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stuie		#1 Posted : 08 July 2011 16:56:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Anyone willing or able to point me in the right direction? I am looking for a bit of advice - it has been strongly suggested that I will be moving offices - against my will. It will mean an extra 40 minutes on my day and another 20 miles or so on my round trip to and from work. Can I be forced to move against my will? Will my employer have to compensate me for this etc etc? Maybe I should just be glad I am in work and stop moaning? Any advice or pointers would be gratefully received. Stuie
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cliveg		#2 Posted : 08 July 2011 18:22:26(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		Stuie Sorry about this - but this dificult to fight. My own organisation is undergoing quite large scale moves, but the union has not been able to effectively challenge it. If the employer has decided that they need to go to new premises, then so be it. There is unlikely to be any compensation either unless your organisation has a relocation policy.
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David H		#3 Posted : 08 July 2011 19:14:11(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Stuie - check what it says in your contract. My work takes me to any offices they decree - some offices and sites circa 500 miles away but at least they fly me there and supply a hired car. But if I refused to go they would get someone else = simple as that. We recently moved offices and I cut 16 miles a day off my route to work but it added distance to others David
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mgray		#4 Posted : 08 July 2011 23:23:46(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		Hi Stuie IMHO I think your contract of employment will be the main source of reference for this as ours states that an employee can be relocated within a 10 mile radius. The main problem I think is that if the majority of people accept the move and there is a sound business reason for doing so and the distance is reasonable, then there may be little you can do about this in reality, without risking being dismissed if you refuse. Don't get me wrong I am not saying that you could not bring a case for unfair dismissal but I would think hard before I tried to fight this one. At the end of the day money will still not be going in the bank nor food on the table. Regards MG
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Guru		#5 Posted : 09 July 2011 06:36:44(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Similar to mgray, my contract states place of work within a 10 mile radius.
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johnmurray		#6 Posted : 09 July 2011 08:54:46(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		The sites below may be of help to you. You REALLY need to look at your TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT first. REALLY ! http://www.hcr.co.uk/?pa...ogandNews&article=59 http://www.direct.gov.uk...ndConditions/DG_10028541
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RayRapp		#7 Posted : 09 July 2011 12:47:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Stuie Notwithstanding the T&Cs of your contract, the travelling to and from work could be deemed unreasonable, but I suggest this could only be decided by an ET. I'm not sure you would want to go that far down the road...no pun intended. Ray
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johnmurray		#8 Posted : 09 July 2011 14:57:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		I know people whose employer relocated their jobs 80 miles extra...one way...and they still go to work there. At personal cost. I know people who travel over 100 miles each day (6 day week) to London and back....over 3K/yr....by train
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stuie		#9 Posted : 09 July 2011 19:26:35(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Thanks folks; will dig out my contract, and see what that says. I have heard talk of an allowance but not seen anything on paper yet. The thing is in my role I feel that I could try to justify not moving as I will be moving away from one of our 'higher risk' sites where I can just have a wander around at any time to try and keep people on their toes so to speak - moving will mean a trip there and back as opposed to a 2 minute walk.
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David H		#10 Posted : 09 July 2011 19:40:00(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Stuie - no disrespect but what difference does that make? Does your attendance on the other site make that much difference? If it does then I would suggest you have a major problem on your hands as regards "baby sitting" etc You can still arrive unexpectedly from your new location - either that or ask to be located at the "higher risk" site?? Sorry - but i get the impression that you are suffering from the classic "aversion to change" symptoms. David
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johnmurray		#11 Posted : 10 July 2011 08:52:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		You have not yet said what your present travelling time/distance is. Obviously it will increase..... Personally I would go for trying to negotiate expenses or another compensatory arrangement. The IT is one step: Too far. Nothing good comes from confrontation, and the fact that you would have to consult legal advisers is another of the downs, you never get a straight answer from any of them. Face it, at a time when everyone is busy looking for coins down the back of the furniture, your problem of increased travel time to get to your work is minor (IMHO)
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stuie		#12 Posted : 10 July 2011 18:40:19(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		David H; not frightened of change by any means; what I am concerned about is the extra time in my working day and the financial implications of having my base further away from home. As the original post said - maybe i should just be glad I am in work:-) but that does not mean that mine or any other employer should be allowed to do what they want whenever they want.
