Work location change?

[1pudding1]

Hey all, hopefully someone might have a bit of expertise in this area?

My partner is going back to work next week. She's had a year off for maternity. She works part time as an Ecologist 2 days/week. Before maternity she was working from home, and her job usually involved 1 day/week out on a site carrying out surveys, and 1day/week at home report writing, with a trip to the office every month or 2, which is 55miles away.

She had a little meeting today before starting back next week, and her boss had said she wants my partner to come into the office at least once a week, and would not get paid any extra for mileage/extra travel time/car parking etc.

This is going to be a massive pain, cause real problems with childcare, cost us nigh on £1000/year. Sooo, does she have grounds to say no? She took the job a couple of years ago partly due to the ability to work from home, which is now being removed it seems? Any advice appreciated.

 

[Greebo]

Its all going to depend on her contract of employment. Home workers are normally expected to travel into work numerous times a month and that can vary. If she is a proper "working from home" employee like my other half than all travel to the office, mileage, car parking, expenses are paid for by work. My other half sometimes has to go into work one day a month, other months it can be a whole week but its all laid out in her contract. Cause work for her is 270 miles away, the work pays for her flights and hotel when she is required to travel to head office.

I am sure that with her employer there is a limit on how many times she has to go into work otherwise she wouldnt be classed as home working. From memory I am pretty sure its 50%. If your partner is been asked to come into work for 50% of her working time and the other 50% is out seeing clients then she would no longer be class as home working and wouldnt be entitled to the travel costs etc but more importantly that would be a fundamental change in her contract of employment.

Start with her contract and go from there.

 

[1pudding1]

Well she found her contract and unfortunately it states her place of work is the office. It seems when she started her boss was happy for her to work from home despite what the contract stated, and just come in once a month for a team meeting. Now her boss has decided differently despite never seeming to have a problem previously with this arrangement, and wants her in the office once a week after her maternity leave. Does the verbal agreement and fact she had been working from home count for anything? I'm guessing probably not?

 

[Greebo]

Well she found her contract and unfortunately it states her place of work is the office. It seems when she started her boss was happy for her to work from home despite what the contract stated, and just come in once a month for a team meeting. Now her boss has decided differently despite never seeming to have a problem previously with this arrangement, and wants her in the office once a week after her maternity leave. Does the verbal agreement and fact she had been working from home count for anything? I'm guessing probably not?

A quick free phone call to ACAS will confirm it either way but I suspect the written contract will win out. Although there might be some hope if she got paid mileage/travelling before when she went into the office one day a month? That may well set a precedent.

 

[dowie]

Does the verbal agreement and fact she had been working from home count for anything? I'm guessing probably not?

Might do, deffo worth while having at least an initial consultation (even if only telephone/e-mail) with a solicitor specialising in employment law. I mean I'd hope it is nothing to do with them trying to make things difficult for her due to some resentment or not needing her after maternity leave.

 

[Greebo]

Might do, deffo worth while having at least an initial consultation (even if only telephone/e-mail) with a solicitor specialising in employment law. I mean I'd hope it is nothing to do with them trying to make things difficult for her due to some resentment or not needing her after maternity leave.

ACAS are really good and free and will do it over the phone. I have used them in the past but either way, seek specialist advice.

I suspect this could be a move post maternity to push her out. I have seen companies do that before. Totally illegal as well, if you can prove it.

 

[D.P.]

ACAS are really good and free and will do it over the phone. I have used them in the past but either way, seek specialist advice.

I suspect this could be a move post maternity to push her out. I have seen companies do that before. Totally illegal as well, if you can prove it.

It might also just arise form concerns that a new mother working form home will not actually be working that much form home and will be trying to babysit rather than work.

 

[dowie]

It might also just arise form concerns that a new mother working form home will not actually be working that much form home and will be trying to babysit rather than work.

I don't see the issue if she is tbh.. it is like someone caring about what time people come in an leave at the office (whether employees who clock watch or employers) - it is the results/work produced that count. If she takes regular breaks to deal with a baby/toddler but works a bit longer to make up for it and get things done and the work she produces is of the same standard then it shouldn't matter.

