Question about travelling between sites.

Mnmfan

I work for a company in Athlone and yesterday they told me and a few lads to go to Cavan to cover some lads up there for the whole week. It's a 1 and a half hour drive and while they are offering travel expenses (the bare minimum) they are also insisting that we use our own vehicle. If we refuse we'll get a warning. Is this right?
Can a company force you to use your own car to travel between sites?

3 hours up and back and 5 days a week. 15 hours driving throughout the week. My car is not great and I'm worried it won't survive the trips.

Stheno

Is it in your contract that you may be asked to work in different locations from time to time as the company requires?

intheclouds

If there are a few of ye can you carpool?

Mnmfan

See that's where it gets complicated. I used to work for a different company and the current company took over from them yet they didn't issue new contracts. To answer your question though, no. On the original contract there is no mention of travelling between sites. Especially no mention of using our own vehicle.

Stheno

Mnmfan wrote: »

See that's where it gets complicated. I used to work for a different company and the current company took over from them yet they didn't issue new contracts. To answer your question though, no. On the original contract there is no mention of travelling between sites. Especially no mention of using our own vehicle.

Using your own vehicle is a bit of a non issue tbh, if the company require you to travel between sites then imo how you get there is up to you. They are paying mileage to compensate you for the costs you incur using your car to get there.

You could point to your contract and say there is nothing in there about working on a different site from your usual place of work. Or ask if thy will cover the cost of a rental?

I'd check your contract carefully though first.

eeguy

Generally, if travel is in your contract, you paid so much per km.

There's public sector guidelines on citizensinformation.ie that lay them out and I've known private companies to use these guidelines.

In my own experience you're encouraged to carpool.

Myself and a colleague had to travel to Galway. We were told to carpool as only one person could claim milage and I was paid so much per km as I drove.

Mnmfan

What I mostly want to know is if I have to do it. Could I legally refuse to go to Cavan with no repercussions? I agree that using my own car is a nuisance but a bit of a non issue but my main concern is if I have to do it. I get paid the exact same whether I go to Cavan or not. The way I see it, why put wear and tear on my own car if I don't need to?
Can they force me to go to Cavan?

Stheno

Mnmfan wrote: »

What I mostly want to know is if I have to do it. Could I legally refuse to go to Cavan with no repercussions? I agree that using my own car is a nuisance but a bit of a non issue but my main concern is if I have to do it. I get paid the exact same whether I go to Cavan or not. The way I see it, why put wear and tear on my own car if I don't need to?
Can they force me to go to Cavan?

Youd have to ask a solicitor tbh, we can't give legal advice here.

I would point out to you that your mileage payment is extra "pay" for want of a better term

Gumbo

59c per km for cars over 1.5 liter and its capped to 6k give or take per year. Then it drops to like 28c after that.

eeguy

Mnmfan wrote: »

What I mostly want to know is if I have to do it. Could I legally refuse to go to Cavan with no repercussions? I agree that using my own car is a nuisance but a bit of a non issue but my main concern is if I have to do it. I get paid the exact same whether I go to Cavan or not. The way I see it, why put wear and tear on my own car if I don't need to?
Can they force me to go to Cavan?

Check your contract.

Milage rates take into account wear and tear.

From Dublin to Galway I got about €200 for a return trip. It cost me €60 in petrol.
http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it51.html

Mrs OBumble

Stheno wrote: »

Using your own vehicle is a bit of a non issue tbh, if the company require you to travel between sites then imo how you get there is up to you. They are paying mileage to compensate you for the costs you incur using your car to get there.

I'm not so sure about that - particularly if the travel is during the working day.

If there's nothing the contract about it, then the company cannot assume that the OP has any way of making the journey - or indeed that they can even drive.

Also, it's questionable whether your regular insurance will cover you for trips between your regular workplace and a different workplace: usually people have to buy extra cover to use their own vehicles for work.

OP - how to play this depends on a lot of factors: career prospects with the company, how hard it is to get a job elsewhere, what brownie points you might clock up with the boss for going vs the amount of discord if you don't.

If you're genuinely worried that your car won't survive, you should be saying this up front to them, IMHO.

CarrickMcJoe

Will you be starting off at the same time as usual or do you have to leave earlier in the morning?

Water John

Unless you have specific family issues that you take care of before or after work, I cannot see your problem. Its hardly a serious inconvenience.
I always believe in a bit of give and take on both sides.

Are jobs that easy to come by in Athlone?