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The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
Valentines Day Dancing GIF
 
Songbird76

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
So...I work for a store that sells maternity clothing and baby clothing, furniture, etc. It's a nation-wide store. Next weekend is the 9-month fair, where vendors from all over go and sell everything needed for pregnancy and babies. About a month or so ago, our boss asked us who she could send to work at the fair. It's held in Amsterdam. She said it's fun and interesting, and your travel expenses would be covered, and she thought probably lunch too. I didn't particularly want to go, but she said every city store is supposed to send 2 people, and everyone quickly said "Not it!" because of child care or vacation. I'm the only one who doesn't have children who need a babysitter. So I'm the one who is scheduled to go.

Today, we got an email with information about the fair, and it says if you go with public transportation, travel expenses are not covered. I looked it up, and round trip, it would cost me 60 euros to get there and back. I only make just under 15 euros per hour. And only lunch is paid for. It takes 2 hours to get there, and 2 hours back, so I have a 4 hour commute that costs me 60 euros, and I am working 8 hours. And I will have to eat something for dinner on my way home. Even fast food will cost me another 15 euros. And they take 1/3 of your wage for taxes, so I only take home 10 bucks an hour....for 8 hours, that's 80 euros. And I'd have to pay 75 euros for travel and dinner....so basically I'd make absolutely nothing, and spend more than 12 hours to make that nothing. Am I crazy to tell my boss I can't afford to work there? I'd have to leave the house at something like 6am, which means I'd have to get up at like 4:30 in the morning, travel for a couple of hours that I don't get paid for, pay 30 bucks to get there, then work for 8 hours, and then I'd either have to eat dinner there, or wait until I get home at like 9pm to eat something at home, which I can't realistically do because my blood sugar would be way too low by the time I got home...I'd be risking passing out on the bike ride home. I don't see how they can possibly ask people to do this! I mean, I guess people who already live in Amsterdam wouldn't have to pay much for transportation, and it sounds like if you drive, they would pay you mileage and reimburse you for parking, but it's on a Friday and my husband needs the car to go to his work, so I have to take public transportation. This is ridiculous, though, right?
 
Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
Songbird76 said:
So...I work for a store that sells maternity clothing and baby clothing, furniture, etc. It's a nation-wide store. Next weekend is the 9-month fair, where vendors from all over go and sell everything needed for pregnancy and babies. About a month or so ago, our boss asked us who she could send to work at the fair. It's held in Amsterdam. She said it's fun and interesting, and your travel expenses would be covered, and she thought probably lunch too. I didn't particularly want to go, but she said every city store is supposed to send 2 people, and everyone quickly said "Not it!" because of child care or vacation. I'm the only one who doesn't have children who need a babysitter. So I'm the one who is scheduled to go.

Today, we got an email with information about the fair, and it says if you go with public transportation, travel expenses are not covered. I looked it up, and round trip, it would cost me 60 euros to get there and back. I only make just under 15 euros per hour. And only lunch is paid for. It takes 2 hours to get there, and 2 hours back, so I have a 4 hour commute that costs me 60 euros, and I am working 8 hours. And I will have to eat something for dinner on my way home. Even fast food will cost me another 15 euros. And they take 1/3 of your wage for taxes, so I only take home 10 bucks an hour....for 8 hours, that's 80 euros. And I'd have to pay 75 euros for travel and dinner....so basically I'd make absolutely nothing, and spend more than 12 hours to make that nothing. Am I crazy to tell my boss I can't afford to work there? I'd have to leave the house at something like 6am, which means I'd have to get up at like 4:30 in the morning, travel for a couple of hours that I don't get paid for, pay 30 bucks to get there, then work for 8 hours, and then I'd either have to eat dinner there, or wait until I get home at like 9pm to eat something at home, which I can't realistically do because my blood sugar would be way too low by the time I got home...I'd be risking passing out on the bike ride home. I don't see how they can possibly ask people to do this! I mean, I guess people who already live in Amsterdam wouldn't have to pay much for transportation, and it sounds like if you drive, they would pay you mileage and reimburse you for parking, but it's on a Friday and my husband needs the car to go to his work, so I have to take public transportation. This is ridiculous, though, right?
Click to expand...
Sounds highly illegal! I'd check your contract to see if they can make you work for no pay. Traveling outside of a normal commute is usually considered work time depending on where you are. Also making you pay for transportation to someplace so far is also usually problematic, again depending on local laws
YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!!!!!!!!!
Tell them you cannot go because not only can you not afford it, going without pay will endanger your health. Empasis on the health part
All that said too bad your dh can't get the day off so you can both spend the weekend there. imho that would be worth some out of pocket money. Nice hotel, no kids, sight seeing:joyfull: or better yet tell M to long walk off short pier and take E for a girl's weekend in the car
 
