# Field service engineer job, co van. Do hours start when I sit in van or arrive site?



## djsim (26 Mar 2011)

Hey guys, 

I was just offered a new job after nearly 14months out of work, I am very happy about this. I had to take a major paycut from my last poition but at this stage, I dont mind.

My new position is field service engineer, for which I will be getting a company van. I am just reading over my contract and I will work 7.5 hours per day for 5 days.

My question is, if takes two hours to get to the work place (which it will some days) and two hours back home, do I "clock in" as the say when I am in the van or at the work place? If  not, I could be working 12 hours days and gettting paid for 7.5?

What do you guys think?
Thanks.


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## bluemac (26 Mar 2011)

I was traveling1.5 hours to dublin each day for my job and they pay me for when I get to work...  you will need to ask the job but i would guess you are paid for the 7.5hours work ie start a 9 finish at 5 traveling will be your issue but i could well be wrong it would depend on the job role..


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## djsim (26 Mar 2011)

Thanks bluemac, I was thinking of that alright, hope I wont have to do that much travelling every day!!! I will know anyway on Monday


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## huskerdu (26 Mar 2011)

The key issue here is where your normal place of work is and, as a FAE, I assume you will be expected to travel to work at other locations, so you should not be expected to travel long distances to other locations on your own time. 

I dont know the answer, but it is a valid question, and you should check with HR.

I assume that your contract states that you have to travel around, is is more specific about how much travel and where ?


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## twofor1 (26 Mar 2011)

I used to work like this, in my case work time started when I arrived at my base.

If I went from home straight to my first call I would calculate the time it would take to get there from base and count this as work time. 

Example If your job is based in Dublin city centre and your first call is in Waterford, then the two hours travel to get there would count as work time, as would the travel time from your last call back to base.


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## laughter189 (26 Mar 2011)

As a field service engineer , there will be days that you will be expected to be on-site at 9am and days when you will be expected to on-site at 5pm. ( assuming you work 9-5.30 - 7.5 hrs ) 

Your employer should be reasonably flexible and recognise this .

I would suggest that it may be best not to highlight this on Monday , and rather ' let the hare sit ' unless of course your employer brings up the subject first .


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## djsim (27 Mar 2011)

Thanks for all your help. As Monday, is my first day, i wont be asking any silly questions As I have no base, as such, I am covering a certain section of the country and I am fully aware that I have to travel, but I would hate to think that I might have 2 hours travel get to the job site and then finishing at half 5 and then 2 more hours home.

I cannot be to picky anyway, as I am looking forward to starting employment again, fingers crossed


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## Purple (28 Mar 2011)

Best of luck in the new job.

I'd just play it by ear.


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## flossie (4 May 2011)

Hi djsim,

I am a field engineer, my 'normal place of work' is home, as stated in my contract. My company expect us to deduct a 'normal' commuting time from our working day, they say an hour each way to a client. However, we disagree with this and (with our bosses knowledge) we just bill our exact journey time as 'travel' in addition to our risk hours on site.


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