To be pretty much peed off with HR for ruining my career chances

[bettybetty1983]

I have gone for a promotion at work twice now. The first time, I heard nothing and was really disappointed but I persevered with strengthening my experience in the area I want to get into. Just over a year later, I have lots more experience and I still heard nothing. I was very frustrated, so I asked HR for feedback and they told me they didn't receive either application - they admitted it was their fault not mine.

Today, a few days later, they have told me I can still be interviewed so long as I do it on Tuesday. It is an assessment that takes half the day. I have Tuesdays off and my boyfriend is at work that day so I have no child care. My usual nursery say they have no room (my little one only goes there Wednesday and Thursday usually) and there is no one else. My parents are no longer with us and my boyfriend's live miles away. I have to take the toddler to a medical appointment that day as well as care for him all day. We have tried very hard to arrange childcare but no one can help at this late notice. HR said I either do the interview on Tuesday or not at all - even though I explained all this, they just don't care.

I am so angry because I really, really want this promotion. I don't know what to do. What would you do? File a complaint? It is so frustrating and unfair.

Can you look in to an emergency nanny service locally? Try posting on childcare.co.uk to see if any local childminders have availability?

It's utterly shit I agree but given that these opportunities don't come up very often I'd do everything I could to make it. I know it's not ideal but could your BF phone in sick if all else fails?

For a one off interview, couldn't you ask your inlaws? I don't think filing a complaint is going to send the right message!

Could your boyfriend throw a sickie just this once?

Sitters.co.uk they might be able to help

Can your BF take a days parental leave or use time in lue or annual leave? V tricky!!

Why did they not receive the application?
What are they like on equal opportunities?

Why can't your boyfriend take a days annual leave to care for his child given the circumstances. My DH would for this in a heartbeat for me.

Could you ask your boyfriend if he could take the day off?

ooop - big x posts there, sorry team

Your boyfriend needs to take the day off.

Do they usually give a day and time for interview and that's it, or do candidates usually get a choice? If they give a date and time, then you'll have to do what you can to make it work. If they usually give a choice to candidates, then you should not be disadvantaged due to a mistake on their part.

How on earth did they miss two applications anyway?!?

I agree with others. YANBU to be annoyed - but you need to check if you sent to the right email address, postal address etc? You wouldn't want the same thing to happen again would you?
Your boyfriend should take the day off work for sure.

Why can't your boyfriend take the day off? And why are the first few responses suggesting throwing a sickie?

Your boyfriend has an emergency childcare situation too, assuming he is your DC's father. He needs to take the day off.

Personally stealth I suggested BF throw a sickie because he might be refused annual leave at this short notice (lots of workplaces would say no) and then they'd be stuck. I know it's not ideal but that was my thought process. Obviously if his work are super flexible then it's a bit different

true, good point SC

Your bf needs to take time off to provide emergency childcare. I don't think he should be committing fraud by phoning in sick.

Definitely down to your bf to take the day off.

Your boyfriend needs to take the day off.

It would really be silly of you to file a complaint, how would that help you?
If you really want this promotion you need to make a plan, your bf? As others suggested he needs to help you with this one.

Sorry I thought I said in the post, my in-laws live more than 100 miles away and they already care for my nephew (who lives nearby) so they can't help.

My boyfriend, of course, has asked for the day off. He did that straight away! He works in customer services and it is so difficult to get time off they instantly said no. It is always, always impossible for him to get time off even when he asks weeks in advance. If he wants parental leave, he has to give more notice. This we know from emergencies in the past. He did ask anyway but was given a firm NO.

Because he has already asked, I don't think he can phone in sick. They monitor sick says at his place too so he will get disciplined for helping me get a promotion. Worst scenario, he gets sacked and I don't even get the promotion.

Thank you to the helpful people who provided the links to emergency sitters. I will try those and cross my fingers!! I had no idea such things existed.

They say it's this date and time and that's it because it is late in the process because HR screwed my application up.

I don't know why it did not go through. As I said, it is their fault and they admitted it but didn't explain why. Our applications are made via an internal system, not emailed or posted.

BettyBetty can you post your approximate area? There are often more local childcare agencies etc and someone may be able to recommend somewhere specific

He has to phone a sickie...

Not a huge deal

The government's parental leave page says this

You must take parental leave as whole weeks (eg 1 week or 2 weeks) rather than individual days, unless your employer agrees otherwise or if your child is disabled. You don’t have to take all the leave at once.

and this

Employees must give 21 days’ notice before their intended start date.

so I don't think my boyfriend can kick off either.

The company does usually offer a change of time and date to other people. This I definitely know. I think the department I want to go to would be happy with this - it is HR that is being awkward. And it's their fault!