Last edited:
93boomer

93boomer

Premium Member
Songbird76 said:
So...I work for a store that sells maternity clothing and baby clothing, furniture, etc. It's a nation-wide store. Next weekend is the 9-month fair, where vendors from all over go and sell everything needed for pregnancy and babies. About a month or so ago, our boss asked us who she could send to work at the fair. It's held in Amsterdam. She said it's fun and interesting, and your travel expenses would be covered, and she thought probably lunch too. I didn't particularly want to go, but she said every city store is supposed to send 2 people, and everyone quickly said "Not it!" because of child care or vacation. I'm the only one who doesn't have children who need a babysitter. So I'm the one who is scheduled to go.

Today, we got an email with information about the fair, and it says if you go with public transportation, travel expenses are not covered. I looked it up, and round trip, it would cost me 60 euros to get there and back. I only make just under 15 euros per hour. And only lunch is paid for. It takes 2 hours to get there, and 2 hours back, so I have a 4 hour commute that costs me 60 euros, and I am working 8 hours. And I will have to eat something for dinner on my way home. Even fast food will cost me another 15 euros. And they take 1/3 of your wage for taxes, so I only take home 10 bucks an hour....for 8 hours, that's 80 euros. And I'd have to pay 75 euros for travel and dinner....so basically I'd make absolutely nothing, and spend more than 12 hours to make that nothing. Am I crazy to tell my boss I can't afford to work there? I'd have to leave the house at something like 6am, which means I'd have to get up at like 4:30 in the morning, travel for a couple of hours that I don't get paid for, pay 30 bucks to get there, then work for 8 hours, and then I'd either have to eat dinner there, or wait until I get home at like 9pm to eat something at home, which I can't realistically do because my blood sugar would be way too low by the time I got home...I'd be risking passing out on the bike ride home. I don't see how they can possibly ask people to do this! I mean, I guess people who already live in Amsterdam wouldn't have to pay much for transportation, and it sounds like if you drive, they would pay you mileage and reimburse you for parking, but it's on a Friday and my husband needs the car to go to his work, so I have to take public transportation. This is ridiculous, though, right?
Click to expand...
I agree with the two other responses!
 
Songbird76

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Figgy1 said:
Sounds highly illegal! I'd check your contract to see if they can make you work for no pay. Traveling outside of a normal commute is usually considered work time depending on where you are. Also making you pay for transportation to someplace so far is also usually problematic, again depending on local laws
YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!!!!!!!!!
Tell them you cannot go because not only can you not afford it, going without pay will endanger your health. Empasis on the health part
All that said too bad your dh can't get the day off so you can both spend the weekend there. imho that would be worth some out of pocket money. Nice hotel, no kids, sight seeing:joyfull: or better yet tell M to long walk off short pier and take E for a girl's weekend in the car
Click to expand...
Ha, can't do that last bit. E works every Saturday, and if we took the car, one of us would have to drive, which we both hate. And neither of us is willing to even try to drive in Amsterdam. No way.

A weekend away sounds great, but M has taken so much time off already with the funeral and cleaning his mom's room out, and then with his dad's latest bout with the pneumonia that came back, etc. I had already thought of asking if he wanted to do that....a late valentines day weekend, but decided not to make him worry about it.

