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Original poster

Do people really actually do this? (Work related)

45 replies

TimeOffForDC · 05/07/2023 18:07

My work place is fairly flexible, as long as your work is done you can take time off to go to sports days or concerts or attend to your elderly parents or take your dog to the vet etc. It's supposed to go down as Dependence Leave.

Work colleague says she tells the manager her kid has a concert and about half the time they don’t, she then has a paid morning or afternoon off work and saves money as she picks up or drops off the kids at the normal time rather than using childcare.

I don’t do this. The childcare bit I do when DC have a concert or sports day, I just don’t put them in on that day. But I never say they have something going on when they don’t.

Work colleague says everyone does it they just don’t admit it.

So do you do this (If you can?)?

OP posts:
ChessieFL · 05/07/2023 18:10

No, she’s a CF. The problem is if your company finds out then they could remove it from everyone.

SmartHome · 05/07/2023 18:11

I don't. Regular piss takers get quickly weeded out where i work.

ThreeRingCircus · 05/07/2023 18:11

No, she's stupid really to have told people. She's trying to make herself feel better and justifying it to herself by saying everyone does it. They don't.

Slothmomma · 05/07/2023 18:11

It's people abusing this sort of flexible working like her that makes employers stop it

SavedbytheBe11 · 05/07/2023 18:12

Nope

7Worfs · 05/07/2023 18:12

I hate people like this. She’ll single-handedly ruin a flexibility benefit for all employees.
And no, absolutely not everyone does it.

Dotandtime · 05/07/2023 18:13

I just can't see that working for very long. How many assemblies does your boss think a child has?

BCBird · 05/07/2023 18:13

We don't have that facility, but if we did inwould not be z cheeky git like her. Brazen too. She will spoil it for the rest

Original poster
TimeOffForDC · 05/07/2023 18:13

Dotandtime · 05/07/2023 18:13

I just can't see that working for very long. How many assemblies does your boss think a child has?

@Dotandtime She does have 3 DC, so probably quite a lot.

OP posts:
Dotandtime · 05/07/2023 18:14

That said, I'm not sure you should need a "reason" for flexible working. If it's available, it should be available for everyone regardless of childcare or elderly parents.

Gymmum82 · 05/07/2023 18:14

Dependents leave is usually unpaid I thought. It is in my workplace and no I don’t do that. If I need paid time off then I use TOIL or annual leave.
If it’s child sickness etc then it’s unpaid or I work the hours back if I’ve no TOIL to use

Mumdiva99 · 05/07/2023 18:14

Nope. Would never do this. It's not fair to the employer.

MissPoldark · 05/07/2023 18:14

Most people don’t do this, no.

Your colleague is a self entitled deceitful slacker.
I’d be wondering what else she’s lying about.

wildfirewonder · 05/07/2023 18:14

Of course not everyone does it. I have never done it.

I read somewhere that a fairly consistent third of people bend rules/cheat systems.

readbooksdrinktea · 05/07/2023 18:14

Why did she say anything? That's too stupid for words.

Invisimamma · 05/07/2023 18:15

I have a pretty flexible job and would never dream of doing this.

LadyLardy · 05/07/2023 18:15

No. I also work somewhere where management are reasonable and flexible where possible. Because we are professionals who don't take the piss.

She's behaving really badly - and needs to grow up, frankly. Adults should be trustworthy.

readbooksdrinktea · 05/07/2023 18:16

Dotandtime · 05/07/2023 18:14

That said, I'm not sure you should need a "reason" for flexible working. If it's available, it should be available for everyone regardless of childcare or elderly parents.

I thought this as well.

BlameItOnTheGoose · 05/07/2023 18:17

I don't because I'm a professional and don't want to get fired. Also, a flexible working culture relies on trust - if people take the piss then it's likely that the privilege of flexibility will be revoked.

But yeah I'm sure plenty of people do take the piss and lie about personal commitments (sickness, school events, etc). It's not clever to brag about it though

MeinKraft · 05/07/2023 18:18

No, I only have a few days carers leave so I keep them for when I actually need them. If I have childcare problems I ask for AL or swap days.

Shutuptrevor · 05/07/2023 18:21

I’ve only ever heard of Dependents Leave being unpaid.

That said, if my team need time for family stuff like that I always just let them have it paid, cos we work hard and they’re good people and I want to keep them!

Your friend would make me rethink that.

Outdamnspot23 · 05/07/2023 18:21

No but there's been one massive pisstaker pretty much anywhere I've worked. Most people don't do this and if anything work beyond their hours for free to finish tasks. I bet the boss knows, they often do but CBA to tackle it.

Cosycover · 05/07/2023 18:23

I think I have the most flexible job on the planet and I still wouldn't dream of doing this.

She will ruin it for everyone.

Treecreature · 05/07/2023 18:23

No. I appreciate the massive amount of flexibility I'm given. I try to show this by not taking the piss and working hard.

henrypenry · 05/07/2023 18:26

Thinking about it is it so bad what she's doing? If the policy is "as long as work gets done". Do people who don't have elderly parents, children get dependent leave?