Can an employer ask this?

Pupnik

poet123 wrote: »

No, not pyschic, my colleague openly admits that she has issues with her periods, and it does adversely affect her work. She knows it, and all the team know it, but she expects it to be tolerated and accommodated.

You make it sound as if it shouldn't be tolerated and accomodated.

I find it unlikely that an employer would be tracking any off days so precisely that they can put it down to problem periods, after all they are not exactly regular enough to say 'first Monday of the month, must be a period day!' I barely keep track of my own let alone even considering anyone else's. Sick days would be easier to track but the OP has said she has had no sick days. I think the question was out of order but I don't think it would be worth kicking up a fuss when other members of staff are being let go, I would hope it was a bad judgement on the part of the manager and that he didn't mean to cause offence, although he should know better and I would hope it does not come up again.

RobertoMoir

Pupnik wrote: »

You make it sound as if it shouldn't be tolerated and accomodated.

I find it unlikely that an employer would be tracking any off days so precisely that they can put it down to problem periods, after all they are not exactly regular enough to say 'first Monday of the month, must be a period day!' I barely keep track of my own let alone even considering anyone else's. Sick days would be easier to track but the OP has said she has had no sick days.

Years ago, when I worked in the local office of a civil service department and helped out with the office's HR paperwork, there was one woman who would go sick a few days every month on a fairly regular basis and self certify with a reason like "female issues". Very easy to track, and I'm sure would have been raised as a problem outside of the civil service - not because of why she was off but the fact that she was easily off more than 10 times a year, a few days at a time, just with this one issue alone (never mind all the "normal" routine of bad colds and flu that saw her off ill about the same as everyone else, too).

I think the question was out of order but I don't think it would be worth kicking up a fuss when other members of staff are being let go, I would hope it was a bad judgement on the part of the manager and that he didn't mean to cause offence, although he should know better and I would hope it does not come up again.

I agree. The question as asked was too personal. If he had an issue with performance being inconsistent then it should have been raised in that manner and the OP should have been given the chance to respond as they see fit.

Perhaps the OP should go back to this boss and explain that they felt the questions about her personal life were inappropriate but that she'd be happy to discuss any concerns about her actual performance... just as a way of re-setting things back to a professional footing and moving forwards?

poet123

Pupnik wrote: »

You make it sound as if it shouldn't be tolerated and accomodated.

I find it unlikely that an employer would be tracking any off days so precisely that they can put it down to problem periods, after all they are not exactly regular enough to say 'first Monday of the month, must be a period day!' I barely keep track of my own let alone even considering anyone else's. Sick days would be easier to track but the OP has said she has had no sick days. I think the question was out of order but I don't think it would be worth kicking up a fuss when other members of staff are being let go, I would hope it was a bad judgement on the part of the manager and that he didn't mean to cause offence, although he should know better and I would hope it does not come up again.

When you work in a small team and someone routinely behaves in a manner which is bolshy and causes issues I am not sure it should be tolerated indefinitely. The person I work with thinks that it is normal to behave this way, and refuses to see it as a problem.

I agree it may have been badly phrased and the issue could be raised more sensitively but if it is a problem it should not be shied away from.