I sent a screenshot to my boss with the line about them not compensating for travel costs, and I told her I had looked up what it would cost to get there by public transportation, and that if they don't compensate, I would unfortunately have to cancel that work day. We'll see what she says. Normally, you get paid for travel...M said he read my text and laughed out loud and all his coworkers wondered what was so funny and they were all appalled. Like...do you expect a businessman who travels to China to pay for his flight and hotel and meals? Of course not! If you require someone to travel for their job, you have to reimburse them. I'm not a slave....you can't make me work for nothing, and making me pay for the travel would mean I wouldn't earn anything. And especially where I was told at the beginning that I would get reimbursed for travel, you can't change that and still expect me to work. (my boss has nothing to do with it...it's all arranged with the head office)

The thing is, we were just told this week that it's not going well with the company and they are laying off a bunch of people from the head office. They can't get rid of store workers because there's already a shortage and if they cut down any more, they wouldn't be able to keep all the stores open. So instead, they are laying off head office people, and asking us to do what we can to increase sales, reduce costs like heating. So I imagine they made this decision this week as a means to reduce costs, but I'm sorry...if you can't afford to pay your workers, then you can't ask them to work. If it is going to cost too much to have a booth at the fair, then you can't have a booth at the fair. Employees have bills too...we have to pay for our homes and feed our families, too. And I'm in a pretty good position...my kids are old enough that I don't have to pay for childcare in order for me to work. Anyone who had to pay for childcare would end up paying more than they made. I'd at least break even. I'm not WILLING to work for nothing, but at least I wouldn't have to PAY for the priviledge of working. I wonder how many people have pulled out, or questioned it. I can't be the only person who noticed that in the mail.
 
StarWarsGirl

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Songbird76 said:
Ha, can't do that last bit. E works every Saturday, and if we took the car, one of us would have to drive, which we both hate. And neither of us is willing to even try to drive in Amsterdam. No way.

A weekend away sounds great, but M has taken so much time off already with the funeral and cleaning his mom's room out, and then with his dad's latest bout with the pneumonia that came back, etc. I had already thought of asking if he wanted to do that....a late valentines day weekend, but decided not to make him worry about it.

I sent a screenshot to my boss with the line about them not compensating for travel costs, and I told her I had looked up what it would cost to get there by public transportation, and that if they don't compensate, I would unfortunately have to cancel that work day. We'll see what she says. Normally, you get paid for travel...M said he read my text and laughed out loud and all his coworkers wondered what was so funny and they were all appalled. Like...do you expect a businessman who travels to China to pay for his flight and hotel and meals? Of course not! If you require someone to travel for their job, you have to reimburse them. I'm not a slave....you can't make me work for nothing, and making me pay for the travel would mean I wouldn't earn anything. And especially where I was told at the beginning that I would get reimbursed for travel, you can't change that and still expect me to work. (my boss has nothing to do with it...it's all arranged with the head office)

The thing is, we were just told this week that it's not going well with the company and they are laying off a bunch of people from the head office. They can't get rid of store workers because there's already a shortage and if they cut down any more, they wouldn't be able to keep all the stores open. So instead, they are laying off head office people, and asking us to do what we can to increase sales, reduce costs like heating. So I imagine they made this decision this week as a means to reduce costs, but I'm sorry...if you can't afford to pay your workers, then you can't ask them to work. If it is going to cost too much to have a booth at the fair, then you can't have a booth at the fair. Employees have bills too...we have to pay for our homes and feed our families, too. And I'm in a pretty good position...my kids are old enough that I don't have to pay for childcare in order for me to work. Anyone who had to pay for childcare would end up paying more than they made. I'd at least break even. I'm not WILLING to work for nothing, but at least I wouldn't have to PAY for the priviledge of working. I wonder how many people have pulled out, or questioned it. I can't be the only person who noticed that in the mail.
Click to expand...
Travel reimbursement has been one of my accounts that I've managed in the past and I also think it's absurd. It's public transportation, not a limo. Especially in an area where a lot of people rely on public transportation and wouldn't have cars or may be like you and only have one per family.

60 EUS is about $71. Definitely reasonable. That's an Uber trip to and from an airport basically.
 

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