If you work 160 miles away do you ^have^ to stay in a hotel?

[zoggs]

Or could you commute?

Friend's husband has been told he has to stay in a hotel at least every other night as driving there and back on top of 7 hour shift as a chef is against H & S regulations.

My friend is 5 months pregnant and their marriage is on the line because of other problems (his infidelity). She cannot cope with him staying away. He has been told his job is at stake.

Is this a secondment job? i.e does he usually work closer but they have asked him to cover elsewhere?

It makes a difference as if they are asking him to travel then the travel time is included in his working hours. Does he get a milage allowance for the travel? That is another indicator that it is work time not his own commute time. The commute will be another 6 hours (roughly) on his day so a 13 hour working day which pushes the working time directive. So in that case yes he does have to stay away.

If he has chosen to work so far from home then technically his employer is not liable and can't insit on him staying (although we would encourage it for his safety).

I understand that the Working Time Directive requires an average 11.5hr break between shifts over a set period including travel, so it would be a health and safety issue.

I think there is a daily mileage limit which you aren't meant to exceed, but don't know it off hand.

Yes, he gets a company lease car with petrol allowance per mile. I think they send him where he is needed although it is not usually as far as 160 miles. He would not choose to work that far away.

Unfortunately, he's been whiling away the lonely evenings with inappropriate activities involving liaisons with colleagues. This is make or break for their marriage. Obviously, he doesn't want to tell his employers the real reason for needing to return home.

Well I think he needs to find a new job then

Sounds like the company are doing the right thing, he maybe needs to do the same.