General Chat

Maggy, I am so sorry about the loss of your much loved Dad..... I cannot believe that a firm is treating an employee of 20 years like this.. I was so lucky when I was working they were marvellous to all employee's and if it was very close relations like yours is then we could have the whole week and more is needed.
I hope that you get it sorted Maggy, wonder what they would do if it was their Dad??
Hugs to you and yours. from Maisie xx

Thanks for your comments everyone. Makes me feel better knowing that people agree.

Liz, that sick leave sounds very tempting!!

Maggy,

So sad to hear about your Dad, I hope you and your family are looking after each other and yourselves.

I always found the situation in the UK strange when it came to family deaths even when I lived there. It is most inhumane.
We were living in the UK and had our own business when my Dad died and couldnt take any time off, it was awful. My Grandad died a year later and I was still in shock after my Dad; I was also 6 months pregnant and hubby tried to get time off to drive me the 100miles to the funeral. He was told if you go you will be sacked. I drove myself and the kids down to the funeral.

In contrast my Gran died in 2004, 2 years after we moved here. I was granted paid leave for as long as I needed and hubby was told if he needed to take a couple of weeks to bring me over to the funeral that was fine.

The one thing our manager struggled with was the length of time between the death and the funeral. Over here the burial generally takes place 3-4 days after death and you would be frowned upon if you returned to work within a week of a parent passing away.

Take care and dont let the bullies get you down.

love Theresa

So sorry for your loss Maggy.

and What can I say... some people are all heart.

Deanna X

Take a whole chunk off as sick leave by going to your doctor and saying you are not sleeping due to the stress and upset. They will have cut off their nose to spite their face then.
I always think the better you treat your staff the better they will work for you, but doesn't seem to be the case these days.
Good for your daughter, glad she can tell them what to do with their job and measly days off.
Lizx

Thanks AL, will hear what she has to say tomorrow first, then maybe take it further.

Good luck!

Think 2nd point of call should, therefore, be personnel/HR. They must have policies on these things. It could be at the discretion of your line manager, but at least you'd know for sure then.

AL

Have to agree with you Julie Ann, it's the principle of it that's upsetting me most too.

Wouldn't mind if I was the sort of person that has lots of time off. Have had about 3 weeks off sick in all the 20 years I've worked for them and was in hospital for 2 weeks of that!

My problem is that I am too honest AL!! But might get a sick note anyway. I shouldn't have to use my annual leave to watch my dad die!

Have looked in my Staff Handbook, but it doesn't explain in there.

Will let you all know.

bliddy thoughless that wat i think maggy
let them be in the same position,
well no cos they got no heart so it wouldnt botther them,

im really sorry to hear your having such awful time to go thru, i send you my heart felt sympathy, and hugs to help yhou thru this sad time

your dad will be watching them dont worry and for adding to your pain im sure he will sort them
xx
hugs to your mam too

So sorry to hear about your dad's death.

In my firm we get five days compassionate leave for the death of a parent or spouse. Usually unpaid leave would need to be agreed advance, but I don't think an employer needs to grant this automatically.

Why don't you take the leave out of your annual leave and then "be sick" if you need a few days off later in the year?

If you think it's just your line manager that's being unhelpful why don't you have a word with your personnel/HR department. They should know the rules. Saying that, you should have access to an employment manual (sometimes there on a Company's intranet now), that details all the employment benefits and how you qualify for what. I'd check that out first.

(((Hugs))). Hope you sort things out - it's the last thing you need at a time like this. AL

Just heard from my daughter. She had last friday off when her grandad died and wants 1 day off for the funeral and has been told she's not getting paid either. She will have the last laugh though, she has found herself another job!!

Maggy, I knew that yr dad had been taken ill but I didn't know that he had died - I'm so sorry.

Have already looked on there Penny, thanks. That's where I got my information from. I think that more or less confirms what I thought.

Thanks to everyone else. Will let you know how it goes.

By the way, my hubby has been given 6 days off, with pay!!

Maggy we are only allowed 2 days compassionate leave however if it's a loss of close family, our line manager encourages us to go to the doctors for a sick note.

Sorry for your loss Maggy.

If you worked for my boss you'd get however much leave you needed - and paid!!

But every company differs on policy i guess - and of course that old chestnut 'management discretion' ..............

Hope you get it sorted xx

Maggy

sorry to hear about your Dad.

Take a look at this government page

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkAndFamilies/DG_10026555

I went back to work today Colin. I am only asking for last Friday, yesterday and next Monday for the funeral as my bereavement leave.

I just think that my line-manager is being totally unreasonable. She is coming out to see me tomorrow, I just wondered what the rest of you thought.

We pay three days compassionate paid leave and will allow a 'reasonable' amount of unpaid...As a Manager I try to be as flexible as possible and I would rather let one of my staff grieve for a few days and come back ready to face the working environment rather than come back before they are ready and cause problems with under performance or stress related absence

I'm only asking for 2 days unpaid leave. If I use my annual leave or get a self-certification sick note they will have to pay me!

I am in a union Sue, so that might be my next move, but at the end of the day I'm not asking for much am I?

Can I just add too, that my work record is good, I do not have time off.