Travel & Work

LegacyUser

Im wondering if there is anybody here that can answer this question for me.

I am employed full time in Ireland but my company now wants me to work in the UK for several months. I do not wish to do so but I feel as if they are going to say that Im not flexible and that I am refusing to work. My contract doesnt specifically state that my job will require travel abroad but it does state that my "work location is <INSERT MY WORK ADDRESS HERE> or another location to be determined by <INSERT MY EMPLOYERS NAME HERE> " Does this mean that I am required by my contract to travel abroad and if not can they force me to travel? Can it get to a situation whereby they are legally entitled to release me from my contract due to failing to travel abroad??

Beruthiel

looks like they got their asses covered there alright, but perhaps you should post this on the Work forum (further down the front page) and WhiteWashMan (or someone else) maybe able to help you out with it.

WhiteWashMan

it depends on the company.
a company that respects its workers will not move you to a different location against your will.
however, if the company is pulling out (like mine did last year) it was either go with or be made redundent.
it doesnt sound like this in your case.
in other words you are being relocated do to business considerations. if you dont want to go for whatever reasons, then any company worth its salt will will respect your desicion, becuase lets face, usually things like that are requests, and you are choosen to go somewhere.
however, if your company is demanding you go abroad and it is in your contract that you are willing to do so then they have acase against you.
if you were hired on the grounds that there may be movement and you then refuse to go, they can fire you. if youre interview job spec says you were hired to do work then no they dont have leg.

they can sack you however for not fulfilling the interests of the company
and make your life difficult.
so it depends on what your company is like
the best bet is to talk to someone above your own boss

but remember:
if travel is in contract, then you have to go, unless its excessive.
otherwise oyu are anot honourbound or obliged to go. and most companies will only send people who are willing to go.
if you get a company who starts getting sticky over an issue like this, you dont want to work for this company.
simple as that


no, they cant sack you for not travelling. end of story.
are you married or have any ties here?

Saruman

Is it so bad? I was sent to Leeds for a month.. i was very happy to go and enjoyed the experience! So unless you have ties i would say go for it!

If you have ties you have a reason not to go and i dont think you can be fired over it

DC

I've been in that position before. Business was slack in Ireland so they wanted me to go to England for 4 months. I said it wasn't an option but they proceded to arrange everything anyway. When I asked the English sales guy what the work entailed I got a nasty reply in capital letters implying to me that he was shouting.

I left and got a better job that required the occasional 2 week trip to the States. I felt that was reasonable.

Any company that insists you go abroad for several months is being irresponsible especially if like me you are in a long-term relationship or married.

Anyway, the company closed down about a year later. I wasn't sorry to see them gone.....

Flemmish Flame

I do agree with whitewash man.
some companies nowadays seem to think of their employers as being chesspieces.
Well and if somebody really doesn't want togo there normally an employer can't make you do it !

Hobbes

Large corporations tend to have rules on how far you can move before they will pay for help in moving.

Flemmish Flame

Ok Hobbes I work for a company who shipped me out and the thing that they will use a grand give by the EU ( £1000-£1500) which in Ireland and the Uk will not get you far if you move to Greece or Spain yes then it will. No most coorperations also in wage will pay the local wage. The only thing that I would recommend is negotiate if possible otherwise leave it

Victor

Just tell them what you expect your expenses to be - own fully furnished apartment / house adjacent to site (to include your family / partner / dog), no utility bills, phone and net access, tax-free moving expenses, flight home every weekend (or as needed), extra holidays, disruption costs and best of all an expense aco**** for dining out!