Company relocation - going to be out of pocket

[NikB]

I found out yesterday that my company is moving offices and it's going to add 60 miles a day to my commute

I know other people probably do monster commutes and this sounds like a pathetic amount, but it means I will be out of pocket because of this. It also means I get less time with my little girl and waste all that time sitting in traffic Needless to say, I am not happy about this.

Is there any employment law that covers this? I am going to try and renegotiate my terms and try and work from home, but is there anything I can claim under law?

[Scott328i]

Have they not offered you a relocation package

i.e extra money

They usually offer this for the first year. After that it's on your own.

[mr_spock]

You clearly need a motorbike. Get all those traffic hours back!

[_Batty_]

IIRC they can ask you to work anywhere up to 60 mile radius from its head office at any one time

[DSM2]

In general, a company can ask you to work somewhere else within a reasonable distance. An extra 30 miles would be outside of that in my experience.

Of course that would depend on the exact wording of your employment contract, but, if it was not deemed to be reasonable then your options are to take the move on their, or some negotiated, terms or be made redundant. Not a good choice.

[Don]

Talk to HR. Ask them what they can do to help. Start off with the suggestions that don't cost them any money...like working from home twice a week etc....particularly if this is your beef - the time - not the cash.

You should also calculate the additional cost of commuting. Again - being reasonable - they should contribute to that. A salary uplift that paid for a tank of fuel a week - sort of thing.

Don't expect both, mind!

If they won't wear the cost of that remind them that losing you (they can make you redundant) and rehiring someone local to the new office will cost them a few grand - which they could just pay you...

Reasonable negotiation will get you a result here.

[Taita]

Move to 2 wheels. Pan Euro. Done.

[Don]

Oh...the above is exactly what I advised my wife to do when her lot moved offices across London. Her commute went from a train journey to Waterloo and a short walk, 50 minutes total, to a train/tube/bus/walk epic taking almost two hours.

She now works two or three days a week from home as her work is largely done using a computer and a phone. No cash uplift - but it wasn't needed.

And I see my wife much earlier in the evenings - two or three days a week. It's good.

[Poledriver]

In the current economic climate I'd be quiet and just happy that I'd still got a job!

[merc_man]

But on the plus side you still have your job.

[BigBen]

30 miles was the boundry for paid relocation with my current employer or if it took more than an hour on public transport which decreased the radius somewhat

Ben

[RicksAlfas]

I'm not sure if it's still the same but when we moved in 2000 the rule was that a company can relocate within 10 miles (IIRC) of it's current location without paying any relocation or travel expenses to it's employees.

How far is the company moving?

[Mr POD]

BigBen said:

30 miles was the boundry for paid relocation with my current employer or if it took more than an hour on public transport which decreased the radius somewhat

Ben

Lucas had sites on different sides of Birmingham. I'm told that people got relocation assistance, for a move of 9 miles, because it actually added 1 hour a day extra to the commute. I'm only told that people took redundancy instead.

[NikB]

Thanks for the replies

I have just looked at the distances again. The most likely place that they will relocate the office to is a move of 25 miles from the current office. The current office is 5 miles travel for me, on country roads, the proposed new office will be 20 miles from my house. So an extra of 30 miles a day, not 60, sorry. The problem is not the distance as such, but the fact that I will have to get to the other side of the M4 and the M40. Misery

Nothing has been mentioned about money yet, the location isn't definate, but I have a horrible feeling it's going to happen, so just preparing myself as it's due to happen in Jan or Feb, so not long.

[Poledriver]

NikB said:

Thanks for the replies

I have just looked at the distances again. The most likely place that they will relocate the office to is a move of 25 miles from the current office. The current office is 5 miles travel for me, on country roads, the proposed new office will be 20 miles from my house. So an extra of 30 miles a day, not 60, sorry. The problem is not the distance as such, but the fact that I will have to get to the other side of the M4 and the M40. Misery

Nothing has been mentioned about money yet, the location isn't definite(sp), but I have a horrible feeling it's going to happen, so just preparing myself as it's due to happen in Jan or Feb, so not long.

