To think my oh's 'boss' is an arse..

[storminabuttercup]

First post in aibu. Please be gentle. :-)
We have a ten week old baby and last two days I have had d&v and feel shocking. Today I am really struggling. Little one is screaming, i'm being sick lots etc.
Oh works in a small factory, seven or so staff, two owners and a supervisor. Oh has busted a gut this morning to get all his work done and has been to ask supervisor if he can have half day leave so he can come look after ds as I am ill. He's been told no as the other work in the factory is a bit behind and he has to help them.
I probably am being ur. But I feel lousy....:-(

sorry you are feeling so ill but i am afraid your OH's boss isn't being an arse, he is being a boss. he can't let staff go home for every sick partner. the factory would be way behind then.

I know. But thinking he's an arse does help a little bit. :-)

I hate that sort of inflexible attitude though. Unless your OH is forever asking for leave at short notice for various emergencies then would it kill his boss to offer a compromise?

'Can't let you go today but how about you take tomorrow off/have half day etc'

So yes, I think he is being an arse!

Thanks bibi, I think the reason i'm thinking he is an arse is because for the last eight weeks oh has done 'compulsory' overtime of 3.5 hours each day and every saturday morning. (They've been told to look for other jobs if they don't do it)
He has only left at short notice twice, once when I had a miscarriage and then when I went into labour.
Lets just hope oh doesn't get this bug. :-(

I think he is entitled to take a reasonable amount of (unpaid) time-off to look after dependents if there are unexpected disruptions to care arrangements. You being too sick to look after your dc is a disruption.

You need to check this with someone who knows but it is, I think, in the Employment Rights Act 1996.

God forbid that he does catch the virus storminabuttercup - his boss will probably think he's caught it deliberately just to hold up production [hmmm]

Probably very juvenile of me but I can't stand the attitude that some work places have. They act like they own their workers mind body and soul. And get really offended if they find out their workers have a life outside of work.

I'll shut up as it's not helping but I hope you and LO hold up ok until OH return tonight and feel better soon!

Small businesses are very vulnerable to staff shortages. The fact that he is doing overtime sounds like the business is doing reasonably well and you really, really need to be thankful for that in these tough economic times. The boss is not being an arse - it's very stressful running a business for a whole host of reasons and impossible to please everyone all the time. Be thankful that there is plenty work there and that nasty stuff like redundancy/bankruptcy is not being mentioned. Then you'd have a problem much bigger than the one you have now. Sorry, probably not what you want to hear.

tell him to call in sick tomorrow....

i though parental leave had to be taken in 1 week blocks and not 1 day at a time?

Thanks all for your input.
I did read something earlier on parental leave but this company do seem to disregard employment law in many other areas. It just doesn't seem worth the hassle.
Anyway there's only two hours to go now. Thanks again.