Work benefit/perks removed

[sodthisforfun]

Typical British management - it's always been crap.

True enough, but does seem to be getting worse. For example, I can remember set tea breaks in the book factory I worked in, twice a day with a tea lady & trolley.. and overtime would be paid, weekends/holiday overtime paid at double time. None of that seems to exist these days with the vast majority of companies, just the expectation that the staff don't want to lose their jobs..

Plus zero hour contracts - immoral but how is it even legal?

 

[Ian H]

Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince etc... tell em you're just being healthy having two sarnies for brekkie!!

I did a job with my bosss and his boss in Middlesbrough so we met at a Brewers Fayre Type place and had a £9 all you can eat breakfast. We were in there an hour and ended up too stuffed to work.

My way is (was) much better!!

 

[sodthisforfun]

I did a job with my bosss and his boss in Middlesbrough so we met at a Brewers Fayre Type place and had a £9 all you can eat breakfast. We were in there an hour and ended up too stuffed to work.

My way is (was) much better!!

Superb x2 !!

 

[Aquaheat]

@Ian H I've been a long time member here but very seldom post anymore but your plight made me post.

Companies nowadays are tightening belts, whilst I understand that you are effectively paying for a breakfast you could of had at home and a dinner you should be eating at home you aren't technically working away.

If I have read it right, you are being paid from door to door regardless of start and finish time (correct me if I'm wrong?) As such the additional cost of a breakfast or evening meal/snack for dinner is already built into your hourly rate. If you had to stay over a night then I would say that you are more than entitled to a meal allowance but as its a "normal" working day then then it isn't payable.

The above assumes that none of this is written in your contract of employment. If it is stated that before a certain start time you are entitled to an allowance for breakfast and if your job takes you past a certain finish time you are entitled to a dinner allowance and they have failed to give you 30 days notice to a change of contract then you are well within your rights to challenge it.

If, however, it was just a gentleman's agreement that you could charge them your reasonable expenses and they have now decided to change that then I don't think you have much to stand on as it was, as you said, a perk.

If you are working away then you are allowed an allowance and can offset it against tax payable. You need to be "working away" though to claim this.

From your previous posts I've read you seem to enjoy your job and you obviously have a good line of communication with your boss/bosses. I'd be inclined to have a friendly chat with them to come to a mutual conclusion and try not to upset the applecart for what is effectively about a fiver a day.

If your in Tamworth again I'll hook you up with the best breakfast in town and I'll get me mother to make you a dinner! I'll even ask her to do you a receipt!

Failing all of the above then just PTLB of your gaffer. Jobs a guddun!

Jon

Edits for poor spelling and grammer

 

[Aquaheat]

Just as an addition to the previous post, I have worked away and I have also done long days which might as well have been working away.

Whilst working away we got an allowance for 2 meals a day and the accommodation. If we had a day that went over 12 hours or so it was unwritten but they paid our food for an evening meal as long as we weren't taking the p*ss. If you look at the tax guidelines, a company can only claim a certain amount and for certain things for a meal allowance. It's been a few years since I've had to do it now but if you look into it you'll probably find out why they are reluctant to pay. I doubt curly wurlys are on the inland revenues database! Plus they're smaller than they used to be so should at least have 25% reduction now.

If you're in Tamworth area Ian, what's your coverage area? From your posts you must have a couple of hundred mile radius? (not sure where your from)

Oh and stop buying expensive stuff for the gaff! They probably see you on here and think their paying you too much

Jon

 

[Aquaheat]

Superb x2 !!

It's absolutely spot on though, when the gaffers are out the expense account can be hammered for no reason. At the end of the day they are paying for the bill.

We had one that would turn up at about half 12 in the afternoon, take us out for lunch, then beers plus an evening meal with more beers. He used to use it as a jolly to get away from his missus and be a "lad" again. It's their money though I suppose so their rules.

What they fail to see in the daytime is they have stopped 2/3 guys working for at least an hour or so if not more, best part of the day is wasted and they expect a slap on the back for being one of the lads.