So, have you anything real to worry about, or just the pessimism over the possible relocation of your job?

[NikB]

Poledriver said:

NikB said:

Thanks for the replies

I have just looked at the distances again. The most likely place that they will relocate the office to is a move of 25 miles from the current office. The current office is 5 miles travel for me, on country roads, the proposed new office will be 20 miles from my house. So an extra of 30 miles a day, not 60, sorry. The problem is not the distance as such, but the fact that I will have to get to the other side of the M4 and the M40. Misery

Nothing has been mentioned about money yet, the location isn't definite(sp), but I have a horrible feeling it's going to happen, so just preparing myself as it's due to happen in Jan or Feb, so not long.

So, have you anything real to worry about, or just the pessimism over the possible relocation of your job?

Yes, it's real enough, I don't have time to post questions about fantasy. we have merged with another company and the new company is due to be joined in one premises. The figures I have quoted are for relocating to High Wycombe, which is the most likely place as it needs to be in the 'M40 corridor'.

Thanks for the helpful comment and the spelling correction though.

[Poledriver]

NikB said:

Poledriver said:

NikB said:

Thanks for the replies

I have just looked at the distances again. The most likely place that they will relocate the office to is a move of 25 miles from the current office. The current office is 5 miles travel for me, on country roads, the proposed new office will be 20 miles from my house. So an extra of 30 miles a day, not 60, sorry. The problem is not the distance as such, but the fact that I will have to get to the other side of the M4 and the M40. Misery

Nothing has been mentioned about money yet, the location isn't definite(sp), but I have a horrible feeling it's going to happen, so just preparing myself as it's due to happen in Jan or Feb, so not long.

So, have you anything real to worry about, or just the pessimism over the possible relocation of your job?

Yes, it's real enough, I don't have time to post questions about fantasy. we have merged with another company and the new company is due to be joined in one premises. The figures I have quoted are for relocating to High Wycombe, which is the most likely place as it needs to be in the 'M40 corridor'.

Thanks for the helpful comment and the spelling correction though.

You're very welcome

[Mr POD]

NikB said:

Thanks for the replies

I have just looked at the distances again. The most likely place that they will relocate the office to is a move of 25 miles from the current office. The current office is 5 miles travel for me, on country roads, the proposed new office will be 20 miles from my house. So an extra of 30 miles a day, not 60, sorry. The problem is not the distance as such, but the fact that I will have to get to the other side of the M4 and the M40. Misery

Nothing has been mentioned about money yet, the location isn't definate, but I have a horrible feeling it's going to happen, so just preparing myself as it's due to happen in Jan or Feb, so not long.

Not far enough to justify moving, but far enough to cost you 30 miles x 40 p (that's what they pay for business use of your own car - My car costs about 15p a mile I reckon) So between £5 and £12 a day. So £25 a week, £100 a month, £1200 a year - so £1600 a year before tax ?

And an extra hour.

I'd go in with the idea that you understand the need to move, will help to project manage it if required, but it's going to cost £2K a year in money and 200 hours per year in time, neither of which you can afford.

As an idea, if they can move to a more flexible working pattern (FLEXi time or home working), and come some way to meeting your out of pocket expences, you'd be most grateful.

[rhinochopig]

Don said:

And I see my wife much earlier in the evenings - two or three days a week.

I'm sorry to hear that mate, employers can be real bds at times.

[Don]

rhinochopig said:

Don said:

And I see my wife much earlier in the evenings - two or three days a week.

I'm sorry to hear that mate, employers can be real bds at times.

Amazingly enough I actually married a woman I like. It's nice to have an evening together...when she works in London she gets home at nine o'clock at night, starving hungry and having been up since 6:00am. I'm so glad that's not five days a week. Not only would it be bad for her but she'd be unlivable-with.