Anybody give employment advice?

As an HR professional I would be happy to talk through her situation. If she sends me a pm, I'd be happy to advise

If ya don't ask ya don't get. She can but ask. They might say yes or meet her half way with say an hour of the travelling being part of her work day. Worth a try.

I am so sorry for your friend. I am a year younger, also with a family firm planning to relocate nearly an hour away, an employer treating all his worried staff with contempt.

We have the option of statutory redundancy and this might be something your friend can look into. I'd be surprised if they agree to pay for her travelling time - higher paid staff at my place are offered jobs at the new location but with significant pay cuts.

I found the A C A S helpline most unhelpful and it has been suggested that Citizens' Advice are worth talking to. When there is no union representation in a small family firm they can assume they have their workforce over a barrel and it is a frightening and upsetting dynamic.

Good luck to your friend, she's lucky to have your support.

Thanks for your helpful advice which I'm just summarising to send to her. She is in dire straits financially so cannot accept redundancy or part time working. She has had a tough week this week additionally with a close family bereavement so it's not been appropriate for me to pass this on yet but I will. She's not in a Union and is so downtrodden generally I fear she'll just carry on as she is until her health finally cracks. Will try to get her to PM you allatsea-not sure how we'd do that, don't think she's on GN but will ask if she's willing first and get back to you.

Not sure what type of work your friend does, but if it is admin based, is there a possibility of being able to do some working from home a couple of afternoons a week?

Sent summary of suggestions. . . . Reply just received-she feels they will just laugh at her!

You are a good friend to her but she sounds, sadly, like a lost cause. I would hazard a guess that she is as exploited as she is she is because they know she'll just accept it. Bullies recognise this weakness in others and use it to their advantage. I think your role is just going to be picking up the pieces when it all falls apart - it's hard as a friend to witness a friend being 'abused' and not be able to make it better.

You've hit the nail on the head there Maryeliza! I'm convinced some women have "doormat" engraved on their foreheads that only certain others-usually bullies of one sort or another-can read.
I just wouldn't be treated like that no matter what the circumstances. She has been like most of her life so as you say she just accepts it-drives me bonkers! Especially when it all goes wrong and I get the "woe is me"!

Well, surprise, surprise! On returning from the family holiday leaving friend to try to do everything, she was given a pay rise! Now that says to me that they know they're putting on her AND want to keep her too!
I've suggested that, in writing, she says she wants it back dating to when the mat leave started that she's been covering and, in addition, needs some relief from these long travelling hours esp with winter approaching. . . . . But she won't, sigh!

Hello allatsea. Have spoken to friend. She won't approach employer any further. She fears the firm is so shaky it may well go bust in any event so she doesn't want to rock the boat. In any event she doesn't like to stand up for herself so it's not in her nature to push any further. She will just put up, sadly. Thank you so much for your offer of help.

Surely only if travelling is part of the job as in visiting clients. Not just commuting which everyone does?

This commuting was "forced" on her when firm moved. The rest of the (family) firm now live nearby but she now has this tiring commute.

Sorry if Newquay has already answered this question but is it possible for her to work from home 1-2 days a week? In this age of the internet and broadband it may not b necessary for her to be based in an office.