Time off for an interview

Fiver29

Does an employer have to give time off for an interview?

I have just been asked to go for one on Monday, but it's in the next county, so will take approx an hour and ten minutes to get there (plus getting lost time ). Then interview time.

I work in a school, so can't take it as a holiday. The only other way would be to phone in sick, which I wouldn't be happy doing because I don't like being deceitful.

paddedjohn

i think they have to give you time off for interviews if you are working your redundancy notice, apart from this i dont think so.

VfM4meplse

paddedjohn wrote: »

i think they have to give you time off for interviews if you are working your redundancy notice, apart from this i dont think so.

Agreed - most employers would be sympathetic in times of redundancy, but otherwise it's up to you to manage this in your own time, either by making the missed time up or taking leave.

MsHoarder

Is there no leeway at all in holiday, even the teachers I know can get the occasional half-day unpaid leave?

They don't have to give you interview time though unless they have made you redundant, so asking for that specifically won't help.

silverchair

I think they are required to give you time off for interview as most schools carry out their interviews during term time. However, I think all time off for interviews is unpaid.

Fiver29

I don't mind it being unpaid. I just don't want to go and ask, for them to turn around and say no, because then it'll look to obvious if I have to resort to being ill on the same day I asked about.

VfM4meplse

Fiver29 wrote: »

I just don't want to go and ask, for them to turn around and say no

That's highly unlikely as this provision will have been made for plenty of other staff members before you, just go ahead and ask. It would be unfair to change the rules just for you, it may be inconvenient for the school but you will get the time off.

Savvy_Sue

If they know you are looking for other jobs, then I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem within a school. It gets tricky when you don't want to tell them you're job hunting!

wulaishiwo

I think that depends. if the emplyees are working as permanent staff, there is no reason for the emplyer to give time off for them to go to interview. Of course, it would be another story if the case is the converse.

Nicki

I am a governor and often do interviews which usually happen during the school day. None of the applicants seem to have a problem attending these, nor do any of the schools I am governor of refuse to allow their staff to attend interviews during the school day. I have occasionally though sat on panels where we have been about to make an offer to a candidate but changed our mind when it has come out on taking up a telephone reference that they have taken a sickie rather than a day off for the interview! This applies for a range of school roles btw, not just teaching posts.

donnajunkie

is it a good idea to tell your employer that you want time off for a job interview? they may think you are going to leave them for the new job. if you cant rearrange it outside of work hours and cant use a days holiday then taking a sickie is the only option left.