Ideal job but employer not keen on me moving house!

[minko]

We are in the process of moving to a new house about 30 minutes drive away. In the meantime I had an interview and got offered a dream job - literally 5 mins walk from this house. I had to tell them when I accepted it that I was moving and then they went all frosty on me. I am currently on a 'trial period' and trying to fit work around limited childcare - basically whilst DS is at pre-school. They initially said this would be a short period then we would discuss a more permanent arrangement and I could sort proper nursery childcare.

Now I have done 3 weeks of 'trial period' and there's no end in sight. I am completely confident I could do this job and live half an hour away but they appear to be messing me about.

What would you do???

Why do they care where you live? Loads of people live 30+ mins away from work. Do they want you to be on call at short notice?

Yes basically. My new employer runs his own business and is a bit of a control freak. He said in his initial offer email that the only problem he could see would be if they needed me to 'come over in 10 mins' and I didn't have any childcare; but that is just not realistic for anyone - unless they are fulltime...

tbh I think he is treading a very fine line.

It's not uncommon for employers not to employ someone based on where they live i.e. if there are long hours/shifts etc involved that an employee might not be able to do, however, if you moved when you were already working there and your trial period had ended then he wouldn't be able to get rid of you. Also legally he cannot mention your access to childcare - it is none of his business.

Not sure what you can do given you're only on a trial period, but given that he might end the trial period anyway perhaps worth mentioning that discriminating based on childcare arrangements isn't legal.

I'm wondering if I should not have mentioned the moving until things were settled, but thought it best to be honest as I don't see how it has a baring on doing the job. I don't want to say what the work is as I might get 'outed' but suffice to say it's not life and death and I don't need to be on call. It is also work I could do from home.

sorry- may not be the most constructive comment you will read but you must know that he sounds barking.....

are you really sure that you want to work for him? it is not reasonable to think that your employees are available to drop everything at ten minutes notice and come running, whatever the reason.

you have limited rights for the first year- he could terminate at any time but your right not to be discriminated against starts the moment they recruit you. pretty cold comfort really!

Have you resovled the childcare issue? if you have then now is the time for a proper contract because that is what you agreed. Tackle it that way- or say that you would like a contract even if you are only on probation and have some agreement as to when that probation ends.

You're quite right, thanks for helping me to see it so clearly! It is unreasonable isn't it. He wants someone to really take 'ownership' of this whole area of his business and obviously he thinks that being virtually on-site will help this. If that's really what he wants he need to stump up for a full time person.

In the meantime, opportunities like the one he offered me - part time work, flexibility, option to work from home etc are like hens teeth in my business so for the time being I am dancing round him trying to please... and hoping I can convince him that being 30 mins away is no big deal.

Still, if it doesn't work out it's his loss. I will try and remember that he is actually barking...