Absence because of pet death

thegirlintheattic

Kynthia wrote: »

The problem is that just because 99% of people would react a certain way doesn't mean that the 1% are taking the mic or are over emotional. It does sound excessive but a doctor wouldn't sign them off if they weren't ill, so they must be ill and therefore the cause isn't really relevant.

Not always the case. Oft heard around here is the advice to go to the GP tell them you're depressed/not sleeping and get signed off work for a holiday / drinking break for a few weeks. GP cannot really check if they are telling the truth.

Uncertain

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Oft heard around here is the advice to go to the GP tell them you're depressed/not sleeping and get signed off work for a holiday / drinking break for a few weeks.

Really?

In your mind maybe?

Perhaps you would like to come up with a couple of examples where that advice has been offered by anybody sensible round here?

princessdon

perhaps it is time to start a discretionary sick pay scheme?

That way the genuine won't be penalised but those you feel are taking advantage have to rely on SSP?

ILW

Doctors will sign people off if there is nothing wrong with them.
There were tens of thousands when the pits closed. Years later the doctors were happy to admit they did it to help out as their patients tended to live in the same area as themselves.

missile

I would be looking for a way to terminate his/her employment.
Have they have been employed for less than 2 years?

toadyfrog

dseventy wrote: »

Thanks for the replies thus far.

I have the best people working for me in the world. I want the best and get the best. So I pay generous salaries. I pay sick from day 1. I do a yearly (Xmas) bonus for all. I have generous Annual Leave policies and work life balance protocols. I don't advertise for new staff. If you are good at what you do, I , or someone that works for me, will find you.

I want the best, so I pay the best.

This has served me well over the years and got me to where I am today.

I never have HR issues. I have never sacked anyone for poor performance, we are perfectly oiled machine.

I don't employ any HR people, I outsource it. I spoke to them today and they have reccomended a Occupational Health referral for the employee and they will sort it.

Yes I have pets (2 dogs). As much as I will be devasted when die, life goes on. I know and appreciate that people love their pets like part of the family. But 2 weeks off and a phased return? The last time I did a phased return was when someone had cancer and chemo and needed that to blend back in.

Just needed a reality check I guess, thanks for comments.

D70

I think you have just found me

Fire_Fox

I'm shocked and disappointed how many people think this is unacceptable given it relates to a reliable member of staff. The time off is NOT simply for a bereavement, it's for stress-related disorder (sometimes a euphemism for clinical depression) which is a mental health ILLNESS diagnosed by a qualified medical professional. Not everyone who suffers a bereavement suffers with a diagnosable mental health condition just like not everyone who smokes gets cancer. So?

Just shows how much prejudice there still is against people with disorders of mental health.

thegirlintheattic

Uncertain wrote: »

Really?

In your mind maybe?

Perhaps you would like to come up with a couple of examples where that advice has been offered by anybody sensible round here?

By here I meant where I live, which has quite a large majority who never work or seem to think that they can take weeks off at the time just by consulting the friendly local GP. Unfortunately they seem to be right.

SandC

I agree it does seem that it would be unusual for this employee to take the mickey based on past performance and reliability.

I think there may be a chance that it's triggered underlying stress/depression but it appears to me more like a knee jerk reaction to the shock and emotional trauma. After all, she went to her GP almost straight away and it looks like the doctor has simply written a sick note for 2 weeks off for stress based on her undoubted visible distress. Unless something had been previously diagnosed I can't see how a short appointment one day after this bereavement can result in an expert diagnosis of anything specific.

Also, it looks like it's the employee asking for phased return to work, not the GP. Again, asking for this before even having 2 days off work seems like a knee jerk reaction - she would have been thinking there is no way she can face work and wouldn't be able to in 2 weeks, hence in her emotional state having these ideas about phased returns.

I suspect she may reconsider this request over the next few days or next week. If I were the employer though, I would refuse it as it's not an appropriate course of action in a short absence. I would gently explain that it's not feasible and encourage her to think about going back to the GP towards the end of next week if she still feels unable to be at work. Sometimes in these situations having time off makes it hard to go back, but it's usually the first step of getting to the office and getting it over with that's the hardest. If she has a phased return then the other staff will be !!!!! footing around her, which ultimately won't help because what is needed is normality.

Pete111

Firstly, congrats to the OP for running a company with so few HR issues. If it really is as you say then you appear to have got it right. I imagine though if you keep growing you will find the need for an in-house HR bod at some point.

In this situation I think the manager showed good soft skills BUT their compassion may have opened the door to an abuse of your generous sickness policy. I do not necessarily mean the employee deliberately decided to use their pets death as an excuse to take time off but that by being given several days at home, they may have allowed themselves to wallow in the situation. Simply put, they had less to take their mind off it.

In most circumstances and companies the death of a pet does not and should not qualify for significant periods off work. (and I write this as both an HR director and a dog owner).The Drs involvement does complicate things however and it appears possible that the death has triggered a reaction akin to depression. The 2 weeks off is a given as the Dr has signed the note, however a phased return may be overkill.

I think you should agree only to to discuss the situation once they are signed fit for work and make every effort to meet with this employee as soon as they are back. I think there is more to this situiation than meets the eye and you should meet this person to find out what you can as soon as possible.

You might also consider a policy on sickness and/or compassionate leave that gives people an better indication of what they can expect when they have an emergency or bereavment. These don't have to be set in stone but its worth spelling out what the basics are.


...After all, it doesn't take a great leapt of logic to see that one employee getting two and a half weeks off 'for a pet' (even if you know, they were signed off for the most part of that) swiftly becomes the benchmark for time off that any other emergency is measured by.