My contract has a mobility clause: can the workplace change without limits?

What a flexibility clause can and cannot do

Acas explains that flexibility clauses, also called variation clauses, are written terms intended to let an employer change certain contract terms in defined circumstances. A clause may be general, such as allowing changes to meet business needs, or specific, such as allowing hours changes only within opening times. The key limit is that the employer must use the clause reasonably. An unreasonable change, a failure to inform and consult, or a lack of reasonable notice can put the employer in breach of contract, even if the clause appears to allow the change. This Great Britain guidance does not decide any particular relocation, and it does not mean that refusing every inconvenient instruction is risk-free.

Match the exact wording to the proposed move

Keep the full clause and identify precisely what it covers: location, duties, hours, or another term. Ask the employer in writing which wording they rely on and obtain the proposed workplace address, start date, duration, and reporting arrangements. Distinguish a temporary secondment from a permanent transfer, and a change of workplace from a change of employer. These situations can raise different contractual questions, so clarity about the nature of the change is essential before assessing reasonableness.

Explain the practical impact in concrete terms

Describe the additional travel time and cost, any impact on caring responsibilities, access needs, and whether a feasible alternative exists. Keep this factual rather than simply labelling the move unreasonable. Ask about notice, consultation, support, and whether an alternative site or working pattern is available. Record the employer's response and any agreed adjustment, so that both the clause and its practical use can be assessed later if needed.

Before accepting or refusing the change

If agreement is not possible, seek advice with the clause, the proposal, and your impact record. Ask how to state a concern while keeping work instructions clear. Do not assume that continuing to work briefly automatically resolves every contractual objection, nor that resigning is the safest response. This note does not determine the legal effect of your acceptance, refusal, or departure.

Example: how a clause might be assessed

Imagine a contract contains a general clause allowing the employer to change duties and location to meet business needs. The employer proposes moving the employee to a site 90 minutes away by public transport, with no parking and no change to start times. The employee has school drop-off duties and no car. The employer gives two weeks' notice and offers no support. In this scenario, the employee can raise concrete questions about reasonableness using of the commute, caring impact, and lack of consultation. But if the new site were 20 minutes away, with flexible hours and a travel allowance, the facts requiring assessment would differ. The question is not whether the clause exists, but whether this particular use is reasonable in these circumstances.

Questions to ask and next steps if unresolved

Ask the employer: 'Which clause do you rely on, and how does this move fit within its wording?' 'What notice and consultation have you provided?' 'What support or alternatives are available?' If the matter remains unresolved, you may need to raise a formal grievance or seek advice from a solicitor or your trade union, bringing the clause, the written proposal, and your impact notes. This article does not create a deadline for raising a grievance, and it does not promise that any particular challenge will succeed.

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