Boss has decided to move office location - where do I stand?

[buzzer]

Not me, but my best mate, just trying to help him out...

Situation is he is office based for a lot of the time and lives 16 mile and 30 mins from the office. His boss has just told him they are moving office which will be 36 mile journey but as its across the midlands, the one way time is 1.hr 35mins on average.

Is his company bound to pay his additional travel expenses, and if so for how long?

He gets on well with the boss and its probably a good move for the company, but he wants to know where he stands, and if the company are obliged in any way to fund the additional travel.

Any advice would be greatefully received.

Thanks

[nobodyknows]

depends on his Contract of Employment, most state that you are obliged to work within a reasonable distance which an extra 6 miles could be argued to be. Check the Contract 1st, with the CAB or similar if necessary would be my advice.

[Jackleman]

nobodyknows said:

depends on his Contract of Employment, most state that you are obliged to work within a reasonable distance which an extra 6 miles could be argued to be. Check the Contract 1st, with the CAB or similar if necessary would be my advice.

It's another 20 miles which is quite a bit if the roads are crap (which they are as it is the UK).

[nobodyknows]

Jackleman said:

nobodyknows said:

depends on his Contract of Employment, most state that you are obliged to work within a reasonable distance which an extra 6 miles could be argued to be. Check the Contract 1st, with the CAB or similar if necessary would be my advice.

It's another 20 miles which is quite a bit if the roads are crap (which they are as it is the UK).

Oops, my mistake, sorry! Still need to check the CofE 1st though I would have thought.

[Amateurish]

Effectively it's a redundancy situation so your mate will have a choice whether or not to take up the new job. If not, he gets made redundant. If so, the empoyer has no obligation to pay any additional travel costs.

[williamp]

Yes: its up to him to relocate with the office. No ifs or buts unless there is somehting in the contract, but I really cannot see it.

Afterall, if the company was already at its new location, the commute would still be the same

[scirocco265]

Amateurish said:

Effectively it's a redundancy situation so your mate will have a choice whether or not to take up the new job. If not, he gets made redundant. If so, the empoyer has no obligation to pay any additional travel costs.

Only a redundancy situation if the Company decide so.

[Stuart]

scirocco265 said:

Amateurish said:

Effectively it's a redundancy situation so your mate will have a choice whether or not to take up the new job. If not, he gets made redundant. If so, the empoyer has no obligation to pay any additional travel costs.

Only a redundancy situation if the Company decide so.

Indeed. If they don't, they'll deem that he has terminated his employment (by not turning up on the day after the move, essentially) and he'll have to take it to tribunal if wishes to pursue.

[stackmonkey]

The company i work has done this.
The 'moving distance' for special provisions is 20miles, but we only moved about 12, so have provided a free bus between the old and new sites for 6months (staged move of lots of people), but that's it.
Lots of people (me included) are having to travel somewhat further with no compensation for extra costs, but it's just tough, alas.

[Amateurish]

Stuart said:

scirocco265 said:

Amateurish said:

Effectively it's a redundancy situation so your mate will have a choice whether or not to take up the new job. If not, he gets made redundant. If so, the empoyer has no obligation to pay any additional travel costs.

Only a redundancy situation if the Company decide so.

Indeed. If they don't, they'll deem that he has terminated his employment (by not turning up on the day after the move, essentially) and he'll have to take it to tribunal if wishes to pursue.

No, if the employer moves more than a short distance then the employee is redundant because the job no longer exists. The emploee may take up the offer of the job at the new site but if they do not, they are made redundant.

This does not apply if the employee has a mobility clause in their contract.

This happened to me last week.