Is an interview an appointment?

[RockSocks]

I have an interview coming up and asked my current employer for a few hours off for an appointment, I didn't say medical only that I had tried to reschedule it and was having difficulty doing so.

I did tell my direct manager that it was for an interview, unfortunately no cover could be found in our store so I called the main office and asked if anyone from another store could cover for my appointment, and was sort of shouted at by one of the owners of the company that as it was for an interview not an appointment as they classed it and also half term so no chance.

So can an interview be classed as an appointment?

My manager who is also looking at leaving soon phoned up and told them it was for an interview

I'd say that an interview is a type of appointment in that you have arranged to meet someone for a particular purpose. Same as a haircut or a birthday party might be considered appointments.

It's unreasonable to expect your current employer to give you time off for an interview though. Are you taking the time as annual leave, and have you given the right notice?

It could be classed as an appointment but if I was going to say that I wouldn’t have told anyone it was an interview. I’d be surprised if my employer prioritised cover for me to attend an interview as opposed to a medical appointment.

Few days off sick it is then.

This.

You called it an “appointment” because you knew if you were transparent and said “interview” it would be treated quite differently.

Sorry but you can't expect an employer to give you time off for a job interview unless you are being made redundant.

To make it clear I dont expect to be paid, nor did I expect the time off I just asked and they said no so I will be going in and not pulling a sickie.

What would you tell an employer if you had an interview then?

It is very normal for our store to ask for a few hours for many different reasons, quite often I have to pop in for a while to cover for someone.

Also I couldn't offer to take annual leave for it as they shut the store for a refit with two weeks notice and we could either use holiday or not get hours.

I cant afford to loose the hours so took holiday and and need to save what's left as I'm already over what I have earned so far this year.

I’d try to arrange it for my off shift and if asked to cover at short notice say I had an appointment arranged and couldn’t come in.

Are you mad?
Why would an employer give you time off to help you go and get another job?

Do you not understand how the world of work functions?

Yes I do understand how the world works did you not read the question?

I asked if you would call an interview and appointment not whether they should give me the time off.

They said no to time off so I have moved the interview.

I find these responses slightly insane. Of course people lie about job interviews when they are going for one and they need time out of work. What do you think everyone in a full time 9-5 does? Tell their boss they’re looking elsewhere? Or try and insist an interview happens outside of normal business hours?

Yes and you seem to think that they were unreasonable when they pointed out that you were lying about having an appointment, when you actually had an interview!

Take a half day leave.
Or when I've had flexi time, started early/late and finished early/late.
DH and I have both also had early evening interviews.
I've also interviewed someone by Teams (it was always going to be Teams) who called in from her car on her lunch break!

Take half a day leave.
Schedule for after/before work and claim to have a dentist appointment/opticians (you can only do this so many times).
Even if your boss is reasonable and accepts you are looking for a new job then you'll have to take it as leave.

Yes they do lie about them. What they don't do is lie about them but tell someone else it's a job interview.

I would never tell someone at work that I'm taking time off to interview. Doesn't matter how good a relationship I had with them.