LNER employment benefits

[TrainToon]

Hi,

I have accepted a job to work for LNER and start in July, which I am absolutely delighted about. I have a few questions about the perks that I feel cheeky asking about directly, as I haven't even started yet.

During the interview, we were told we would be given a free iPhone to work with to help out passengers with any queries that they may have. We were also told we would receive 200 free tickets to give out to friends per year (alongside my own free travel).

But after double-checking the application, it states only 75% off for friends and no mention of the free iPhone. I'm absolutely delighted to take the job regardless of the answer but im curious to know if anyone can advise me either way?

Also, how long do I need to wait to get the free tickets for myself and potentially my friends? Is it after probation or straight away?

Thanks!

 

[Alfpp]

Congratulations, what’s the role your doing?

 

[transportphoto]

If your role requires one, you’ll be issued a company mobile phone (most people would refer to such as their “work phone”).

It’s likely to be locked down in line with company policies and should only be used for work purposes. It is not a “free iPhone”.

Employment perks will likely all be covered in your corporate induction - probably best to wait out to find out exactly what they are

 

[driver9000]

200 free tickets to give away sounds a lot to be honest but incredible if it's true. My company has a friend's and family tickets perk but it's capped at a lot less than 200 and it's not free!

You will receive a "Priv" pass for which you can use to buy 75% discount tickets for leisure travel with other companies and you can also apply for a pass for your partner and dependents. Apart from that you'll be given full details of what you will and won't get in your induction pack.

 

[whoosh]

There may (or may not be!) a certain number of 'friends and family' tickets you can get, but I doubt very much it's as much as 200!

The ones I've had (with other TOCs - I don't get any at my current one) were a flat rate fee, not free.

You may need to lower your expectations!

 

[styles]

Just on the iPhone point, it'll be a company-owned device with company IT policies applied to it.

You really don't want to use your work device for much personal stuff. Reading the news on your break or whatever sure, but don't go logging into your Facebook, personal email, RailUK forums accounts etc. Your use of it may be monitored, and it may even have remote access enabled allowing certain IT staff to see what's on screen.

It's not a 'free iPhone' I'm afraid. If it were, it would be a taxable 'benefit in kind' and you'd have to pay income tax on it.

 

[TJ123]

From a friend who works at LNER

So to answer your question with regards to the tickets, you can get 50% off tickets for friends and family both std and 1st you have an allocation of 200 tickets (singles) per year, so if a friend wanted a return trip say Leeds to London that will be 2 tickets from your allocation. The 75% off would be referring to your priv travel pass which is your discount off other TOCs. As an LNER employee you get free travel with LNER and East Midlands Railway. With your LNER staff pass you can take up to 3 or 4 people with you to travel for free.

Everyone is given a company work phone (iPhone) this can also be used personally for your own personal use. There is obviously a policy on how it should be used but yes it can be used for personal use. So an example is if you wanted to take the phone abroad, you would need to let the IT department know beforehand/get permission basically. Some staff use the phone for both work and personal use and only use the one phone, but there are others who stick with it just being a work phone and have their own separate personal phone.

I hope this helps.

 

[whoosh]

Pretty good then!

 

[MrJeeves]

I appreciate it was from a friend, but...

With your LNER staff pass you can take up to 3 or 4 people with you to travel for free.

well, is it up to 3 or up to 4?!

 

[43066]

Some staff use the phone for both work and personal use and only use the one phone, but there are others who stick with it just being a work phone and have their own separate personal phone.

Hard to imagine many people do this as surely the vast majority of people these days will have a pre-existing phone of their own with a number they wish to retain. Plus if you left the company you’d then also lose your mobile number and contact info etc. (maybe you could transfer the sim across but it seems like a lot of hassle to go to for a restricted phone).

With the software restrictions and various IT policies in place it’s probably going to be best to leave the work phone for work use, and stick to your personal one for other matters.

 

[43066]

I appreciate it was from a friend, but...

well, is it up to 3 or up to 4?!

Indeed. This is the kind of thing you need to be very clear about, because you’ll potentially get into hot water if you get it wrong!

 

[styles]

Hard to imagine many people do this as surely the vast majority of people these days will have a pre-existing phone of their own with a number they wish to retain. Plus if you left the company you’d then also lose your mobile number and contact info etc. (maybe you could transfer the sim across but it seems like a lot of hassle to go to for a restricted phone).

Think you'd be surprised. I used to manage a fleet of mobile devices for a university, also at a time when everybody had their own mobile phone. The number of support tickets I got about random things like their Facebook app was too slow (not a social media page manager), they can't work out how to switch between their personal and work Microsoft email accounts, etc was concerning. Not sure how many people were using their work mobile number for personal use, though when I was analysing some much older support tickets I did find a number of complaints about not being able to receive Orange Wednesday codes

Mate of mine works for TfL on the gateline and they gave him an iPad to help customers with. He brings it on hiking trips, has his personal email logged in, OS Maps subscription, etc. Even takes it in his rucksack up the hills - surprised it hasn't been damaged yet having only been protected by a Tesco carrier bag.

