Work training conflicting with school pick-up

[Ripeberry]

Hi, got a bit of a dilema, my dd1 is at reception in school and next Tuesday is the last day at school.
Problem is that work wants me to go in for a training session that starts at 1pm and finishes at 4pm.
Of course then i can't collect her from school.
My DH can't work from home that afternoon and i've asked two other mothers from school that she knows if they could collect and look after her (only for 1hr).
But they've all given lame excuses that they are going off somewhere else or they don't have room in their car.
Work say i MUST attend the training or they will have to suspend me.
They have only given me 3days notice of this and my MIL is on hols at present and my own mum is too ill to look after her and anyway she lives 50 miles away so no help there.
What would you do/
Keep DD1 at home on the last day of school and she'll miss all the fun or tell work to stuff it as familly comes first.
My DD2 will be at the chilminders anyway that day (thank goodness) but she can't take on my DD1.
Thanks for reading.
AB

[Antonia3]

don't think they can make you - check out the EOC website www.eoc.org.uk/ here

[wheresthehamster]

Obviously DH is going to have to take a days holiday or a sickie.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

I dont think they can make you do it either - especially at such short notice.

Can DH not book the afternoon off though?

[Judy1234]

Call an agency and pay someone to collect your child or even better get your husband to do it - as much his problem as yours. Or make your husband do it.

[Ripeberry]

No, he can't as he's got an important meeting to go to that afternoon.
The timing is all wrong, but they have these training sessions at odd times through the year and the person doing the training comes all the way from London and has to stay in a B&B for the night, so its not easy to reschedule.
I'm working part-time as a home care assistant and it makes me think, was i working illegaly in the first place??
It's just that they've got a new manager in and he is tying up all the loose ends.

[REBELlatrixlestrange]

Three days is very short notice.

My DH shares our childcare, but there are times when he can't get out of work, same as there are times I can't (save being run over by a bus blah blah).

I would also be loathe to pay an agency to look after my child at such short notice. And anyway, if work are insisting on this, then they should be covering the childcare costs (cloud cuckoo with some employers I know).

Sorry, ripeberry, not much help, I've refused to go on training before for this reason, but it doesn't sound like an option for you.

Are there any other mums you can ask, or a neighbour you know well?

[Ripeberry]

Thanks Rebel, i may ask a neighbour if she can collect as she is on special leave at the moment BUT its very difficult as she is looking after her DH who has cancer (he is up and about) but she has a lot on her plate.
All the other neighbours are out at work.
Think i'm gonna have to take my DD1 out of school at noon and take her with me to the office.
They can't refuse can they? at least i turned up.
Thanks for all your suggestions at least i know what my rights are.
AB

[flowerybeanbag]

hmm, not so sure about your 'rights' ripeberry. Depends on what your contract says about your hours - often there is something built in about employer's right to vary them. It also depends what the training is. Could they have given you more notice - did they know about it for ages but just not tell you? And how important is the training for your job? We don't know at the moment that it isn't a legal requirement of the employer to train you in whatever it is. You do mention a concern you may have been working illegally? As a home care assistant I can imagine there is a possibility that some training you need might very well be a legal requirement.
So depending on that, they very possibly can insist, and certainly have no obligation to pay childcare costs incurred.

Having said all that it wasn't a lot of notice to give you, and as you are the primary childcare provider, if they discipline you for not being able to go because you can't make alternative childcare arrangements they could be on dodgy ground and it could be discrimination, especially if they could have given you more notice.

I would approach in as constructive manner as possible, I am sure you have probably explored all these options, but could you leave the training a bit early, or is there a similar course running at a later date you could attend? You mention training session at odd times through the year, if it isn't a vital H&S/legal type training, could you attend later?

[Judy1234]

Okay, that's difficult. My sister works for herself, doesn't get paid if she doesn't work and the work she does is largely at home so the person from an agency which she's only occasionally had to use (and she's just fond a local sixth former actually who may be better) is in the house with her there so much really a stranger sort of situation in that she's there and she has appointments she can't easily change.

[putitdown]

where are you can you see if a childminder on MN will do it of ryou

[Ripeberry]

Just an update, this morning on of the parents said that they could collect my daughter tomorrow and look after her until i got back.
Felt so happy and relieved it all got sorted out and GUESS WHAT?!!
Work rang me an hour ago, just before they were going home for the day at 5pm and said ..Oh, sorry but training days on Tuesday and Wednesday are cancelled and you will need to come in on Thursday and Friday instead.
I could not speak to them as i was driving at the time...god i was fuming!!!
I'm so lucky to have a very understanding and lovely MIL and she has agreed to have the girls for both days, but why should she be messed around so much?
I've got to get her a big bunch of flowers or something.
Thank you for all your replies.
P.S if they change it again i'm going to explode!!
AB