Supervisor being horrible about having time of with toddler (Long)

sexy_fufu

Hi,

We had a new supervisor 2 months ago and he doesnt like giving time off.

I am a Single Mother, for which her dad or his family live over 120 miles away and have never seen her.

In our company we have set holidays so cant take any of them, i do have 1 service day which can be taken anytime i want.

Anyway i asked him for a friday off we work 8-1 on a friday for a hospital appointment for my 2 1/2 year old, at first he said i cud take it without permission. (in the end i got on to the union and he alowed it with permission) this was 3 weeks ago.

LAst week i found had my dad had cancer not to good, were not to sure how bad it is, but the docs are preparing us for the worse.

Anyway Nursery rang me monday at work to take her docs thought she had mumps. I left work at 2.30pm i should work till 5 took to take her the docs..

Luckily Mom was of yesterday so she had her for me, there was no way she could go nursery today nose constantly streaming, coughing sometimes choking and very miserable.

Anyway like always i email the team leader to tell him i wont be in, and call at 7am to make sure there is cover on my job. I tried the supervisor but he wasnt there.

At 11.00 i decided to call my supervisor and he was horrible to me, asked how long i expected to be off, i explained hopefully just today depends how she was. And why hadnt i rang wages (never rang wages when ive been of with lil un the team leader alwasy put in form) He also said that the Company only deemed 3 times of per year reasonable for me to be off with my toddler.

(well last year she had ear infections and had to go in hospital i think 5 seperate appointments there for her at the hospital)

So now he says when i go into work we are going to have to talk about this its not acceptable and that i should find alternative childcare for my daughter.

She goes to my moms and nursery full time, what more can i possibly do, if nursery wont have her cuz she is to sick. I am her mother why cant i look after her when she is poorly..

My job pays a very good wage i wouldnt get this money elsa where, when im off with little one i DONT get paid. So what is there problem.

I never had any hassle about this when i had my old supervisor he seemed to care, and always asked how she was after i had been off.


Im finding all thia hard to deal with at the moment i dont need this from work espically if i dont know if my dad is going to make it, and my supervisor knows this !!! What do i do now or leagally how do i stand...

ALl Help would be extremley helpfull

gr1340

Have a read of the DTI website, it should help:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/workandfamilies/time-off/faq-tofd/page25968.html

tee_pee_2

just read your post, I can't offer anything original apart from speak to the union. If your supervisor is wrong go over his/her head.

I know how you feel re: childcare. Been off this week cos dd not well.

Hope your dad gets the OK

Tee pee
x

WestonDave

You are legally entitled to unpaid parental leave - link to gov website.

Printing some of that off may give you ammunition to calm your supervisor down - unfortunately some people just aren't very nice.

liney

Parental leave has to be arranged in advance i think, so the 'care of dependents' is where this falls.

My husband and i alternate takeing time off if DS is ill. Once DH was asked why his 'Mrs' couldn't take time off?!!! He responded that would that not constitue sexual distrimination on his companys part, and no one has complained since.

I am guessing your supervisor has no children /rolls eyes.

icefall

aahh honey, I really feel for you.

I am not sure exactly what you could do, but it does speak volumes that it is your new supervisor that has the problem, not your previous supervisor.

You could get advice from the union, or citizens advice bureau maybe??

I cannot think of anywhere else you can get help to deal with this man, but hopefully someone else will.

sexy_fufu

Thanks for all your comments, she as just come out with a rash so ive got her in docs at 4.30..

I think it might be worth me going off sick till she is better espically if its chickenpox opr measles.

This new Supervisor is horrible, yet he as 2 kids wouldnt say he is a family man.

iceicebaby

I completely sympathise with your situation and there are regulations governing how much time you are allowed off when a child is ill.

HOWEVER, as a person who does not have children, it is very annoying having to to do double the work because a colleague is off work because their child is ill. A colleague of mine has been off loads and always says her child is ill. I know kids cant help being ill and need their mummies when they are, but there should be a limit. people cant take indefinate amount of time off.

I know i am going to be shot down in flames for this by people with kids, but thats just how i feel.

I am not saying that no time off should be given if kids are ill, but that it should be limited and controlled.

plumpmouse

Its so difficult isn't it. We had this problem last year, my ds suffers with tonsillitis. I had about 4 or 5 times off with him last year. Work was not very understanding, said you need to arrange alternative childcare. My boss actually said "you have to understand there are 2 parents in your family". Was so gobsmacked I couldn't respond. We are lucky in that family are close by but they all work so why should they take time off and not his parents. As for his Dad, we couldn't afford for him to lose his wage (I earn less than half his wage and only work 2 days) and also he is a teacher so it is harder for him to ring in for this.

My work never pursued it at all, but you end up feeling guilty and upset. You doing the best you can. Is there someone higher up than him that can help who may be more understanding?

plumpmouse

iceicebaby wrote:

I completely sympathise with your situation and there are regulations governing how much time you are allowed off when a child is ill.

HOWEVER, as a person who does not have children, it is very annoying having to to do double the work because a colleague is off work because their child is ill. A colleague of mine has been off loads and always says her child is ill. I know kids cant help being ill and need their mummies when they are, but there should be a limit. people cant take indefinate amount of time off.

I know i am going to be shot down in flames for this by people with kids, but thats just how i feel.

I am not saying that no time off should be given if kids are ill, but that it should be limited and controlled.

If you find a way to "limit" a child being ill I'm sure there will be plenty of parents willing to pay for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gingham_Ribbon

What if an employer unreasonably refuses to allow time off or dismisses an employee for taking it?


Employees who think that they have been unreasonably refused time off, or subjected to detriment for taking it, may make a complaint to an employment tribunal against their employer.

It is unfair to be dismissed or selected for redundancy for taking, or seeking to take, time off under this right.