3 days off for a funeral

Fizog

I have always found workwise that for a grandparent you would get one day off paid leave and if the funeral was somehwher difficult to reach then two days tops.
Since it is in Windsor it is not really that difficult to get to overnight so one day is acceptable.
Maybe you could compromise, give her the three days but say she will lose two days pay as you will have to get a temp in? Sounds fair.. how many unemployed are there ? I am sure the local college could give you a trainee who would be glad of the christmas tips and experience?

paulwf

This is a bit of a generalisation but workers do fall into 2 broad categories, those that just get on with it without a fuss and take minimal sick leave and extra time off, and those that are "high maintenance". Most people that work for themselves or family firms or similar for any length of time are usually those that just get on with it.

Your stylist is looking out for herself...which she is perfectly entitled to do. However what you need on board are those that put the business first, there is a week before the funeral to start coping with the grief then just one day at work before the Christmas break.

If she isn't prepared to put the business first during this crucial time that is fair enough. It is also fair enough that you don't want this person on board long term. Harsh though it is you have to put your business first as you have said it is struggling.

What generally happens is a lovely synergy where employees that give 100% make the business successful and in turn you can reward them well for their efforts, both financially and with considerate working patterns.

nearlyrich

I have lost both parents whilst working fulltime and on both occasions I was told to do whatever I needed to do in regards to work, I had just gone back to work after my mum's funeral when my FIL died the next day and this involved travelling to sort out arrangements and attend another funeral. I was probably off for around 3 to 4 weeks overall, with my dad I took the day after he died and the day of the funeral but went in to work in between as everything was sorted and I would have been sitting brooding.

I was also next of kin to a close friend of the family and my boss gave me two weeks off on full pay to arrange the funeral and close the estate.

I don't think it's excessive to have three days off to travel to Windsor from Manchester for a funeral, maybe she is getting a lift and won't be able to go if she can't have the full 3 days. I have just done that journey and it's 4 hours of solid driving with no hold ups and one stop for a comfort break and I am used to long motorway trips in a suitable vehicle.

I realise I have had understanding employers but if I was told I couldn't attend a close family member's funeral I would be looking for another job.

Errata

I'm sure the hairdresser in question could look for another job. She might find there aren't many, and her attendance record might count against her.
Isn't the important thing for a manager to be fair to all staff? Not much point in giving one worker 3 days off for a funeral if it means all the otber workers have to backfill for her, especially in a small firm at a particularly busy time. ? Better to have one unhappy worker than twelve.

Debt_Free_Chick

It's worth bearing in mind that it's in the employee's interest for the employer to be very business minded. Employees only have jobs for so long as the business is successful.

Irrespective of the personal feelings of company representatives, who may, personally, be very sympathetic to the employee's loss ... it simply has to be "business as usual". There is no alternative - the business can't close down for a few days due to the employee's loss.

There is no such thing as compassionate leave, unless company policy specifically allows for it. Where it exists, compassionate leave is simply paid time off for a "compassionate" reason and the company can put whatever rules around it they like. Where I've come across it, it's been one day only, for the death of immediate family i.e. parent, sibling, spouse/partner or child.

An employee can take whatever time off they want for a bereavement - BUT that time can only be taken within the usual company policy. Generally, this means having sufficient annual leave, making the request in the normal way and having it agreed/turned down as normal.

So what do we have in this situation? In this case, it seems that there is no compassionate leave policy so the employee has no entitlement to any time off at all.

It also seems that the employee has no annual leave left. And if they did, a request to take annual leave at the time required should expect to be met with a refusal. Very many women opt for a hairdressing appointment very close to Christmas to take them through all the events of the next few weeks. I can't see that you can simply absorb the appointments of one stylist over three days. If you turn those clients away now, most will never return - you will lose them permanently and that's too great a risk for the future success of the company.

It's never easy balancing work and personal commitments. She may well want/need to spend time with her family, but she will have that opportunity anyway over the Christmas break. It's disappointing that she doesn't seem to demonstrate any pride/duty owed to her clients and you as her employer.

Finally, as others have pointed out, you also need to consider the impact on other employees. Whether or not they have to pick up some of her work, they are bound to be resentful. And they might also be concerned about the impact of her absence on their own jobs, if the success of the company is compromised by her absence.

