be temporary until a fixed date - which is two weeks away.

Thoughts and advice greatly appreciated. Thank you!

You seem unaware of the massive leverage you have here.

1. You are the only person currently at the company that can do this role.
2. If you left, they'd have to hire two people to replace you (expensive) - and they probably couldn't find the right people.

I would negotiate for a pay increase of at least £1500 to cover your increased costs, although if there's increased responsibility - and that sounds possible - I'd be going for a LOT more.

I'd also start looking for another job. An employer who treats its staff so poorly deserves to lose its key staff.

Refuse. You wouldn’t be the first, clearly this is a really difficult shift to fill because of the early hour

are you sure there’s not a second bus by then to get you closer ?

Petulant? Surely it’s just fulfilling your contractual role? Both parties need to agree to a change, and you haven’t.

It's worth an ask. I recently got moved sideways into a role with the same job title but at a fixed premises so I could no longer claim travel expenses. I negotiated a pay rise to the top of the pay scale which doesn't cover everything but helps a bit.

I’d definitely push back.
Advise you’re unwilling to do the shift due to how much it will cost you, without a corresponding pay increase to cover the costs.
Be factual and firm. If they decline - it says a lot a lot company and I’d be job hunting.

It's not just the cost of the cab OP. It's the fact we still largely work a 9-5 (ish) culture. Leaving weekends free for socialising. By making you work Saturday and Sunday every week they're decimating your social life. That needs compensating for.

Especially if your religious practices are compromised. Yes you can go to church some other time, but if most others are going on Sunday morning then your employer is isolating you from your community. Again, if they're going to do it the least they can do is compensate you for it.

In your shoes I'd want about 4 x my usual hourly rate and the cab paid, to make up for the disruption to my life. Otherwise I'd feel resentful and start hating them. I'd also be looking for a new job right away, or mentally deciding to do it for a year to save up but no longer, because no amount of money makes up for not having any real social life/friends.

Right now, they need you more than you need them, you hold all the cards so I'd be politely threatening to walk if they don't sort this situation out so it's fairer for you.

I did leave a job once because they changed the terms from what they'd originally offered, gave me a load of shady sounding bullshit when I queried it, then as soon as I signed the contract they essentially changed the job. I told them if I'd known this was the job I'd never have applied and that I'd expected to continue doing the advertised job that I'd been doing up until that point. They basically told me to put up with it. I walked out a week later into a new job without even giving notice. Never regretted it.

I’ve been on the other side of the fence with this I was the manager it was easier to take the short term hit let them walk and employ someone new who would actually work the hours the business needed and they were contracted to

But OP isn’t contracted to do those hours.