Husband's employer is getting cheeky

Tiddlywinks

DeeMarie89 wrote: »

He was granted holiday leave. Something he was entitled to, and his employer granted him said holiday leave, so there really is no issue there. He asked for, and was given two weeks holiday. What he did with that holiday is neither here nor there, the fact is he didn't have two weeks "emergency leave"

He asked for two weeks holiday at short notice - that would have impacted on the rest of the team as shift patterns would have had to change to compensate for him not being available.

To think that taking two weeks leave at short notice would not impact on others is lacking an understanding of why your husband is employed in the first place - if he is not there to work then cover must be arranged.

The employer was very reasonable to allow two weeks leave at such short notice - they are only required to accommodate the emergency which did not extend to two weeks.

Mrs_Arcanum

Why don't companies realise that the more awkward and uncaring they appear, the more staff will only do the minimum. All they have to be sure of is weeding out the abusers, not tarring everyone with the same brush. Though the hospitality trade does have a notoriously high staff turnover anyway (the closing time 30 minute attitude to pay is just one example).

DeeMarie89

Yes, he was given two weeks holiday at short notice. It's very rare that anyone at his workplace books holiday particularly far in advance. I was taken ill on the Friday, and the following weeks rota is not published or finalised until a Saturday night, so the employer had time to take things into account when he was doing the rota on Saturday. There were no other holidays booked, so it didn't cause too much inconvenience

liney

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

He asked for two weeks holiday at short notice - that would have impacted on the rest of the team as shift patterns would have had to change to compensate for him not being available.

To think that taking two weeks leave at short notice would not impact on others is lacking an understanding of why your husband is employed in the first place - if he is not there to work then cover must be arranged.

The employer was very reasonable to allow two weeks leave at such short notice - they are only required to accommodate the emergency which did not extend to two weeks.

All very good points except that we can't plan emergencies, and refusual to accommadate genuine emergencies where holiday has been requested to cover hospitalisation would not be considered 'Reasonable, fair or consistant' by an ET.

'No, you can't have holiday at short notice to care for your 11 month old son because your wife in is hospital having an emergency operation. Dismissal for unauthorised absence'

I'd put money on a ruling of unfair dismissal. People aren't machines. These things happen.

Googlewhacker

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Why don't companies realise that the more awkward and uncaring they appear, the more staff will only do the minimum. All they have to be sure of is weeding out the abusers, not tarring everyone with the same brush. Though the hospitality trade does have a notoriously high staff turnover anyway (the closing time 30 minute attitude to pay is just one example).

Pot meet Kettle............

Googlewhacker

liney wrote: »

All very good points except that we can't plan emergencies, and refusual to accommadate genuine emergencies where holiday has been requested to cover hospitalisation would not be considered 'Reasonable, fair or consistant' by an ET.

'No, you can't have holiday at short notice to care for your 11 month old son because your wife in is hospital having an emergency operation. Dismissal for unauthorised absence'

I'd put money on a ruling of unfair dismissal. People aren't machines. These things happen.

Point is they could have said no and to use emergancy leave for one or two days to organise cover etc, what if the employer had given other members of staff the time of, meant they were understaffed if they allowed the two weeks off?

I agree the vast majority of employers would try to help out but there would have been some companies where someone else being off puts them right in the mire.

Emmzi

Legal or not, his card is marked, and without a world of ET where it is "your word against mine" with a slim chance of change and much building of resentment, this is going nowhere.

Best find a new employer or buckle down and be in consistently and uncomplaining. Choose one or the other.

No, life is not fair. Accept that now and save yourself the pain.

GothicStirling

If an employee came to me and said 'Look, my wife has been in a car accident, is it all right if I leave?' My answer is going to be 'of course, let me know what happens, and let me know if you need time off.' If an employee comes and says 'I'm going home because my wife is throwing up', my answer is going to be 'you walk out that door, don't come back. I've got a pile of CV's out back from people desperate to work.'

And don't think I haven't done it before either. Three days before Christmas.

DeeMarie89

GothicStirling wrote: »

If an employee came to me and said 'Look, my wife has been in a car accident, is it all right if I leave?' My answer is going to be 'of course, let me know what happens, and let me know if you need time off.' If an employee comes and says 'I'm going home because my wife is throwing up', my answer is going to be 'you walk out that door, don't come back. I've got a pile of CV's out back from people desperate to work.'

And don't think I haven't done it before either. Three days before Christmas.

I wasn't just throwing up. I was weak an dizzy, and had blacked out twice before finally biting the bullet and calling my husband because my son needed feeding and changing, but I couldn't pick him up to change him or put him into his high chair. My husband explained this to his employer.
Just because you like to break the law, it doesn't mean it's acceptable. You cannot fire someone because they nee to leave work early to look after a dependant. They have the right to do so. I'm surprised no-one has had you in front of an employment tribunal.

Emmzi

Dee, why don't you search the forum for people who have experienced the long and painful process of ETs?

You seem to think it is a simple choice and process.

It takes a long time.

It is emotionally exhausting.

It can be very expensive.

Then tell us whether you think it is worth the pain for a disagreement on a point of principal.