Working from abroad, manger refused request 10 November 2022 at 10:25AM in Employment, jobseeking & training 34 replies 3.6K views

diystarter7

Talking to a fav nephew last night who  works in the public sector and office based on his request for a 6 weeks away from the office.

My nephew said he would take take the odd few days off and a week when over there for 6 weeks and hoping to travel on Friday after work and return on a day off. He works flexi hours, office based inc making phone assessments and almost always chats with other colleagues/clients via phone/emails etc and face to face is via choice only and they have video chat facility. He can work between the hours of 7-30am and 7pm and min of 4 hours daily and doing a 35 hour week Mon to Friday.

Nephew said to the manager that MP/Matt Hancock  is half way across the world and on tv and can manage, why can't he be allowed the 6 weeks away from his desk. ATM, he is allowed for WFH  one day a week when others get more and the manager's response is, "we need someone in the office." However, there are always other staff there inc the manager most of the time.

I've told him to counsult his union rep on how to put in a written request for 6 weeks away from the office and he is only going to Portugal where I think there  is no time difference and even if he went to another country that was  a 4/5 hour difference he'd managed

So he is to consult his union rep and use Matt Hnacock as an example and demonstrate his work not be affected.

What do you think, any tips/etc, please?

(I said go for it and encourage others but be warned they may see him as a trouble maker)

MorningcoffeeIV

I would advise him to avoid using Matt Hancock as an example at all costs if he want his request to be taken seriously.   

diystarter7

MorningcoffeeIV said:

I would advise him to avoid using Matt Hancock as an example at all costs if he want his request to be taken seriously.   

Many thanks I thumbed up you a while ago and then contacted my nephew via text. He rang back and agreed not to mention Matt Hancok but will run it by the union guy and meeting arranged for later this afternoon. However, we've both agreed in principle as per your suggestion not to mention Hancock other than possibly make a quick, jokey reference but it will depend on the tome of the meeting. I've also reminded my nephew that he may be seen as trouble maker and he said he does not care.
Thanks,

annabanana82

Depending what department of the PS he works in there may be issues of taking work equipment abroad. 

I don't think it's unreasonable for his employer to say no to be honest, it's all very well to say others can go into the office but by your Nephew being away for 6 weeks that may mean that someone else has to cover his time in office.

In the department I'm in there is more of a push now to get people back into the office more regularly and the union reps I know certainly aren't entertaining people's tenuous reasoning for not going into the office.

Marcon

diystarter7 said:

Talking to a fav nephew last night who  works in the public sector and office based on his request for a 6 weeks away from the office.

My nephew said he would take take the odd few days off and a week when over there for 6 weeks and hoping to travel on Friday after work and return on a day off. He works flexi hours, office based inc making phone assessments and almost always chats with other colleagues/clients via phone/emails etc and face to face is via choice only and they have video chat facility. He can work between the hours of 7-30am and 7pm and min of 4 hours daily and doing a 35 hour week Mon to Friday.

Nephew said to the manager that MP/Matt Hancock  is half way across the world and on tv and can manage, why can't he be allowed the 6 weeks away from his desk. ATM, he is allowed for WFH  one day a week when others get more and the manager's response is, "we need someone in the office." However, there are always other staff there inc the manager most of the time.

I've told him to counsult his union rep on how to put in a written request for 6 weeks away from the office and he is only going to Portugal where I think there  is no time difference and even if he went to another country that was  a 4/5 hour difference he'd managed

So he is to consult his union rep and use Matt Hnacock as an example and demonstrate his work not be affected.

What do you think, any tips/etc, please?

(I said go for it and encourage others but be warned they may see him as a trouble maker)

Why would his employer agree? There are a whole load of issues your nephew may not have considered, employer liability being one of them. 

diystarter7 said:

MorningcoffeeIV said:

I would advise him to avoid using Matt Hancock as an example at all costs if he want his request to be taken seriously.   

Many thanks I thumbed up you a while ago and then contacted my nephew via text. He rang back and agreed not to mention Matt Hancok but will run it by the union guy and meeting arranged for later this afternoon. However, we've both agreed in principle as per your suggestion not to mention Hancock other than possibly make a quick, jokey reference but it will depend on the tome of the meeting. I've also reminded my nephew that he may be seen as trouble maker and he said he does not care.
Thanks,

Sounds more like an immature stroppy teen than a mature adult who could manage a workload combined with holiday while abroad for 6 weeks. No wonder his employer has said no!

cmthephoenix

You haven't said for what reason he needs to go abroad?
If it's to look after someone that is ill that's somewhat different than if he wants a holiday. If he wants a holiday he should take annual leave and for comparison purposes I've seen no indication that Matt Hancock isn't taking annual leave to be in Australia - I would certainly be expecting him to be, but again not really wise to bring up someone who is being derided for going abroad as a comparison.

turnitround

I just showed this to a family member who is a union rep.  He just laughed and said 'Is it a wind-up?'

74jax

Why doesn't he ask for a 6 week sabbatical? That would be a way of getting 6 weeks away from the office. 

marmite1979

Can you imagine if the Public Sector started allowing it's WFM staff to choose which country they work in, it'll open up the avenue to outsource its call centres to India and Bangladesh ask the Union if they'd be open to that?

TELLIT01

It has to be a windup.  There is a big difference between working from home on some days of the week, and going abroad for 6 weeks.  When WFH staff can be called in if required, would the nephew be happy to pay for flights home if he was required in the office.  If he wants to be able to work abroad, apply for a job as a travel rep.

annabanana82

Think the OP used to be here under a different guise or two, seems very familiar