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.

If your boyfriend can't get the day off, investigate emergency childcare. Even if it is expensive, it's an investment.

Have you also considered friends who don't work that day/have a SAHP. I'd do that for a friend as a one off for something as important as an interview.

glasgowsteven - as I said, he CAN'T phone a sickie. It may not be a big deal to some people but my boyfriend gets disciplined for being more than five minutes late twice in a year or sick more than twice in 12 months. As he had a day off sick about 8 months ago, he would be penalised. That is how it is where he works.

Oh, just seen that they will normally offer a change of time and date. Most odd.

Can you go speak to the department itself? If they know you and are keen on you, and you can tell them how hr have screwed up and you really want to interview for them etc, they can bring pressure on hr to resolve it.

That's what I would do at this point.

I would also recommend giving sitters.co.uk a go.

But sometimes you need emergency parental leave, for example if your child is sick, that you can't book in advance. I don't understand how his company can enforce this policy. (Not that it's much help to you OP). Whereabouts are you? Someone local to your area might be able to help/know someone who can.

It does seem unfair. We live in Birmingham. I have done a shout out to friends nearby on Facebook, but no luck so far. We really have tried everything!

Off to investigate emergency childminders. Thanks people!

I have spoken to my current boss and he is as disgusted as I am. He encouraged me to go for the job so would not mind me moving up.

dependents leave is what he wants to take

www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants/whats-an-emergency

God he doesn't work for Amazon does he?

Hope you get something sorted. Try a friend or emergency child minder

HellsGranny - he tried to take emergency parental leave when I was too sick to care for the baby a couple of years back and we discovered then that they don't DO emergency parental leave. If the child is sick, he either has to work the time back or take it from holiday.

However, because he already told them why he needs leave, he can't even pretend the child is sick and do that.

HR won't allow a change because the other interviews were arranged last week. It's because it's late in the day. It's odd to us but makes sense in their beauracratic minds!

The other problem being my son's medical appointment if we do get childcare. Will an emergency nanny be willing to take him do you think? Oh what the hell, I'll cancel that - it's not an emergency thing

I don't think this would qualify as emergency leave for care of dependents. As detailed in the link, that is for basically unavoidable disruptions to childcare, whereas this is a partner who would normally care for a child deciding to do something which means she is not available. Would be different if the OP was ill or something (and OP, they have no option of saying that they simply 'don't do' this type of leave. It is a legal right. They are arses and it sounds like your partner should be looking for a new job too from the sounds of how they treat him!).

I'd rearrange the medical appointment as long as it's not emergency or a long awaited referral or whatever.

Are you in a union? Can you call them or the CAB for some advice?
The HR department has to be very careful as their behaviour may be construed as discrimination, especially seeing as they have blocked your application twice.

I think some emergency childcare places will take them to appointments like that. I've been looking into it recently in case I go into labour early (3 DC to leave somewhere and no family support nearby either!) and I asked about school runs and things like that. Seems most are okay with school runs so I imagine they'd be okay with a medical appointment although it may depend on if they need to drive/can drive if appropriate. Worth giving them a call.

I have no solution for your immediate situation but for the longer term, start applying for jobs with other employers. Your current employer loses your application, then offers you an interview at no notice; why stay with them?

Not much to add other than wishing you luck (and suspecting you work in the nhs due to shite hr dept), I just wondered how attractive you made your fb appeal? Honestly, offering up the exchange of a nights babysitting or something can make a world of difference to the response you get.

Your boyfriend's employers can't say that they don't do emergency leave for dependents. It's a statutory right.

Rearrange DC's medical appointment for sure, then it's one less complication to deal with.

Could you take your LO to your IL's, rather than them coming to you? I realise that means 2 long round trips, but that might be cheaper than emergency childcare...

Can you go back to your creche, and ask the girls if they know the girls on the panel and could you get their numbers to ring around to see if one of them could provide emergency childcare,

Your local childrens information service should be able to tell you childminders in your area who do as hoc days