Contract of Employment - Forced to work abroad

mac80

I work for a large foreign Multi National company and have done so for the past few years.
There is a small group of employees in Ireland who work in tech support/Maintenance based in a Dublin facility but also work on a number of smaller sites throughout the island of Ireland on a emergency/callout basis.

Lately our manager who is based abroad has said that due to the shortage of expiereanced staff in Europe and the Middle east I would be expected to go to these locations for a week or 2 to assist.

He is now insisting that we are european staff members and are only based in Dublin and can be deployed anywhere at his discretion. Previously he stated that foreign work was optional.

My contract doesnt mention anything about working abroad and only states my job title and that I am based in Dublin and that I may be asked to works outside normal working hours in accordance with Irish Overtime regulations.

My question is can I be forced to work in Europe or Middle East given that i have only ever worked in Ireland for this company with the occasional overnight stay in Belfast etc while on work duties

Is there any agency I can contact to look over my contract should this issue be forced, as I do not wish to work abroad due to family commitments.

Stheno

I suspect from what you've posted of your contract, that there is a clause somewhere that says "from time to time you may be asked to undertake additional duties not part of your main role" or some such wording.

This will be what will be used as justification for the change.

When your contract says you are "based" in Dublin, does it say anything about you being a mobile worker?

mac80

The contract does say that "due to the nature of the job you may be required to work addiotnally outside your basic hours" and then goes on to state the overtime procedure etc.

Then it states that all of the above is subject to "reasonable change" to facilitate commercial obligations.

There is no mention of a "mobile worker".

I should state that the area of work is tech support of a medical system.

Mena

I spend 2 to 3 weeks a month abroad (Mon-Fri). It's great for the most part, gotta love expense accounts

Though to be fair it was agreed up front and not something they threw at me just by the by.

Delancey

Have to say the the Middle East is now even more unstable and dangerous than it normally is.
Realistically the OP would probably need to consult a Solicitor with expertise in employment law , of course his/her employers reaction to refusal to go abroad needs to be considered in the context of the current jobs market....

mac80

I'll play it by ear, were having a meeting in a few weeks. Employers are using the economic climate excuse to push through conditions even though they are still making a healthy profit.