A friend of mines work is moving offices from Brighouse to Harewood, partly because Harewood is a more prestigous address, mainly because all the directors live out that way. The issue is my friend lives on the wrong side of Huddersfield and wouldn’t be able to commute due to having a little one to ferry to and from childminders before and apres school.

Does the firm have to offer some sort of recompense for either the extra commute time (her mum is retired so feasably could do school duty but would mean mum would never see daughter, it’s bad enough as it is) or offer some sort of redundancy payment?

We got offered milage for a fixed period can’t remember about time though.

Can’t help myself but spotted this: https://www.gov.uk/employer-relocation-your-rights

Mileage for a transition period seems to be the norm. Redundancy isn’t an option.

How about home working – even if only on a 2-3 days per week system?

@tom – not really no. If your friend looks at her employment contract it will almost certainly say her place of work may change. IMO as the commute distance is still feasible the firm is under no obligation to offer anything.

Bear in mind that if your friend was unemployed and wasn’t prepared to commute an hour each way to a place of work then chances are she wouldn’t get benefit.
Check the terms and conditions of employment and have an open and honest discussion with her employers about her concerns and keep a record.As the link above says it was is “Reasonable” so make sure your friend is being realistic and so is the employer.As a parent of a young child she can also ask for part time working although the employer does not have to allow it.
Good luck

The employee also has the right to request flexible working, so could she start later or earlier for example. Note that it’s a right to request, it may not be granted.

Cheers all, think she’s going to try for the WFH option, see what they say.

If that isn’t a goer then it’s job hunting time, as she can’t afford to go part time and the flexible start/finish time wouldnt work as she’d still miss the daughter duty at the other end of the day to the flexi start time.

IIRC, my contract states that my main workplace can be moved by up to ten miles.

More importantly…. wheres the nearest Greggs? Its the little things that matter

Its the little things that matter

They could also throw in a trolley dash at the new nearest Greggs to sweeten the deal.

Bear in mind that if your friend was unemployed and wasn’t prepared to commute an hour each way to a place of work then chances are she wouldn’t get benefit.

Far side of Huddersfield to Harewood, in the rush hour, in an hour, might be optimistic (depending on where exactly, of course).

flexible start/finish time wouldnt work as she’d still miss the daughter duty at the other end of the day to the flexi start time

her mum is retired so feasably could do school duty but would mean mum would never see daughter

So the mum could do the school duty at one end of the day surely, think your friend is being a bit awkward but 50 miles a day extra would piss me off too.

google says an hour in current (4pm on a Monday for the jonny come letelys) traffic. (Farnley Tyas to Harewood)

Looks a horrible route too, could be getting on for 1hr45-2hrs in rush hour