She is effectively asking for "a favour" as she has no annual leave to take and no right or entitlement to compassionate leave. She needs to understand that this is what she's asking for - a personal favour that will cause the business real difficulty and will put additional burden on her colleagues.

As a compromise, you could offer one day's leave for the funeral - it's perfectly feasible to do M'cester to Windsor and back in a day. It takes less than four hours, including the tube, via London.

Ideally, you need to appeal to her professionalism. She also needs to make this very difficult balancing judgement and question whether it's reasonable for her to be making this request. Has she considered all angles here?

You are in a very difficult position. Do not be surprised if she simply calls in sick or goes AWOL. If she does work, expect her to whinge and bad-mouth you - to clients as well as colleagues.

Not an easy situation, but a sympathetic "put yourself in my position" chat might be the first option. Let her wrestle with her conscience and ask her to let you know what she would like to do Saturday evening, before you shut up the salon.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Wow I can't believe how harsh some have been with the OP, three days is totally unnecessary for a grandparent's funeral.

It might be nice, but it is a very generous amount of leave, most employers only allow compassionate leave for parents, children, siblings and spouse. Anything else is holiday or unpaid if it can be accomodated.

It would be harsh to deny her the chance to go (if she is genuine) but not at all harsh to only allow her one day unpaid leave. Given that you would not normally allow leave at this time.

Explain to her why you can't accomodate this and allow her one day unpaid leave. But get the number of a mobile or temp who could help you out should she pull a sicky!

Alternatively see if you can arrange a temp now, and if you can tell her that she can go bu it willl be unpaid as you have the cost of the temp to cover.

Hermia

Katie-Kat-Kins wrote: »

Wow I can't believe how harsh some have been with the OP, three days is totally unnecessary for a grandparent's funeral.

It might be nice, but it is a very generous amount of leave, most employers only allow compassionate leave for parents, children, siblings and spouse. Anything else is holiday or unpaid if it can be accomodated.

I know what you mean as I have never worked anywhere that has as generous funeral leave policies as some of the people on here obviously have. I currently work for a council. We get one day off for the funerals of immediate family (compassionate leave is something separate & would be negotiated). We are not entitled to any time off for grandparents etc, and certainly not extra days to allow for travel time. Generally people use A/L or unpaid leave.

Welshwoofs

I'd give her the day of the funeral off and the morning off the next day. Traveling from Manchester to Windsor is not difficult. The trains to London are pretty much hourly and very fast and trains from central London out to Windsor leave every 15-30 minutes and take under an hour.

If she's already had 28 days off this year for 1 day sniffles she's clearly taking the proverbial. Of course even if you offer a day and a half, she sounds like the type to then phone in anyway with another illness

Bogof_Babe

OP, do you actually believe this young lady's request is genuine? Personally my suspicion bells are ringing, now that you have told us about her unreliability throughout the year. Had she mentioned her grandfather being ill or frail? I know people do have heart attacks and die suddenly, but I feel she might be twisting the truth to get a longer Christmas break.

Did she seem particularly upset when she broke the news to you? Last weekend was 12/13th, and to not have the funeral until 23rd seems a long interval, although I know they get busy in the winter so possibly that was the earliest it could be fitted in.

I'd be asking for a few more details, e.g. what he died of and how old he was - just to see if she appears genuine or evasive in her replies. You could even tell her you'd like to send a condolence card to her parents as it has clearly upset everyone so much, and ask for their address in Windsor!

faevilangel

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I'd be asking for a few more details, e.g. what he died of and how old he was - just to see if she appears genuine or evasive in her replies. You could even tell her you'd like to send a condolence card to her parents as it has clearly upset everyone so much, and ask for their address in Windsor!

If my boss asked me, i would tell them to **** off... It's none of their business.

It does seem the employee is taking the pee a little, london -Manc by train is a few hours, I would give her the day of the funeral off and the morning of the next day.

I would also give non paid, 28 days off already is more than right,

It does seem fishy though, died 12th, funeral 23rd but it might be a good reason.

In the new year, have a talk with the employee about her record, say they need to improve or you might have to think about letting her go.

I have never had a day off work for cold, etc. I take the relevant pills (paracetamol, flu tablets etc) then go in and do my work.