how to get time off work for interviews?

[holidaysoon]

simple question really but I'm loath to post it! I need to take at least one afternoon and a day off work to go to visit the site of a new job and for an interview.
I don't want to tell my boss I'm applying for a new job yet it will be in the next week or so so I can't ask for annual leave, don't really want to say I or dcs are sick can anyone think of something i can say to get the time off without loking suspicious? It is a bit of a pathetic question but my current dept has a number of issues not least being my boss and current head of dept both fighting the whole time over who I work for and demanding my presence 10 hours a day to make themselves look big and clever I don't want to look suspicious!

[AMumInScotland]

Do you need to tell them anything? If I asked my manager for a day and a half off, from my annual leave, to "deal with some things" then he'd be fine with that. So long as I didn't have to miss an important meeting or anything like that.

But you could always make it "workmen" if you think they'll be inquisitive.

[cfc]

Could you just ask for a day's unpaid leave, and just leave it at that?

[holidaysoon]

I like the workmen idea thanks

the other 2 ideas wont cut it I think trouble is my bosses are fighting and I'm caught in the middle, another colleague with boss2 is nervous and irritable everytime I go anywhere (even the loo) she asks me when I'm coming back (obv. I don't have to ask for permission to visit loo) but part of my job is on another site and they just can't cope with me not being in front of them!

Not hard to see why I'm looking for a new job is it?!

[flowerybeanbag]

Why can't you ask for annual leave?

[holidaysoon]

have to give 6 weeks notice!

[zippitippitoes]

6bweeks notice to take a day off

no wonder compoanies get people taking duvet days

[holidaysoon]

I thought it was pretty normal

[ScareyBitchFeast]

throw a sicke?

do they know you want to leave?
cna you be honest?

[holidaysoon]

don't want to I need to save those for the dc's!
No
No!

[ScareyBitchFeast]

ah but hopefully you will get a new job, so you neednt save any sick leave for dcs

[holidaysoon]

lol
hadn't thought of that
I'll go and work out how much I've had so far we've had a bad run with 4 hospital admissions and an infectious disease so i think it will be lots!

[flowerybeanbag]

6 weeks notice, that's ridiculous! Fine for 2 week holidays but for the odd day that's a bit silly.

So if you were taking a day because you had workmen, would that not be out of your annual leave entitlement anyway? Just struggling to see the difference!

[Ripeberry]

That rule of 6 weeks notice is not that unusuall. One of my friends works in Sainsburys and she has to tell them of her holiday plans at least 6 months ahead!
No wonder the OP wants to get out.

[flowerybeanbag]

That's interesting Ripeberry. What does your friend do if she needs a day off for, say, furniture delivery, workmen or something like that? Surely it's virtually impossible to actually be able to give 6 months' notice of every holiday day you take? Do people ring in sick for those types of things, or is there some other type of time off they use?

[zippitippitoes]

i think that is ridiculous

it is no sensible way to run a business it undermines staff and just causes problems as far as i can see

no rotas are written that far ahead

and surely management are capable of thinking flexibly

i am

i definitely think it just encourages people to throw sickies

it must do

[Ripeberry]

She used to throw sickies, but they have come down hard on that as well. You have to produce a doctor's note for anything over 3 days. And if you have more than 3 sickies a year even if it's just one day they give you a written warning.
She doesn't wait in for anyone as she still lives with her parents and has no children.
Just realised that she has been with Sainsburys for 23yrs and she came to them as a YTS trainee back in 1985.
But even she does not get any special treatment.
Should get a medal i say.