Commuter/Telecommuter "Inequity"

sambu

We are a non-profit, non-governmental employer. We have an exempt employee who has submitted a "proposal" to negotiate with us regarding her 50-minute commute to work. She is proposing that employees who don't commute as far end up with a higher net pay than she does due to the mileage,time and maintenance expense of her vehicle. After many pages of graphics depicting several calculations, she has asked that the "inequity" be resolved by providing a commuting allowance, varied by how far the employee must travel. She is proposing that she change from a 30 hour week to a 37 1/2 hour week working one day at home (but taking on no additional work), and if inclement weather sets in while she's traveling to work, she is not "docked" leave time (which is against our policy) due to "hazardous duty." She is also asking that when DSL and/or cable is available in her area, that she be allowed to work from home (though our director has stated there is no need for a staff member in that area of the state). This BOGGLES my mind, and I was wondering what some of your experience/responses were to this PROPOSAL!!! Thanks so much ... HR never ceases to amaze me!

Gillian

People choose where they want to work and where they want to live and some commutes are longer than others and that's the way it is. Pay scales for the length of commute would add a whole new dimension to compensation administration. Did you manage to stay serious through this conversation?

Rockie

I would not get into this mess with this employee. She obviously wants a tailor made job where she can come and go as she pleases (this is called self-employed!) As Gillian stated, people choose where they want to work. If she is dissatisfied, she may want to look for a job closer to home.

I have had many employees either leave or transfer to another one of our locations because it is "closer to home" or less of a commuting hassle.

Come on, we can't solve all of life's problems!

Next thing you know, we'll be doing their grocery shopping and dropping off dry cleaning!

AnneLa

Rockie,

Belive it or not, we do have a local dry cleaner who comes into our Main office twice per week to "pick-up and drop off" for our employees convenience. I'm trying to figure out how to have milk & bread available so employees don'aahve to make an extra stop on the way home. Does this make them happy? Not in this lifetime.............

Don D

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-16-02 AT 04:48PM (CST)[/font][p]I like the suggestion. You should form a committee. And we must also realize that people who commute through bad areas of the hood need to be fairly compensated for that stress. Imagine how uptight they must be when they have to negotiate that route. At a minimum they need an extended break prior to being expected to produce in the mornings. And, our employees who travel interstate, as opposed to two lane, are inundated by eighteen wheelers whizzing alongside them. This is terribly stressful and needs to be studied and surely compensated. And think of the loss of companionship and alienation of affection the commuter suffers who must leave earlier than her husband wakes up. We need to let these people off at mid-day on Friday so they can bond with their mates since our job invites deprivation. It's us employers who cause all the divorces after all. Where's your humanity?

FOR THE BENEFIT OF RITAANZ, CERTAINLY THIS IS NOT SERIOUS.

ritaanz

You are joking right?

bsa

You gotta give her some credit for imagination (and DonD too!), some people will do anything for a buck. I totally agree with the previous posts, she is describing self-employment (self first, employment last). I would accomodate her right out the front door on a bright sunshiny day!