 

[43066]

Think you'd be surprised. I used to manage a fleet of mobile devices for a university, also at a time when everybody had their own mobile phone. The number of support tickets I got about random things like their Facebook app was too slow (not a social media page manager), they can't work out how to switch between their personal and work Microsoft email accounts, etc was concerning. Not sure how many people were using their work mobile number for personal use, though when I was analysing some much older support tickets I did find a number of complaints about not being able to receive Orange Wednesday codes

Mate of mine works for TfL on the gateline and they gave him an iPad to help customers with. He brings it on hiking trips, has his personal email logged in, OS Maps subscription, etc. Even takes it in his rucksack up the hills - surprised it hasn't been damaged yet having only been protected by a Tesco carrier bag.

Each to their own!

I’ve always tended to be the opposite - where I’ve been given a work phone I’ve tended not to bother with it and just used my personal mobile. I know some believe religiously in never giving their personal number to work of course!

 

[Joshua_Harman]

I believe LNER Staff also get a TFL PTAC card (TFL’s priv) so you can travel at a 75% discount on the underground and DLR etc too instead of just NR like your normal PRIV Pass.

 

[airantraigh]

I believe LNER Staff also get a TFL PTAC card (TFL’s priv) so you can travel at a 75% discount on the underground and DLR etc too instead of just NR like your normal PRIV Pass.

Yeah, only London staff get that I believe

 

[The North Briton]

I appreciate it was from a friend, but...

well, is it up to 3 or up to 4?!

I believe, depending on grade, the staff member MAY get unlimited Standard Class travel (and a finite number of First Class ‘boxes’). However, whatever the grade, a companion (or companions), however many, will each use up a box on your staff pass. The exact terms applicable to the OP need to be checked carefully on appointment, as the ‘punishment’ for transgression is likely to include withdrawal of all non-contractual travel benefits.

 

[transportphoto]

I’d suggest that one of the quickest ways to lose a job is to use a work phone for personal stuff. It would be ever so easy to be seen to bring the company into disrepute if you were to send something from a work phone that the company took offence to - it doesn’t have to be work related, but if it is from the work device there is a link…

 

[lb001]

as others have said using a work phone for personal stuff is never a good path, and i know lner do tell people this in recruitment and was to me phrased as a ‘free phone’, and i know some former colleagues who do use this. however… remember anything you do or say on that phone can be audited if you hand it back. sure they can’t see your texts, but if you are suspected of something in an investigation and there is a legitimate reason to look at your texts, whatsapp’s, etc., then you have no leg to stand on in denying these.

further points (some of which others have already said)

- 75% off all uk rail travel (i.e. rail staff leisure card) is only for you, and you partner (whether you live together or not as of recently), and any dependants who do live with you subject to conditions - google rst parter/depends for more info

- anyone who qualifies under the above also gets a standard class LNER staff travel pass for leisure, residential, and duty travel, and same people also receive a pass for emr, but only for leisure and duty (NOT residential)

- the above lner pass also has ‘boxes’ to be dated (normally a minimum of 11 and maximum of 23) which you date if you wish to travel in 1st, and you may also date a box to take another person with you (so e.g., you and a friend travelling in first, you’d date 2 boxes, you and two friends, 3 boxes, etc.) and these boxes are valid on the day of, and the following day i.e box dated today, would be also valid tomorrow. a box does not entitle you to first class food and drink, if you would like that, you need to pay £5 per passenger at the bar, or you can now do it online. emr passes have only 2 boxes, and i believe it’s tea and coffee only, no food on their first class on boxes.

- if you live within the m25 you are eligible for a ptac (Privilage Travel Authority Card) for the employee only for TfL rail modes, (LU, LO, Elizabeth Line, DLR, and don’t forget free travel anyway with PRIV/RSLC on the croydon trams)

- free RESIDENTIAL travel for the employee only (to/from work) on GTR (Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern, and GatEx), and Northern Rail between leeds and york, in uniform (or staff id/whatever you’d normally wear to work in non uniform grades)

- 200 tickets at 50% off for friends and family. NOTE that recently this has changed to only the advanced and flexi tickets. unfortunately lner in their infinite wisdom and battle to snatch every penny has withdrawn this discount from anytime and super off peak ticket, so friends and family will be more closely tied to specific time periods for their journeys.

- how to get the friends and family discounted tickets. when you start, go to www.lner.co.uk/staff and create an account with your work email, then log in and it will ask for your pay number, put it in, then any eligible tickets will show an icon to show you that they are eligible for a discount.

