Being told to take annual leave for a dental appointment?

donnajunkie

desperado2 wrote: »

Yes, change your attitude and accept that work is a commitment to turn up at the appointed times in return for an agreed wage.. not a bleedin holiday camp with optional activities for when you're in the mood....

lol.........

Savvy_Sue

loopy_lass wrote: »

yep they can do this sorry to say... i beleive if its a hosptial appointment you may be able to claim 2 hrs off work for that, not sure if its paid though... but definately not doctors or dentists app...

A very few organisations / employers might pay you for hospital appointments without requiring you to make the hours up, but I expect their number is going down.

As for the rest, a sensible / reasonable employer will allow flexibility for staff to attend appointments at the beginning / end of the day, if staff show similar flexibility in making up the time. The difficulty comes if there IS no flexibility, either because the employer is short-sighted or because the needs of the business require a certain number of staff to be present at particular times.

In my office, we're extremely flexible, but in another part of our organisation you have to be there on time, because if you're late someone else can't leave. So if you need to go to the dentist, you'd be expected to book it on a non-work day, and if that was impossible you'd have to organise a swap with someone else.

tsimehC

irishjohn wrote: »

I was a bit gob smacked when i joined the public sector after 30 years in the private sector and found you got time off for such things as doctor's and dentist's appointment - Some folks take advantage to the max with this!!

Ha! Yeah and they leave the rest to pick up the pieces. Don't blame them for the backlog it creates but still, it is very annoying and disruptive.

donnajunkie

come on people any boss with common sense knows that from time to time people will be off sick or will have the odd dental/doctors appointment etc. its part of the reality of running a business. these cant always be organised for outside of working hours. my dentist for example is only open 9 to 5. so i could organise an appointment towards the end or beginning of the day but it would still involve time off from work. to expect people to use their holidays is being tight. on the flip side and just to be fair it is also wrong to expect your boss to pay you for the time off.
why not consider this example. people who need to see a clinical psychologist usually see them once a week. would you expect these people to use all of their holidays and not be able to go away in the summer or have time off at xmas? in their case i would think it ok for the boss to want them to make the time up because of it being every week but i dont for those were it is once in a blue moon.
i know i will get grief but if it was me in the situation were they expected people to use holidays i would rather phone in sick than have my boss take a days holiday off me.

ps every boss i have worked for has been ok with people finishing early for appointments. i once finished early to take clothes to hospital for my dad when he injured himself at work.

Rebekah24

We have to work back time or use annual leave for all doctors/ hospital/dental/opticians

Just normal practise really. Seems harsh if you have to go to hospital for tests etc....but just one of those things!

I just avoid going doctors- drop in centre at weekends, obv hospital cant be avoided, dentists is only twice a year after all!

jdturk

donnajunkie wrote: »

come on people any boss with common sense knows that from time to time people will be off sick or will have the odd dental/doctors appointment etc. its part of the reality of running a business. these cant always be organised for outside of working hours. my dentist for example is only open 9 to 5. so i could organise an appointment towards the end or beginning of the day but it would still involve time off from work. to expect people to use their holidays is being tight. on the flip side and just to be fair it is also wrong to expect your boss to pay you for the time off.
why not consider this example. people who need to see a clinical psychologist usually see them once a week. would you expect these people to use all of their holidays and not be able to go away in the summer or have time off at xmas? in their case i would think it ok for the boss to want them to make the time up because of it being every week but i dont for those were it is once in a blue moon.
i know i will get grief but if it was me in the situation were they expected people to use holidays i would rather phone in sick than have my boss take a days holiday off me.

ps every boss i have worked for has been ok with people finishing early for appointments. i once finished early to take clothes to hospital for my dad when he injured himself at work.

Thats fine and most bosses wouldn't pay you for it? As long as you are ok not being paid for the hours your not doing then as I say most bosses will say thats fine

donquine

My employer lets me take time off for appointments during work hours, but this isn't a statutory right. We all do unpaid overtime in busy periods, so it probably all works out.

My GP surgery isn't open at the weekend and closes at 6pm, so it would be difficult to see a doctor outside of work.

donnajunkie

jdturk wrote: »

Thats fine and most bosses wouldn't pay you for it? As long as you are ok not being paid for the hours your not doing then as I say most bosses will say thats fine

i agree.
bosses should accept it is just the way things are that people on occasion will be off for appointments and usually only half a day maximum. it should be our choice whether to use a holiday or lose the wages. they are our holidays afterall. they are meant to be for you to take when you choose unless its a company with fixed holidays like 1 week at easter, 2 weeks at xmas etc. if you work at one of those you cant use a holiday for appointments.