Comapny Car question

[Saffronflowers]

OH's stupid micro managing boss - decided to have a "word" with OH yesterday regarding his company car.

 

On his birthday (he had a half day) and my car was in for its MOT - I dropped him off at work and went home (2miles down the road). As is the tradition he had bought cream cakes for the office, he had underestimated the numbers and asked to borrow his colleques to go down the road to get some more.

 

His boss has stated that this could be viewed as Gross Misconduct as his car should be in the car park at all times. In my humble opinion this is yet another one of his bullying tactics - as on that day there would have been no chance for him to go on a site visit as he was finishing at lunch time, if his car goes in for a service he takes my car etc. This is the first time that I have had the car and it was because it was the school holidays and I needed to get around. Also it could be viewed that it was not justifiable for him to have a company car due to his business mileage, everyone in his department lives about 75 miles away from the office - and their return trip is recorded as business mileage and as we live 2 miles away it is hardly worth doing. The car is also part of his pay structure and is in fact remuneration.

 

To be honest he is such a berk this just winds me up.

[mnrbig]

If it is part of his pay package, they would need to compensate him if they decide he doesn't need a car. Can he not opt-out?

[Lula]

If his company mileage is quite low, it is more tax efficient to take the allowance.

 

Oh and mileage to and from the office is not business milage.

[Saffronflowers]

Thanks for your reply He does need the car - he did 1600 miles last week in two days!! - I just think it is another case of his boss bullying him - OH has worked for the same company for 17 years (he is 33 - does not like change!!!)

 

It seems that his boss is resentful that he lives 2 miles down the road and thefore can do 9-5.30 with no stress before or after!!!

 

I also cant see why it would be an HR issue or that it could even be taken as a serious matter that his colleques car was not their for more than 15 mins. At the end of the day - it would have taken me all of 3 mins to get the car to his work if there had been a dire emergency - which he wold not be able to attend to simply as he was leaving at lunch.

 

SFx

[JonCris]

Most company cars are covered for insurance purposes so that an employees spouse can drive it

 

As for gross misconduct - I don't think so - his boss would have a hard time convincing an ET of that

 

Clearly the boss is someone to be avoided as much as possible cos they are an ijeet

[Saffronflowers]

Lula - they do not offer company mileage as they al drive the same make of car for company image.

 

SFx

[Saffronflowers]

JC - how did you know he was irish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yup it is another case of bullying - I am covered on the insurance -

 

SFx

[Lula]

oh right, the rules at my OH company (and like your OH has been with the same co for donkeys) is that he has to have a car available for company business, now, if you are 5 mins down the road, that covers it, don't fret it, but I would get your hubby to make a note of the time and date and also the whys and wherefores of all these little digs, you might need them one day by the sounds of it.

[Movingon]

"Car should be in the car park at all times"

 

This is likely to be a matter for Company Policy and if it is, it will be written into the Company Car Policy document which your OH agreed to when taking on the car-bearing appointment. Like JC says, this would absolutely not fly as "Gross Misconduct" - that covers things like downloading porn onto your company laptop, and using company resources to harass someone outside the firm... things of that nature. Not having your company car at work, even if it contravenes a local policy, is unlikely to be anything more than a minor misdemeanour.

 

I would seriously consider gathering evidence of this "bullying" behaviour on a case-by-case basis and submitting that to HR as a formal complaint when he has three or four documented occurrences. Bullying in the workplace is REALLY frowned upon these days and HR won't pull any punches in most firms. Is he also a member of a union? Make sure if so that his union rep is aware of the situation. Another way to mitigate this is to always have a colleague present whenever he is pulled into the office by the boss; any discussions around his performance and/or behaviour at work should be a formal appointment in his calendar and he has an absolute right to have someone present with him. Any refusal to conform to this requirement should also be documented and should be submitted as part of the package of evidence to HR.

 

The evidence should include what was said (including any insults, profanities etc), in what manner it was said (sneering, angry, shouting, calm, businesslike, professional) and the date and time.

[Saffronflowers]

SL

 

Thank you for your reply - Luckily he has reported a lot of the issues to his bosses boss (the deputy MD!) so it is known about his behaviour. His colleque also has issues as do many others within the company - so it is not that he is isolated in his opinion.

 

I am going to compile an email in response to this. At the end of the day, OH's company know him for all his pluses and faults, whereas his boss has only been there for 14 months - I am very well aware that no one is indispensable but HR would be on a very sticky wicket if he wanted to persue this further as he has threatened in his email.

 

Personally I do not understand this chaps methodogy, never in my working life have I ever treated anyone in the way this bloke does - even as a producer for the BBC live events department which can be very stressful!!!

 

Thanks for your support

 

SFx

[JonCris]

JC - how did you know he was irish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yup it is another case of bullying - I am covered on the insurance -

 

SFx

 

Cos of me telepathic powers init:lol:

[Saffronflowers]

lol - thank you for making me smile when I am so annoyed and frustrated!!!

 

SFx

[Saffronflowers]

Oh well have finally meant the snotty leprechaun - what an obnoxious bloke he is.

 

Well the crux of the story is - went to a social function on Friday and during the course of the evening one of my OH's colleques had a bit of a disagrement with his wife. The boss (not the colleque's boss) started to give him marriage councelling of sorts. The colleque said under his breath that he was about to "get him by his scrawny neck and knock the hell out of him" I decided to sit between them to difuse the situation and allow the boss to take his aggresion out on me - which he did, being a tough bird, I did point out to the boss that he this attitude had won him no friends and had made our life very hard over the last 14 months. I then walked away.

 

Subsequently after the party, we went to the bar and I bumped into an old friend David James (england/porstmouth goalie) and we decided to sit and chat to him.

 

Now boss is wishing to talk to HR and to Deputy MD, and OH is worried that it is about Friday night.

 

OH did not get drunk or involved at all - is this yet another case of bullying?

 

SFx

[patdavies]

if his car goes in for a service he takes my car etc.

 

I suggest that the next time his car is booked into the garage, he tells his boss that he needs a hire car for that day.

 

Is your car insured for his business use? Normally, even if business use is on the policy, it only covers the policyholder and not named/other drivers.