- after 1 year of service you become eligible for a FIP card, an international travel discount card valid for discounted fares (for partner (only living at same address) and qualifying dependents) on eurostar and other continental rail services part of the reciprocal scheme. best to google that one for the specific validities and conditions though because it’s very complicated.

most of this stuff you will be talked through in york at welcome to, but i remember you excitement and want to know everything before i started so hopefully that’s a good round up. it’s also worth getting a free photocard ( if you don’t already have one) from www.photocards.lner.co.uk as you need that with your lner/emr travel passes.

you’ll get a ticket to travel to york (normally as an e-season ticket) about a week before you start, and your staff passes will all come normally between 1-4 weeks from you starting, but can take longer according to Rail Staff Travel. make sure you get your applications in for your partner/depends asap after you start and hope they come with yours (this happened for me as i did it on my first day) but i know people who have done it 2 weeks after starting and waited 2 months for them

anything else let me know and i’ll do my best to answer

 

[yorkie]

...- the above lner pass also has ‘boxes’ to be dated (normally a minimum of 11 and maximum of 23) which you date if you wish to travel in 1st, and you may also date a box to take another person with you (so e.g., you and a friend travelling in first, you’d date 2 boxes, you and two friends, 3 boxes, etc.) ...

Isn't it 1 box for a friend in Standard, 1 for yourself in First, but 2 boxes for a friend in First, i.e. 3 boxes in total for the employee and a friend in 1st?

 

[lb001]

Isn't it 1 box for a friend in Standard, 1 for yourself in First, but 2 boxes for a friend in First, i.e. 3 boxes in total for the employee and a friend in 1st?

i had this conversation not long ago. the lner RPO who i was speaking to agreed that it was 1 box per person for additional travellers, whether first or standard class.

i.e. you plus 1 friend in standard, would be 1 box. you plus 1 friend in first would be 2 boxes.

you plus 2 friends in standard, would be 2 box. you plus 2 friends in first would be 3 boxes.

which i don’t really agree with, but the internal information reads this way, and from what i understand has for a while…unless it has changed very recently.

 

[yorkie]

i had this conversation not long ago. the lner RPO who i was speaking to agreed that it was 1 box per person for additional travellers, whether first or standard class.

i.e. you plus 1 friend in standard, would be 1 box. you plus 1 friend in first would be 2 boxes.

you plus 2 friends in standard, would be 2 box. you plus 2 friends in first would be 3 boxes.

which i don’t really agree with, but the internal information reads this way, and from what i understand has for a while…unless it has changed very recently.

Interesting; in that case, I have travelled with someone who filled one box more than they needed to!

 

[lb001]

Interesting; in that case, I once travelled with someone who filled one box more than they needed to!

what i do like about lner, is generally the tm’s are very reasonable (that being said i know some that aren’t, likewise there are plenty of threads i’ve read where they’ve haven’t been).

it’s definitely a process lead business, more processes than any other toc/ railway business i’ve worked in, but with some stuff the policies can be read two (or more) ways.

if in doubt, speak to the tm, and hope for that wave

 

[43066]

Yeah, only London staff get that I believe

That’s a very useful benefit to those living within the zones. More useful than staff travel in any cases.

what i do like about lner, is generally the tm’s are very reasonable (that being said i know some that aren’t, likewise there are plenty of threads i’ve read where they’ve haven’t been).

it’s definitely a process lead business, more processes than any other toc/ railway business i’ve worked in, but with some stuff the policies can be read two (or more) ways.

if in doubt, speak to the tm, and hope for that wave

Agreed. As a staff member travelling solo it’s never an issue. Certainly, as a non LNER employee but with leisure staff travel privileges, I’ve never had to fill in a box despite a good few journeys in first class. Just go and find the TM beforehand.

 

[800001]

I appreciate it was from a friend, but...

well, is it up to 3 or up to 4?!

I was always told (and have taken) 5 people on my pass with a box filled for each person.

 

[transportphoto]

emr passes have only 2 boxes, and i believe it’s tea and coffee only, no food on their first class on boxes.

EMR can pay the £5 for the food vouchers too. I believe this is a standard approach to anyone using travel facilities in LNER First?

 

[lb001]

EMR can pay the £5 for the food vouchers too. I believe this is a standard approach to anyone using travel facilities in LNER First?

yes, believe so now i think about it. includes your old BR passes and boxes as well. you can now do it online as well - https://firstclassvoucher.lner.co.uk/

another one of those that wasn’t clear before, the t’s&c’s on the above clarify it’s valid for the whole day as well if you use multiple services (unfortunately not 48hrs like the boxes tho :/)

 

[PeteBR]

Hopefully can clarify this one, Employees and qualifying dependents holding LNER passes get unlimited standard class travel so when travelling in std class they have no need to fill in any boxes, that said if they travel in std with guests they do need fill a box in for each guest travelling but not one for themselves. That said if they travel in first class they would need to fill in an additional box for themselves as well as their guests. If travelling in first class with guests you will also need to also purchase £5 catering vouchers for each guest travelling, the employee and dependants being exempt unless they are partaking in alcoholic beverages, in which case they also need a £5 catering voucher. The completed boxes are valid for 48 hours thus the day in question and following day, and the £5 vouchers which can be purchased from the Train Manager, Lets Eat Cafe Bar or online are valid for the full day. Just to be clear on numbers it is employee plus 4, dependants or spouse cannot take additional guests on their passes. If in doubt speak to the Train Manager on the service you are travelling on.

 

[officewalla]

Wow the job perks are massive with LNER. My TOC does not offer anything close to this with its staff perks. Interesting conversations ahead when national harmonisation of perks under GBR comes to the fore.