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    arko66's Avatar
    arko66 Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 18, 2009, 01:07 AM
    Are deuctions in worked hours without written agreement legal?
    My company has recently started to deduct up to 10 hours a week from my total time worked as Unpaid Travel Time. I start from home and travel around to different sites in South Wales. My company is based in Leeds. Due to the "Economical Climate" I believe my company to be "Jumpimg -on-the-band-wagon" to reduce costs in any way possible. If my worked hours for one week are 50 and I have travelling times of 10 hours to different locations, I will be deduted this travel time and will only be paid for 40. Which when stretched works out at around 11 weeks unpaid work a year! (or somewhere around that mark) Now, my question is, Is this legal to deduct these hours without an agreement in the form of a contractual amendment?
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #2

    Oct 18, 2009, 12:25 PM

    Do you have any signed agreement at the present which actually stipulates that your travel time is paid? If you do not have a signed agreement, then the company can essentially "deduct" this travel time.

    Here in America most companies do not pay for travel time. Only on rare occasions does this happen.
    arko66's Avatar
    arko66 Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Oct 18, 2009, 09:17 PM

    Thanks for the comment twinkiedooter. Because I work directly from my house, my office is 200+ miles away, we have always been paid from when I get into the van. Some jobs may take 3 hours to get to from my home, others may only take an hour. I am out on the road from 08:00 - 16:30. That is my agreed hours. Now, they are saying that they want us eight hours ON-SITE! So, if it takes me 3 hours to get my first job, then an hour to do the job, then 30 minutes to the next job plus an hour work, then the travel back, that is my day gone. How can they expect us to do 8 hours on site and then 6 hours travelling also?
    JudyKayTee's Avatar
    JudyKayTee Posts: 46,503, Reputation: 4600
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    #4

    Oct 19, 2009, 05:44 AM

    As Twinkie said, NOT paying for the time it takes to commute is the usual practice in the US.
    arko66's Avatar
    arko66 Posts: 5, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Oct 19, 2009, 09:41 AM

    I understand. 1. Im not in the U.s. 2. My company has only recently started implementing this and does not assosciate in any way with my contract. Travelling time for the people who live and work in the leeds office are not affected, so why just the people who work from home? This is unjust and unfair and discriminate in my opinion! We ALL have the same basic contract at our office including the people who work AT the office. The field crews are out about 10 hours a day and the office staff 8! So why do they not get hours deducted?
    JudyKayTee's Avatar
    JudyKayTee Posts: 46,503, Reputation: 4600
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    #6

    Oct 19, 2009, 10:25 AM

    1 - I already know you're not in the US. I was just "saying."

    2 - If this is common practice where you are and you are being discriminated against, pursue it.

    3 - I have no idea why "they" don't get hours deducted and you do.
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #7

    Oct 19, 2009, 10:59 AM

    In America if you are an independent contractor you would be able to deduct the cost of getting to your job on your income tax. The use of your vehicle at so many cents per mile and the cost of gasoline or fuel. But that's here in America. I don't know if you have any sort of tax breaks like that over there in the UK.

    It's hard to make a living when you are just driving around for hours on end just to get to a job site. Maybe you need to look into getting another job as this job is definitely phasing itself out for you if you are not getting compensated for your time like you used to.

    Or as JKT said you need to investigate if others are being discriminated or not.
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