And if the work isn't up to scratch then that is the issue that needs to be dealt with, not making things difficult for a new mother by changing an existing and long standing work practice/verbal agreement unilaterally.

 

[1pudding1]

Dont think it's either of those, we'd be surpried if it was. It our 2nd child, so working from home before was already with one baby at home. And her boss is a friend from a previous company they both worked at, who left and set up her own company, makes it slightly awkward. Will contact ACAS and see what they say. I'll check if she got mileage costs previously but dont think she did unfortunately.

 

[D.P.]

I don't see the issue if she is tbh.. it is like someone caring about what time people come in an leave at the office (whether employees who clock watch or employers) - it is the results/work produced that count. If she takes regular breaks to deal with a baby/toddler but works a bit longer to make up for it and get things done and the work she produces is of the same standard then it shouldn't matter.

And if the work isn't up to scratch then that is the issue that needs to be dealt with, not making things difficult for a new mother by changing an existing and long standing work practice/verbal agreement unilaterally.

Depends very much on the job though. I work form home and will frequently go out in the middle of the day runnign or shopping etc., but then I'm also frequently working on the weekends. However, I don't need to be contacted immediately, for some jobs you need to be answerable with little notice. There is also a trust issue that you have to earn

 

[dowie]

Depends very much on the job though. I work form home and will frequently go out in the middle of the day runnign or shopping etc., but then I'm also frequently working on the weekends. However, I don't need to be contacted immediately, for some jobs you need to be answerable with little notice. There is also a trust issue that you have to earn

but presumably she's already 'earned' it as she's already had this arrangement before getting pregnant. Also this is what the OP says about her work

her job usually involved 1 day/week out on a site carrying out surveys, and 1day/week at home report writing

she's either going to report the same quality reports as previously produced or she's not - doesn't matter if she's had to work longer and has been interrupted by a kid a bunch of times so long as the results are the same

 

[D.P.]

Dont think it's either of those, we'd be surpried if it was. It our 2nd child, so working from home before was already with one baby at home. And her boss is a friend from a previous company they both worked at, who left and set up her own company, makes it slightly awkward. Will contact ACAS and see what they say. I'll check if she got mileage costs previously but dont think she did unfortunately.

Then its likely simply something along the lines of wanting to make a l=closer-nit working environment where employees can quickly ask each other
for help, better integration, improved team spirit, better communication etc.

 

[1pudding1]

Yeah i think that's probably the reason. Bit rubbish tbh as we'll end up paying for that company benefit with our money/time if she decides to stick with the job.

 

[Ayahuasca]

To be fair 1 day a week is still very good, a few years back I was asked to go from home working to being at the office full time which would have been around 300 mile a week and cost me more than a grand a year.

I managed to haggle to just 1 day a week from the office and it improved my position at the company eventually as people actually know who you are and you can discuss things face to face.

Obviously in your situation it's different with 2 children, but if your wife quits over this then you could be in an even worse position if she can't find a part time work from home position elsewhere.

 

[Dis86]

Pretty sure if they're asking her to work in accordance with her contract there's not much you can do.

 

[1pudding1]

Yeah i agree really. The only hope would be if the previous arrangement and verbal agreement to work from home held any legal strength, but i guess seeing as her written contract states work at the office, then we'll be out of luck. The only thing she can do is explain it''ll be a ballache to come in once a week and cost a fair bit, but that's not really the companies problem I guess.

 

[Ayahuasca]

Does her boss have children herself?

 

[1pudding1]

Yeah, she had her first baby herself last year! So she should completely understand any issues with childcare etc. you wouldve thought.

 

[john_s]

There might be a custom and practice argument that allowing her to work from home for a long period effectively amounted to a variation of the terms of her contract.

 

[Qjumper]

110 miles travelling once a week, I guess there are people who would kill for that, I used to do that every day. It may very well be a way of keeping your partner integrated within the company team, not just an email or a voice on the telephone maybe. I know there will be a cost implication but the added value from meeting her colleagues and building up professional relations should outweigh them.

Q