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David H		#13 Posted : 10 July 2011 19:17:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Sorry stuie - but welcome to the real world mate!! I was made redundant in 05 after 30 years service because they relocated to the centre of their market in Eorope - do you think I could have changed their minds? My next employer then asked me to do this and that - and do some 500 miles each way travel to work in another office - including 4 days a week away from home - try explaining that to your missus - or losing your job. Lets get real here. Employers do what they do - and you aint going to chamge it. Either accept it or walk away. Or apply to work in their "higher risk" bases. Sorry for the lack of support - but your last post suggests to me that you are not in the same world that I live in - do what everyone else does - and take it in your stride and stop the whinging! David
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ptaylor14		#14 Posted : 11 July 2011 10:07:07(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		stuie wrote: Anyone willing or able to point me in the right direction? I am looking for a bit of advice - it has been strongly suggested that I will be moving offices - against my will. It will mean an extra 40 minutes on my day and another 20 miles or so on my round trip to and from work. Can I be forced to move against my will? Will my employer have to compensate me for this etc etc? Maybe I should just be glad I am in work and stop moaning? Any advice or pointers would be gratefully received. Stuie Contact ACAS for advice
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walker		#15 Posted : 11 July 2011 10:19:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		David H wrote: Sorry stuie - but welcome to the real world mate!! I was made redundant in 05 after 30 years service because they relocated to the centre of their market in Eorope - do you think I could have changed their minds? My next employer then asked me to do this and that - and do some 500 miles each way travel to work in another office - including 4 days a week away from home - try explaining that to your missus - or losing your job. Lets get real here. Employers do what they do - and you aint going to chamge it. Either accept it or walk away. Or apply to work in their "higher risk" bases. Sorry for the lack of support - but your last post suggests to me that you are not in the same world that I live in - do what everyone else does - and take it in your stride and stop the whinging! David This is as daft as saying some people only earn minimum wage so its OK for our employers to drop our salaries to match! Stuie, get advice & get whatever you can out ofyour employer for the added inconvenience to your life.
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L McCartney		#16 Posted : 11 July 2011 12:02:47(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		Hi Stuie, as previous posts - check your contract and T&C's. If you can't find a copy your HR dept should be able provide one for you. You may be able to make an argument to stay at current location on risk basis. If this doesn't work, try asking for home working - but you would need a good reason for this. Lilian
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Terry556		#17 Posted : 11 July 2011 12:19:10(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Stuie Its not worht fighting it really, they can cahnge your contract with 28 days notice, but you can seek advice from ACAS
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stuie		#18 Posted : 11 July 2011 12:20:14(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		FYI; my contract says that I will be based at ****** site; with travel to other sites as required (which I don't have a problem with in any way shape or form). Still waiting to see what if anything I get offered as some sort of compensation (although I wont hold my breath) for this shift in base. Thanks for the constructive comments folks; and also for those that seem a bit inflammatory too :-)
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Fletcher		#19 Posted : 11 July 2011 12:22:57(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Stuie, In 1990 the American company I then worked for moved from Leicester Square to central Barking. It didn't affect me as I worked out of my car but the office workers who had to travel greater distances were given compensation or redundancy. I don't know if it was a legal requirement at that time but as I remember there was a slump on and times were hard but not as hard as now As already suggested try ACAS You don't lose anything by asking your boss if you are going to be compensated for extra travel, that way at least you will know what the company are thinking
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sean		#20 Posted : 11 July 2011 12:31:06(UTC)
Rank: Guest		My Organisation consider up to an hours travelling each way as reasonable, if they ask you to move to another building outside of reasonable daily travel (over an hour ew) and you agree then they will pay the excess on your fares for five years, if you refuse to move then there is a chance you could be facing redundancy unless a move to another building is available. Everybodys circumstances are different and each member of staff has a 1-2-1 meeting with their manager with union representation if necessary.

prads		#21 Posted : 11 July 2011 13:14:43(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		I have a small doubt with respect to 'Commuting Accidents'? Does it involve commuting between a place of residence of own choice to the workplace, or from a place of residence provided/ approved by the company and the place of work. If it is the latter one, then isnt it risky for companies to allow their employees to commute longer distances to reach for work. Just curious! Regards, P
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Safety Smurf		#22 Posted : 11 July 2011 13:32:15(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		L McCartney wrote: Hi Stuie, as previous posts - check your contract and T&C's. If you can't find a copy your HR dept should be able provide one for you. You may be able to make an argument to stay at current location on risk basis. If this doesn't work, try asking for home working - but you would need a good reason for this. Lilian Hi Stuie, I would tread very carefully if you take this advice, personally I wouldn't. It's bad enough other people using H&S as an means to meet their own personal agenda but if we start doing it it will destroy our employers perception of our professionalism.
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