Is this employer request unreasonable?

[surveyor_101]

surveyor_101 said:

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.

So 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

[MustangGT]

Any business use of the car away from her normal place of work would require business use, not just S,D,P and commuting. It is also, as others have said, a safe-guarding issue. No way can she be forced to pick up a colleague to take them to work. It is her decision alone and with no pressure.

[surveyor_101]

DanL said:

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.

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.

She will be alone with this guy in her car! Next to him in close proximity.

Not the same as a bus which as a minimum has cameras and driver these days.

[steveo3002]

all okay until theres an accident and passenger spills the beans about xxx picking me on way to work etc

[Dave Hedgehog]

sunnyb13 said:

get rid of the car.

just say its broken down and you cant afford to fix it yet, if your ever seen in it "fixed it last week"

unless she drives to work of course

[sunnyb13]

Dave Hedgehog said:

sunnyb13 said:

get rid of the car.

just say its broken down and you cant afford to fix it yet, if your ever seen in it "fixed it last week"

unless she drives to work of course

Bingo.

[steveo3002]

not a condition of the job to have a car is it ? as long as she turns up for work in time they can f.o , say its blown up and using the bus /walk etc , suggest other staff member tries the bus or a taxi

wouldnt it be great if some mug turned up every morning and drove us all to work instead of sorting own transport

[surveyor_101]

steveo3002 said:

all okay until theres an accident and passenger spills the beans about xxx picking me on way to work etc

As I understand many UK companies have car share policies.

Hinkley Point C EDF- Have one due to parking issues in officer not main site.

I have car shared for company while driving a personal car with business.

Its making sure she has business cover (which she needs for not fixed work place anyway).

I am not aware of any other issues, its not hire and reward.

[surveyor_101]

steveo3002 said:

not a condition of the job to have a car is it ? as long as she turns up for work in time they can f.o , say its blown up and using the bus /walk etc , suggest other staff member tries the bus or a taxi

wouldnt it be great if some mug turned up every morning and drove us all to work instead of sorting own transport

I have had it a few times, had a receptionist who had unreliable Bf and I was asked to pick her up in company car.

Car share is more organised scheme normally.

I had a guy working with me in 2021 who did have a car and when he moved from site to office he used to rely on me (consultant not direct staff) and another member to get him to the officer 2 days a week. He now site and home based so can you the private bus fleet they have.

[e-honda]

Reasonable a request or not it's definitely reasonable to decline it.
It's good to demonstrate flexibility but it's also good to demonstrate being able to stand up for yourself occasionally.

[vikingaero]

My feeling is she's not being paid to travel to other stores to cover, and she's not being paid to pick this other guy up.

[surveyor_101]

vikingaero said:

My feeling is she's not being paid to travel to other stores to cover, and she's not being paid to pick this other guy up.

They are paying mileage I guess but not travel time?

[Super Sonic]

Dave Hedgehog said:

just say its broken down and you cant afford to fix it yet, if your ever seen in it "fixed it last week"

unless she drives to work of course

Didn't read thread. Didn't even read op.

[OutInTheShed]

Having only been there 6 months, she's not in a powerful position.

Is this 'High St Phone Shop' one of the major players, like Voda etc?

[surveyor_101]

OutInTheShed said:

Having only been there 6 months, she's not in a powerful position.

Is this 'High St Phone Shop' one of the major players, like Voda etc?

Have you checked her employment terms, I bet the from time to time you will need to travel to other branches in your area for sickness and holiday cover etc"

I am not sure a large Mobile company would have a clause about staff taxi service!


Its indicative of times changing I find people are less reliable, more likely to flip and flop and go sick.


I had it last week a Senior Commercial Bod for the Government Agency I working with came back of a stag and quit! I would never dream of quitting and not working my notice.

[vikingaero]

surveyor_101 said:

vikingaero said:

My feeling is she's not being paid to travel to other stores to cover, and she's not being paid to pick this other guy up.

They are paying mileage I guess but not travel time?

I've re-read the thread and the OP hasn't confirmed that mileage is being paid. The fact that the manager wants her to collect someone else en/off route suggests to me they are taking the pish and doing neither.

[cashmax]

Thanks for the replies - They are one of the larger high street chains. They will pay mileage and parking. The issue I had was not these areas of even the potential insurance issue - it was the fact that her manager said she couldn't say no - it wasn't optional. It's not like she has ever spoken to this guy and doesn't know him, she is uncomfortable with picking up a strange man and having him in the car - nothing else.

I have suggested she ask her manager to make the request in writing - although I like the HR suggestion too.

[Dylano]

Reminds me of a conversation I heard a workmate have with a boss a few years back when he was asked to use his own car for business purposes:-

Boss - Can you go to our office at such a place tomorrow.

Mate - Sorry I don't have a driving licence.

Boss - But I see you arriving at work in your car every day.

Mate - That's for me to worry about, not you.

[nebpor]

cashmax said:

Thanks for the replies - They are one of the larger high street chains. They will pay mileage and parking. The issue I had was not these areas of even the potential insurance issue - it was the fact that her manager said she couldn't say no - it wasn't optional. It's not like she has ever spoken to this guy and doesn't know him, she is uncomfortable with picking up a strange man and having him in the car - nothing else.

I have suggested she ask her manager to make the request in writing - although I like the HR suggestion too.

Glad someone suggested HR because it's exactly what I was going to suggest. Now you've said it's a fair sized chain thats even better, as they likely do actually have HR people, unlike a smaller business.

IMO it's completely unacceptable for a manager to put her in this position by making the request. Their HR should come down on them like a ton of bricks from both a "it's not optional" but also a safeguarding point of view. Very different if this is someone she works regularly with and offers them a lift home after work one day.

An 18 year old is unlikely to challenge the authority of their manager. The manager is effectively bullying her by describing it as "non optional".

If her job description involved ferrying other people around and required car ownership then the request wouldn't be unreasonable, but I doubt that given it's a role in a phone shop, so it is unreasonable.

[Gareth79]

surveyor_101 said:

steveo3002 said:

all okay until theres an accident and passenger spills the beans about xxx picking me on way to work etc

As I understand many UK companies have car share policies.

Hinkley Point C EDF- Have one due to parking issues in officer not main site.

I have car shared for company while driving a personal car with business.

Its making sure she has business cover (which she needs for not fixed work place anyway).

I am not aware of any other issues, its not hire and reward.

Is the share policy dictated by the company or arranged between employees? If OP's daughter had arranged to give the person a lift as part of their commutes it would not be business use, but the employer required them to do it is quite different.