Is this Employer unreasonable???

simon4amiee

Evening all, my wife came home upset today as her work refused to let her have a few house off for an emergency at home, for 4 week we have had the council round to clear out a horrible infestation of bedbugs, we thought initially they were fleas, but after putting up with constant bites for 8 months, I called the council in, however either me or my wife had to be home on the date and time they were here. This monday was my wifes turn again, but because the company she works for are asking people to work overtime, she was refused holidays during this period and was told she could have no time off for any reason, in the 4 weeks the council have been coming they advised us to get rid of every single bit of wooden furniture, this was practically the entire home is now sitting in our back garden so you can imagine the stress we are in at the moment, our upstairs is bare but been given the all clear, just downstairs needs doing. I still getting bit all over, but what annoyed me is that i feel this a serious matter and her work has ignored it, i was wondering is there anything we can do, the council did call today but no one in now we have to wait a week getting bit again, and we have no furniture to sit on or sleep on PLEASE HELP, her work is just unreasonable!

CFC

I am afraid that I do not think that they are being unreasonable. They are short staffed andn looking for overtime; therefore their operational needs dictate that they cannot grant holiday.

If your own workplace is more able to allow you time off, why do you consider it to be your 'wife's turn'; surely the simple answer is for you to take more holiday?

Meepster

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with CFC. An emergency is: a phone call to say you have been in an accident; a phone call saying a dependant is ill; a phone call to say your house is on fire. A pre-arranged appointment with the council, no matter what the circumstances are, is NOT an emergency.

Your OH's workplace is not being unreasonable at all. I'm sure they have a holiday request system in process, where as reasonable time off will be given WHEN it fits in with the needs of the business...

hedion

Sounds more like a problem than an emergency.

Obviously if you feel that your employer is being unfair there are always other companies out there to employ you. But if one of my team asked for the time off to be with an engineer /i'd tell them to re-arrange it for the day off.

ceridwen

...well...I think you had better be the one to deal with this in the circumstances.

It may be that her employer doesnt actually believe the reason for time off and thinks its an excuse to get more holiday than they wish to give currently. I must confess I didnt think bedbugs still existed - so if someone said that to me, even if I was favorably inclined - I'd want proof that bedbugs do still exist/you really do have them and they really do take whatever-it-is time/effort wise to get rid of them.

ailuro2

If you're both working, then get it done privately at a time to suit your working hours.

Problem solved.

lemontart

no not unreasonable this is a problem not an emergency and a problem that can be dealt with by appt not unforseen event such as loss of a loved one, accident etc

ceridwen

I still think there is a possibility that the employer doesnt actually believe the need for time off is because of bedbugs.

I say this because the only time I've encountered bedbugs is I've read about them in history books - I assumed they'd been eradicated decades ago. So the employer may need evidence that O.P. is telling the truth.

eyeinthesky

I also don't think the employer is being unreasonable, but I know it doesn't feel that way to you. I understand the stress you and your wife are under, as my daughter's block of flats had an infestation a year ago, and I done some research online about the problem.

For those who don't know, bed bugs were almost totally eradicated some years ago, but since DDT was banned, they are increasing at an alarming rate. Cheaper air travel has helped these blood sucking insects spread, as they are commonly picked up in hotel rooms all over the western world, and brought home in your luggage. Once in your home, they quickly multiply and feed on their human hosts while they sleep. A common bug spray will kill these pests easily, but they are so well hidden that it is difficult to spray the little bu**ers. This is why it would need a professional treatment, with good residual qualities, so that the bugs will come into contact with the insecticide when they come out to feed.

I really do feel for you and your wife, having to endure these horrible bugs, as well as losing all your furnishings. Would it be possible for either of you to start work earlier and finish earlier? then perhaps arrange for the pest controllers to visit you at the end of the day? Or perhaps the other way around, get treatment done first thing, then start work later and still work your full day? I believe that you need to vacate your home for a few hours after treatment, to allow the pesticide smell to dissipate.

ceridwen

Thanks for that eyeinthesky - eugh!!!! That sounds like another good argument to me for not going on cheapie foreign holidays then....

Thinking of the vacating home for a few hours to allow smell to go - Gawd! I'd want to vacate my home for a LOT longer than a few hours if I were in that situation - to make sure I myself didnt get contaminated with whatever-nasty-ingredients are in those chemicals.....yuk....

You have my sympathies..

Floss

Actually bedbugs can be brought into the UK in bedding from countries which still have them....a bit like TB & polio carriers are coming into the UK from countries where the illnesses are still active.

So, places where previous residents may have included someone from Eastern Europe or Central Asia could have infested the building.

And that is on good authority from one of my colleagues who is a senior Environmental Health Officer.