tesco,s absence policy

cazziebo

OOps - sorry, I'm wrong about it just being a counselling interview. Found this..

Tesco policy works like this. When an employee is absent, on their return their absence percentage over the previous 6 months is calculated. If the have been absent for more than 3% of their contracted hours or have been off three times or more they will be invited to an investigatory meeting. At the meeting they will be questioned about the reasons for absence, and if there are no mitigating circumstances, this meeting will move to a disciplinary meeting where they may receive a warning. The employee may also be offered support if they have a serious problem and this may result in a change of shifts or role for example.

The result of this policy is that those employees tempted to `chuck a sickie` either think twice or eventually get managed out of the business.

Poor attendance is the number one reason for dismissal at Tesco. This policy would be simple and effective for a small business to use and the benefits for a small business are greater as absenteeism in a small business is much more damaging.

LittleVoice

cazziebo wrote: »

LV

You might be thinking of this one

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/07/25/46892/indirect-disability-discrimination-ruling-has-major-implications-for-hr.html

Very recent, and I think the HR world has been a bit surprised by it so policies have not yet been updated. Interesting to see what develops - not sure if it's going to appeal.

After three absences it is more likely to be a counselling interview, rather than a disciplinary so no requirement for a hearing at this stage.

Yes that's the case. I was just coming back to post it - though that article in Personnel Today says indirect discrimination.

flowermel

Hi
I work for a supermarket and i thought if your child is under 5 you can take upto 13weeks unpaid parental leave.The policy at my work is unpaid if your child is sick or you can use holiday make the hours up,if your child is taken into hospital as an emergency its full pay.
Hope thats of some help.

flowermel

Hi should have said if off with a ill child it doesn't count towards our sickness levels

peediedj

flowermel wrote: »

Hi should have said if off with a ill child it doesn't count towards our sickness levels

it does at the tesco,s my wife works at

peediedj

flowermel wrote: »

Hi
I work for a supermarket and i thought if your child is under 5 you can take upto 13weeks unpaid parental leave.The policy at my work is unpaid if your child is sick or you can use holiday make the hours up,if your child is taken into hospital as an emergency its full pay.
Hope thats of some help.

it was a emergency but he wasnt in hospital,and wife gets no pay for it

louisehj

My sister works for tesco and finds some managers very incompetent. My neice was very ill and my sister had to take 1 day off work. On her return they said the absence was being logged as sick for my sister! She told them she was not sick, it was time off for a dependant. The manager wouldnt listen so my sister printed off goverment info on this and took it in. Comes to something when you have to do your managers job!

To the OP hope it goes ok for your wife.

SandC

I don't know Tesco as an employer and how rigid they are, however I do know other companies who use similar policies.

Ie. if you are off x number of times you get a counselling session and possibly a warning. They do this to be consistent. Often if someone has specific problems that have been highlighted and/or agreed at interview/recruitment stage then these will be taken into account.

What Im saying is, they have probably issued this warning because it is procedure, but the file will give details of circumstances. It's not the case that a procedure is always followed to the book regardless of circumstances.

For instance, you may work somewhere and have a chronic condition that causes you to be off a few times in a year. That would put you into the category of 'warning'. Doesn't mean you are going to get sacked - just that for those who swing the lead and take odd sickies that everyone is being treated exactly the same.

Jo_R_2

Would this not fall under "Emergency Time Off for Dependents"?

In my last job, as a single parent I would have to take time off if either of my LOs were ill. I actually had to tell my employer about this policy and explain that it was a legal right, just as I had a legal right to x amount of holiday etc. If OP is taking time off to care for her son then I can't see why this wouldn't fall under this policy?

See http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page19475.html which explains the policy.

I would absolutely kick up a fuss if your wife is being disciplined, tell her to show them this and explain how it falls under this law, as louisehj tells in her post.

elle_gee

Jo_R wrote: »

Would this not fall under "Emergency Time Off for Dependents"?

In my last job, as a single parent I would have to take time off if either of my LOs were ill. I actually had to tell my employer about this policy and explain that it was a legal right, just as I had a legal right to x amount of holiday etc. If OP is taking time off to care for her son then I can't see why this wouldn't fall under this policy?

See http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/employment-guidance/page19475.html which explains the policy.

I would absolutely kick up a fuss if your wife is being disciplined, tell her to show them this and explain how it falls under this law, as louisehj tells in her post.

I'm a HR Administrator and I totally agree with the above - it's Emergency Dependents Leave, not sick leave on your wife's part. The days will be unpaid, but shouldn't go down on her sickness record (we have a general absence records with different codes for the reasoning, then only count up the sickness type ones when working out if a caution is due). In fact, claiming time of sick due to the sickness of a child and not our employee would be considered fraudulant against our company sick pay policy and result in discipline of another kind.