Is this employer request unreasonable?
Discussion
My 18 year old daughter works at a high street mobile phone shop. She has her own car and as such has been asked a few times to cover for sick/sack/incompetent staff at another store about 25 miles away from her normal one. She has been there about 6 months and has done well so far and I although she doesn't like having to do the cover stuff when asked, I suggested she just suck it up and use it to demonstrate she can be flexible and run a store on her own.
Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
cashmax said:
My 18 year old daughter works at a high street mobile phone shop. She has her own car and as such has been asked a few times to cover for sick/sack/incompetent staff at another store about 25 miles away from her normal one. She has been there about 6 months and has done well so far and I although she doesn't like having to do the cover stuff when asked, I suggested she just suck it up and use it to demonstrate she can be flexible and run a store on her own.
Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Would that count as business miles rather than just a normal commute? She's being asked to go out of her normal route by the business - her insurance may not cover her for such trips.Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Seems like a business aspect, therefore business insurance cover would be needed in an ideal world.
The picking up of a new employee and taking him to work would be a step too far for me though and sounds like the thin end of a wedge. What's stopping him making his own way to his new job? If he can't get there, why did he apply for it? Wholly his problem.
The picking up of a new employee and taking him to work would be a step too far for me though and sounds like the thin end of a wedge. What's stopping him making his own way to his new job? If he can't get there, why did he apply for it? Wholly his problem.
cashmax said:
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Nope. cashmax said:
My 18 year old daughter works at a high street mobile phone shop. She has her own car and as such has been asked a few times to cover for sick/sack/incompetent staff at another store about 25 miles away from her normal one. She has been there about 6 months and has done well so far and I although she doesn't like having to do the cover stuff when asked, I suggested she just suck it up and use it to demonstrate she can be flexible and run a store on her own.
Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Are you worried about her financial recompense for doing this? Today her manager has asked her again to go to the other store tomorrow, but this time they want her to stop off on the way (it's a 5 mile divert) and pick up a new member of staff and take him to the new store as well.
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
I assume she's getting paid mileage to travel to this other store, rather than her regular place of work?
Or are you worried about her picking up a 'strange' man and ferrying him to work from a safety perspective?
DanL said:
cashmax said:
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Nope. I wouldn't be happy if I was her, I would tell her to call her HR team and explain that her manager has told her this is not optional and see what they have to say. I would also get her to tell her manager her car insurance doesn't cover business use which diverting to collect a member of staff and drop them off would be required.
Super Sonic said:
That is not reasonable. Apart from not being insured, there's the personal safety aspect. As already posted, it's the thin end of the wedge. How long til this goes from occasionally to daily. I'd start looking for other work.
Personal safety?She's an adult, sharing a car with a colleague. It's no different to sharing a bus.
She needs to have appropriate insurance and mileage allowance covered by the business but I don't see the safety risk unless one is being super-paranoid.
The picking up the new colleague part no - safety concerns and as said where does it stop?
The going to another store - depends in her contract. My contract states that I may be asked to work from other company sites, however I get reimbursed for mileage (over my usual commute). I live 3 miles from work, the nearest other site is 20+ miles away so it's never bothered me. I hope she is being reimbursed for mileage.
The going to another store - depends in her contract. My contract states that I may be asked to work from other company sites, however I get reimbursed for mileage (over my usual commute). I live 3 miles from work, the nearest other site is 20+ miles away so it's never bothered me. I hope she is being reimbursed for mileage.
Muzzer79 said:
DanL said:
cashmax said:
Not sure how I feel about this - When I was running my business I would occasionally make this kind of request, but her manager has said this is "not optional" and she can't say no. Is it acceptable to ask a 18 year old girl to pick up a man she has never met and take him to work with her?
Nope. Muzzer79 said:
Personal safety?
She's an adult, sharing a car with a colleague. It's no different to sharing a bus.
She needs to have appropriate insurance and mileage allowance covered by the business but I don't see the safety risk unless one is being super-paranoid.
It’s completely different to sharing a bus. On a bus, you’ll have at least one other person around (the driver!), and can move seats if you’re uncomfortable with the person next to you. Neither is true with a car, where you’re in a private space and (in this case) stuck sitting next to a stranger. She's an adult, sharing a car with a colleague. It's no different to sharing a bus.
She needs to have appropriate insurance and mileage allowance covered by the business but I don't see the safety risk unless one is being super-paranoid.
Is it likely to be unsafe? No. Should the business be telling this girl she has to do it? Absolutely not. They can ask - that’s fine, and if she chooses to say yes then that’s all well and good. The statement that she doesn’t have a choice is the problem for me.
Muzzer79 said:
Why not?
If you work in a mobile phone shop they don't in my experience DBS, guy could have a criminal history.Do I can understand you not being keen.
If she is not comfortable collecting strangers I think she should say no. If its someone she knows fair and she is comfortable.
She defo needs business use insurance if carrying passenger and I believe you need Business if you are not commuting to a fixed place of work, so her cover work is going to require that additional cover if she only has commuting
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