Change of premises

[Ross1]

Hi all,

I am an employer of 3 staff. Two sparks and 1 x 2nd year apprentice. Just in case it has a bearing on any responses, i have never set up an employment contract. When i employed the apprentice the company was operating from premises not 1 (which was closer to the apprentice's home, his family was dropping and picking him up there).

After 12 months the premises moved to a different location. This resulted in the company having to go out of its way (costing time and money) to drop the appy off so it would not inconvenience his parents.

6 months on the company is still accomodating the pick up and drop off of the appy out of decency. This needs to change as we are a very small business and cannot sustain the time and money. I feel we have done enough (6 months for the transition).

The employee in question has since acquired a car and driving licence, but this seems to be a taboo subject (on using his car to get to place of employment).

Question is can i make him find his own way to work, as it is costing me time and money?

Thanks guys

 

[GMES]

I always thought every employee had to make their own way to and from work .
How do large companies go on as I can't imagine they send out 100 minibuses to collect all their staff.

 

[Leesparkykent]

If he has his own car I think it's a bit cheeky that he is letting people go out of their way to pick and drop him off. I would tell him that he now has to meet at the office in the morn and will be dropped back off there at the end of the day. If he's serious about his apprenticeship he shouldn't mind.

 

[westward10]

How far was this new location from the existing one.

 

[Ross1]

My thoughts exactly guys, thanks for your input. Its common sense at the end of the day. When I started working i had to either walk or catch a bus to work.
Im paranoid about employees rights at the end of the day.

I done a calculation which results in me driving 10 miles a day out of my way /my time/fuel etc to drop the appy in question the other side of motorway so his parents are not being put out. ( they dont work by the way)
Im giving up my time (of which many of you will sympathise with being self employed, it eats into my time at the office after hours which then affects my time with my wife and 3 year old boy)

I need to streamline my business resulting in saving time and money.

So you reckon that after 14 months of meeting his drop offs and pick ups more than half way, i am not being unfair.

Thanks guys, time for appy to wake up and realise how lucky he is to have an apprenticeship in the first place.

 

[Ross1]

A

How far was this new location from the existing one.

Bout 8 miles

 

[PEG]

Hi,just out of curiosity,was the initial arrangement made with some "association" with the apprentice,in regard to relation,family friend,etc?

This altruistic and noble beginning,can sometimes get stickier,further down the road...

 

[GMES]

Yep it's a big bad world out there so he needs to get used to having to sort himself out.
You are giving him a great start in his career so he should be grateful for that.

 

[Ross1]

Hi,just out of curiosity,was the initial arrangement made with some "association" with the apprentice,in regard to relation,family friend,etc?

This altruistic and noble beginning,can sometimes get stickier,further down the road...

No Peg,
No contracts, no agreements/no disscusions etc

The busines premises i occupied (pick up point) was relocated 6 to 8 miles away from appies home.

 

[PEG]

I really meant,did you have any personal attachment to the lad? not contracts or agreements,but if he come via a relative or pal. Sometimes this can skew normal arrangements.Cheers.

 

[Ross1]

I really meant,did you have any personal attachment to the lad? not contracts or agreements,but if he come via a relative or pal. Sometimes this can skew normal arrangements.Cheers.

No Peg, no personal attachments. Straight from the local college

 

[Ross1]

Thanks guys, im off to sleep now, got an early start.

 

[Hellmooth]

Tell him to make his own way, if he values the opportunity he has been given he will, if not then he will have to leave on his own accord, doesn't put you in a position as you aren't getting rid of him he's refusing to make his own way to work, which we all have had to do.

 

[7029 dave]

IMO, you have been more than fare, before I drove, got buses and underground, he is taking the pee, when I passed my driving test at 17,it was driving my own car, or using the Morris miner 2 on the fleet when I could.

 

[darksideby182]

I had to make my way to work when i was an apprentice (bike,train and then car) until work gave me a van which i was a bit lucky being a 3rd year apprentice at that point. As others have said i think you have been pretty fair.

 

[stevethesparks]

He is always free to go elsewhere where another employer would be willing to pick him up. Yeah right. You have been too soft.

 

[7029 dave]

Kids today, won't even go to bloody school on their own without a lift.!

 

[chudson]

You don't have to cover the cost of travel to and from work really. We work on JIB rules which I believe is only paying some allowance after 10 or 15 miles straight line distance from the office address. Straight line distance being a pretty long way really.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Do you also run him to college and back?

 

[Midwest]

Hi OP. It's probably a bit late now, but her indoors works in HR. So I posed your post to her.

Not unsurprisingly she didn't want me to quote her, but here's a few points;

An employer should have some form of offer and acceptance, which constitutes an employment contract, even if it's verbal.

Apprentices should be treated the same way as any other employee. Which includes a fair dismal process.

It is usually the employees responsibility to get themselves to their place to work, not withstanding any agreement you may have had, when you employed the apprentice. But in any event if this is having a detrimental effect on the business then the employer needs to meet or write to the employee and explain why they can’t continue. Give a reasonable amount time for the apprentice to make alternative arrangements (use his car)– usually equivalent to his notice period. Any dismissal is subject to an appeal process.

To claim unfair dismal, the employee must have 24 mths continuous service (if employed after April 2012) – as long the dismissal wasn’t based on discrimination under Equality Act.

The best advice, is to gone on-line to the Acas Code Of Conduct, which will advise on employment & process matters.