Compensation for long distance business travel after regular working hours

[Mach III]

Hi there

So 2 weeks ago, the company I work for sent a group of us to audit in Mpumalunga. We had to travel the entire Sunday.
Work the whole week. Then travel back on the Saturday.

We then, the following week had to travel to Centurion on a business trip. Firstly we had to work 8 hours in the office, and then travel after work.
Then Yesterday, we worked 8 hours at the client, and flew back last night. Only arriving home at 11pm.

I'm tired, and I think we should have been given the day off, or decent compensation (where the company argues that we don't get over time for travelling to a client) for a lot of our personal time that has been invaded.

Can anyone provide me with what the norms are for business travel and over time are, what the laws say. What I should do.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Magnum]

Good luck OP.My company does the same.they see as the whole South-Africa as their office.Traveling to work anywhere is the same and is in private time.

 

[Freaksta]

Hi there

So 2 weeks ago, the company I work for sent a group of us to audit in Mpumalunga. We had to travel the entire Sunday.
Work the whole week. Then travel back on the Saturday.

We then, the following week had to travel to Centurion on a business trip. Firstly we had to work 8 hours in the office, and then travel after work.
Then Yesterday, we worked 8 hours at the client, and flew back last night. Only arriving home at 11pm.

I'm tired, and I think we should have been given the day off, or decent compensation (where the company argues that we don't get over time for travelling to a client) for a lot of our personal time that has been invaded.

Can anyone provide me with what the norms are for business travel and over time are, what the laws say. What I should do.

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like your company just takes advantage of you. I'm in the same environment although they try maximize client hours we get treated what I would say is fairly. That being said I am sitting at the airport now waiting to fly home. I don't expect to be compensated because we get treated fairly in all most other cases.

 

[mintydroid]

Living out allowances atleast?

 

[HavocXphere]

Have you checked what the company policy on this is? Ours spells out exactly what the deal is down to the minute.

 

[MickeyD]

Have you checked what the company policy on this is? Ours spells out exactly what the deal is down to the minute.

Same here - decent travel policy.

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

Hi there

So 2 weeks ago, the company I work for sent a group of us to audit in Mpumalunga. We had to travel the entire Sunday.
Work the whole week. Then travel back on the Saturday.

We then, the following week had to travel to Centurion on a business trip. Firstly we had to work 8 hours in the office, and then travel after work.
Then Yesterday, we worked 8 hours at the client, and flew back last night. Only arriving home at 11pm.

I'm tired, and I think we should have been given the day off, or decent compensation (where the company argues that we don't get over time for travelling to a client) for a lot of our personal time that has been invaded.

Can anyone provide me with what the norms are for business travel and over time are, what the laws say. What I should do.

Thanks in advance!

Ch 2 of the Basic Conditions of Employment deals with this. If you are not a Director or Chief officer, or a sales rep working on flexi time - you could ask for time and half for this, or - as you are tired, make a case for health and safety (could be unsafe to work after such long hours) and request time off.

Remember also that the act says (I think its Section 9 - forgive me if I am wrong)
1.you need at least 30 minutes break after 5 hours work,
2. you can work upto 45 hours (normal hours) per week at normal pay
3. You cant be expected to work more than 10 hours in a week (over the 45 normal hours) and these should be paid at 1,5 times your rate.

Often times - companies give time in lieu, its cheaper for them and more beneficial to the employee as in your case....

Good Luck

 

[HavocXphere]

...

Good info...those rules are aimed at low skill jobs. We're talking audit staff here though...

A sizable portion of the audit staff is legally exempt from the Basic Conditions of Employment Act as they apply to overtime.

So you can actually (legally) work crazy hours...

OP's problem is that he isn't getting compensated for them. No easy solution to that...

 

[borga]

Good info...those rules are aimed at low skill jobs. We're talking audit staff here though...

A sizable portion of the audit staff is legally exempt from the Basic Conditions of Employment Act as they apply to overtime.

So you can actually (legally) work crazy hours...

OP's problem is that he isn't getting compensated for them. No easy solution to that...

Working at one of the big 4 audit firms, only in the middle of my second year did the grade salary increase above the threshold, until that point we booked overtime at time and a half, our policy for travel time is you can claim overtime for any trip longer than 100km beyond the first hour (so you start claiming the second hour and beyond).

 

[HavocXphere]

Working at one of the big 4 audit firms, only in the middle of my second year did the grade salary increase above the threshold, until that point we booked overtime at time and a half, our policy for travel time is you can claim overtime for any trip longer than 100km beyond the first hour (so you start claiming the second hour and beyond).

Hence me saying check company policy as a first response.

Realistically you're not going to work stupid hours anyway in first year. Its the later part of articles where you find yourself suddenly reporting to a million managers on a million projects at the same time.