travelling for work, hotel entitlement
Discussion
I work for a small business (8 staff, including two directors).
I've been told/asked to go on a training course in London in Vauxhall area. The course is 9-5, and that's fine.
The problem is that the directors want me to drive up and back, from North Devon.
I think its too far to do with a day of work/training too, but they are saying that they would do it.
Am I being a bit precious? Is a five hour drive, an eight hour day, then another 5 hour drive reasonable or should I insist on an overnight stop? Or two? One before, one after?
I've been told/asked to go on a training course in London in Vauxhall area. The course is 9-5, and that's fine.
The problem is that the directors want me to drive up and back, from North Devon.
I think its too far to do with a day of work/training too, but they are saying that they would do it.
Am I being a bit precious? Is a five hour drive, an eight hour day, then another 5 hour drive reasonable or should I insist on an overnight stop? Or two? One before, one after?
5 hours travel prior to a course starting at 0900 is way too much,you will be worrying about arriving on time and not in the mental state to take the course in. Suggest book value accommodation,submit expenses an ask for forgiveness if not approved.
It's amazing what some people ( usually Directors / Senior Mangers) will do or say they do to try and impress
I hope the couse ticks all th box's
It's amazing what some people ( usually Directors / Senior Mangers) will do or say they do to try and impress
I hope the couse ticks all th box's
You cannot be expected to be up from 3am ( say for arguments sake) to leave at 4am, drive 5 hours, do an 8 hour day and then get back at circa 10pm, I then guess you'd be expected to go into work the next day!
Isn't the train a better option (and maybe quicker) for this trip? Your safety is far more important than the bottom line of the companies profit for say 2 nights in a hotel
Isn't the train a better option (and maybe quicker) for this trip? Your safety is far more important than the bottom line of the companies profit for say 2 nights in a hotel
It's ludicrous. I do a lot of this sort of work travel and would never consider that amount of driving in one day.
The most generous you can be to the company is to drive up the day before, stay overnight and then drive back that evening. This way you'll only be out the office slightly more than you would do if you did it all in one day, but the company has not asked you to do an amount of driving in one day that is frankly dangerous.
The most generous you can be to the company is to drive up the day before, stay overnight and then drive back that evening. This way you'll only be out the office slightly more than you would do if you did it all in one day, but the company has not asked you to do an amount of driving in one day that is frankly dangerous.
That's completely unreasonable and there's no point in you going on the course under such arrangements.
If you are driving I would expect you to stay the night before and the night of the course before driving back. If you are taking public transport I would expect you to to stay the night before and then head back the same day.
Your directors may like to think what happens to them if you get up early, drive all the way to London, do the course, then drive back and have a head on due to tiredness when they have instructed you to do so. I am far and from a health and safety type person but can you not approach a more level headed director with this politely?!
If you are driving I would expect you to stay the night before and the night of the course before driving back. If you are taking public transport I would expect you to to stay the night before and then head back the same day.
Your directors may like to think what happens to them if you get up early, drive all the way to London, do the course, then drive back and have a head on due to tiredness when they have instructed you to do so. I am far and from a health and safety type person but can you not approach a more level headed director with this politely?!
I work in Beds and we have a factory in Sunderland, 4 hours away.
If I go up there by myself company policy is that I must stay overnight because 8hrs driving in 1 day is deemed unacceptable risk.
Personally I have driven from here to Devon and back in a day before but not with a training course in the middle!
If I go up there by myself company policy is that I must stay overnight because 8hrs driving in 1 day is deemed unacceptable risk.
Personally I have driven from here to Devon and back in a day before but not with a training course in the middle!
Again they are taking the wee wee. For me it's a personal choice so I will either include the travel time in my stadard working day or stay over. For a 9am start I wouldn't be prepared to drive more than a couple of hours.
My company are big on H&S-risk assessments on hire car and each individual trip flags up what is/isn't acceptable in terms of risk.
My company are big on H&S-risk assessments on hire car and each individual trip flags up what is/isn't acceptable in terms of risk.
All of the above. And maybe start looking for a new employer who respects and values their staff rather than thinking that they 'own them' and they should be used as they see fit.
A ridiculous demand.
The course itself can and will be tiring. Adding 10+ hours of travelling is beyond stupid. I stay in London if doing a 9-5 course and I only live in Newbury!
Edit to say I assumed it was all week. Regardless, a stop over is still a requirement IMO. Preferably the night before so you're fresh for the course.
A ridiculous demand.
The course itself can and will be tiring. Adding 10+ hours of travelling is beyond stupid. I stay in London if doing a 9-5 course and I only live in Newbury!
Edit to say I assumed it was all week. Regardless, a stop over is still a requirement IMO. Preferably the night before so you're fresh for the course.
0a said:
Your directors may like to think what happens to them if you get up early, drive all the way to London, do the course, then drive back and have a head on due to tiredness when they have instructed you to do so. I am far and from a health and safety type person but can you not approach a more level headed director with this politely?!
This in spades! Health and safety regs for a couple of organisations Iv'e worked for have stated that you're not allowed to drive after 12 hours work, and that includes time spent driving to work in the first place.Expecting someone to drive 5 hours, do an 8 hour day, and drive for another 5 hours is downright dangerous.
I am not a fan of unnecessary Elfin Safety but this request seems unreasonable to me.
To expect two nights in a hotel is a bit 'cushty' but to expect one is not in any way out of order. Indeed I think that they are wrong expecting you to do this, regardless of if they would or wouldn't.
To expect two nights in a hotel is a bit 'cushty' but to expect one is not in any way out of order. Indeed I think that they are wrong expecting you to do this, regardless of if they would or wouldn't.
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