The Essex branch of the Retained Firefighters' Union has negotiated a successful outcome in its challenge over payment for travel time compensation.
The Union had asked Service managers to agree to compensate for excess travel time in the form of payment at the employee’s normal hourly rate or time off in lieu.
For the purposes of the Working Time Regulations 1998, time spent travelling to and from a training event which is over and above the individual’s normal liability to travel to and from work, counts as working time.
The Service has agreed that since retained contracts of employment do not deal with the matter of the form of compensation for such time, the Service should compensate retained crews.
“We have listened and agreed to the RFU representations in light of the Service’s commitment to providing accessible training and development opportunities for our retained firefighters and ensuring they are not put at a disadvantage to wholetime staff.” said EFRS HR and OD Director Lindsey Stafford Scott.
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