Large numbers of workers could be deserving of privileges to more pay or a reduction in hours after the European court of justice ruled that travel to and from some jobs could be counted as part of a working day. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that workers without a fixed office should be able to charge for the time such journeys last – so this means plumbers, decorators, gas fitters, carers, etc.

All these years they are not allowed to do so.  The court said it was about protecting the “health and safety” of workers as set out in the European Union’s working time directive. The ruling revolves around a legal case in Spain involving Tyco, the security systems company.

This is what the ECJ had to say in full:

“The fact that the workers begin and finish the journeys at their homes stems directly from the decision of their employer to abolish the regional offices and not from the desire of the workers themselves.

Requiring them to bear the burden of their employer’s choice would be contrary to the objective of protecting the safety and health of workers pursued by the directive, which includes the necessity of guaranteeing workers a minimum rest period”.

One of its main goals is to ensure that no employee in the EU is obliged to work more than an average of 48 hours a week.