Reality is, their 9 o'clock breakfast trip means we aren't back in site till 11 at least. Best part of the day is gone and now none of us can be arsed! We wait till they f00k off, happy in the knowledge that they have played nice with the common folk, then we all f00k off too, a nice early finish whilst still getting paid and ready to start a proper day's work and play catchup the next morning.

Jon

 

[Aquaheat]

Plus zero hour contracts - immoral but how is it even legal?

I'm not sure it ever was or still is but... So many people have now either chosen to or have had to succomb to them that they seem to be enshrined into the British working life.

I'm not going to get political about it as its over my head and I don't want petty arguments in here as it's futile but I think that the zero hour contract came about from an abundance of people willing to work for a minimum wage without security just to get a foot in the door and it has just stuck.

I think I first heard if them around mid 2000's I'd love to know where it actually originated from. Even on a Saturday job back in the 90's I was still contracted to 8 hours a day.

As you have said, I find it hard to think it legal but for so many and such big companies/corporations to be doing it then it's got to be hasn't it? If a mass boycott of every company doing it was effected then there would be an immediate change as they wouldn't have a choice but the problem is that no one will as they need that paycheck every week/month and if they don't someone else will. Its a very sad state of affairs.

Anyway, sorry to derail the thread slightly. (I blame bloody Brexit anyway! Thought I'd get it in before some other bugger does! )

Jon

PS I'm a little bit drunk tonight, the sauvignon blanc (sp?) helped me write a few posts so apologies for spamming the thread. At least you have something to read and keep you entertained in the morning. Thank 'insert generic diety here' for spellcheck!

 

[Notch7]

So basically you are claiming about £300 a year.

In return your company have the benefit that you are prepared to leave home at 5.00am or so in order to miss the traffic and get to the job quickly. And you stay late to get the job done. A £5 breakfast seems a small price in that context.

Mmmm seems a no brainer to me, your company are quids in.

 

[durhamplumber]

If we were working far away from home we were entitled to claim £6 for a breakfast if we set off before 6am and £10 evening meal if we were out past 8pm.

That was, for example today, i’m working just below Tamworth 112 miles from home. I would set off at 05:45 to beat the traffic and get a breakfast near the job. If the job was an awkward one I would stay on site to finish it and get something to eat on the way home.

I rarely got the evening meal but regularly (6 times a month) took the breakfast.


That just been stopped so i’ve told my boss i’ll be setting off at 7am at the earliest after having breakfast at home and will set off from site to get home so I can have my evening meal with my family.

He said other engineers don’t claim it and some set off at 5am to which I replied ‘I don’t care about what others do’, which I don’t, that’s nothing to do with me.

I asked him if he could confirm my expected start time and define my working area. He couldn’t and just said they expect me inside between 8 and 10am and to take some toast with me. I’m sure 2 hour old toast will be lovely and fuel me for a day of digging.


So i’m wondering, can they take the perk away? Can they expect me to set off early if they choose to send me long distance?

See your Union,I would guess they can do what they like...Find new job,,,go self employed!!

 

[durhamplumber]

It’s not in my contract but in the employee handbook. There been 4 pages added about time off for Adoption so I think a manager must be planning to adopt.

I’m on the M6 50miles from home now, job was easy and i’m starving!!

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You gonna starve then?..on principle, to save 6 quid?

 

[Notch7]

You need a 'curly wurly clause' written into your employment contract.

 

[Brigadier]

You need a 'curly wurly clause' written into your employment contract.

I think it's called a "rider"

 

[motorbiking]

Do the office based staff get free tea and coffee?

 

[HawkEye244]

It’s not in my contract but in the employee handbook. There been 4 pages added about time off for Adoption so I think a manager must be planning to adopt.

I’m on the M6 50miles from home now, job was easy and i’m starving!!

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Just out of morbid curiosity what is your job mate ?

 

[Brigadier]

Just out of morbid curiosity what is your job mate ?

Along the lines of "vision technician", I can't wait for a flowery alternative to "sh!t digger-upperer"