[dawnwallis]

Hi,

I have been running about three years now but only recently taken on more employees....wish i hadn't!!!

Took on a girl and explained that whilst she was a cleaner she only got paid for the jobs that she did and not travel time inbetween...anyways she has been working one week and kicked up about it saying that we should be paying her travel time...we pay more than minimum wage to reflect this and she doesnt drive we do the driving so she just has to sit there and drink her coffee....she says she has contacted ACAS and i am not sure how i stand...i pay all my supervisors time for travel and mileage allowance..but general cleaners just get paid for time at jobs...tho i will pay more if they are held up...i'm confused!! what do you guys do?

[cml]

You may want to check with ACAS because there is an argument to support that the employee is still in the course of employment whilst travelling between properties. 

[seanlade]

I read somewhere about a zero rate contract. Paying only for hours worked. From my understanding, the argument is, and bare with me, i might start woffeling:
From the start of the first job (lets say 6am) to the end of the last job (12pm) is 6 hours. So you need to make sure that they are getting at least the minimum wage between that. If your paying £10 an hour for 4 hours work, and the rest of the time is travelling, then you dont have to pay them for the time they are traveling because the rate of pay is still above the national minimum wage for the 6 hours.
Now Im not a professional, but i think ive interpreted what i read quite well.

[keith b]

First of all dawn,....why would you want to treat supervisors and cleaners differently? (Im not talking about hourly rates of pay, but conditions).

A cleaner could argue that point at a employment tribuneral on discrimination or equal opportunity grounds!

A cleaner in the course of his or her business (i.e travelling between sites) is  considered to be in working company time if either travelling in company vehicles or by other means, he or she is entitled to be reimbursed by expenses accordingly.

The rate of pay above the minmum wage has no bearing on the issue, but the contract of employment does! (i.e;- the rate of pay and conditions of employment to cover time travelled between sites should be clearly stated).

Also, my advice is to check your vehicle and liability insurances to see if you are covered in case your employee has an accident.