You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
My wife might be made redundant. They could offer her a place in another branch of the shop she works in. But the spectre of “suitable alternative employment” doesn’t say what distance or cost might be “suitable”.
At the moment it costs her nothing and takes her 15mins to walk there. The nearest other branch would probably be £165 a month travel and would probably add on at least 1.5hrs of travel a day (so 2 hrs in total).
The job would probably be the same or very similar job - obviously if it’s a different job that helps her cause but can the travel time and cost be enough to reject the new job and get the redundancy payout?
She already spend 30 mins a day travelling, so you need to subtract that from the new one...
Other than that, I have no idea.
Maths not a strong subject ygh?
Imo travel time should be paid or travel in work time not her time and all costs covered
Otherwise it's a big increase in working week and a big reduction in hourly rate
What does her union say?
One hour each way is the usual civil service cut off point as I understand it. You do get some allowance for extra travel costs for a couple of years, but normally time.
I'd assume the real world will be less generous.
I’d assume the real world will be less generous.
Very much so.
They are basically saying that she should travel 30 mins to another store but cost doesn’t come into it which doesn’t sound right - especially as it’s be £165 a month to get to that store (which is 25% of what she earns) Apparantwly in her contract it says she has to be flexible if she is required to work in another store.
What does her union say?
LOL! This is retail mate.
If this is all theoretical then I would wait until you get whatever notice is expected as the deals of a redundancy can be varied depending on how much it will cost to actually make the employee redundant.
You may find that the redundancy payout is pittance so she takes the other job while looking for something more local.
LOL! This is retail mate.
Contact the ACAS helpline. Higher cost of commute is a valid reason to turn it down but isnt a simple yes/no. Also depend on what is in the original contract about place of work.
If there is no specific mobility clause in the contract I think it comes down to defining "reasonable"
https://www.gov.uk/employer-relocation-your-rights
especially as it’s be £165 a month to get to that store (which is 25% of what she earns)
Can’t see an employer upping the wage 25% to cover her shortfall.
Surely if the store is closing it’s not the same as being let go and the store remaining open where some kind of allowance for relocation would be made available.
(IANAEL)
If it's important to have a job (of course it is) then that's a pretty good offer.
*subject to it being a sincere offer, not just something offered in the hope she'd reject it and walk away.
The alternative is worse, and we're not in a compassionate society any more.
Why is she not in a union?
This is when you need them
Mrd tj who knows a lot about this stuff laughed and said of course it is not suitable
Reject it as not suitable. Accept redundancy or if not offered threaten tribunal. They will fold as it's pretty much open and shut case
No need for a union... 🙄
Basically, nuts and bolts of this is that the employer has to offer an alternative employment if one is suitably available, or it leaves them open to unfair dismissal claims. Your partner may not feel it is suitable but someone else may well - an hour each way commute wouldnt be a problem for some if it was the difference between work or not. Ive done 90 minutes each way in the car every day for long periods of work, not ideal but if needs must. This way they can treat all equally.
If she refuses, then she would do so on grounds of travelling time and cost making the position unsuitable, which would be a well proven reasonable refusal. She gets reduncancy and company have at least offered the opportunity to cover their back/offer her alternative employment. On the facts youve given I couldnt see anybody trying to contest that.