I'm annoyed with work about this. AIBU?

[YoSaffBridge]

I work in an office, standard 9-5 hours, no overtime expected or paid for really. The past few months have been very busy because we've been at least one, if not two, people short-staffed, which is half the team that does my job. So it's been a busy and stressful summer, though of course the positive is I don't have to do anything at home (certainly don't get paid enough to work extra hours )

Anyway, today I had to take an unexpected day off as the toddler was excluded from nursery for a tummy bug. We have a big rush job on to be done by the end of the week so this seemed like a minor disaster. I said I would do a specific job from home in the morning that takes about an hour, as it's easy to do and would help out a lot. Then my line manager has to take the day off with an ill child too, which makes it a total disaster. So I've done a good 4 hours work at home today on this project (bit of juggling with the hour DH had before leaving work, toddler's nap, during dinner etc), which work are well aware of as it meant communicating constantly by email.

A little while ago I emailed my line manager to explain what I'd managed to do and asked, very politely and nicely I thought, what would happen about this day's leave. I had said yesterday I would take annual leave for today, but now I've done half a days work, so wondered whether it would then be half a day's leave. She said well, no, because you've not been in the office, so it's a whole day's leave.

I'm a bit annoyed with this as I could in theory not even logged on to my email today and known my line manager was off, so could have had a whole day. But I've helped out for several hours. As I said, this is a job where some staff members in our dept do work from home one day a week (so working from home is acceptable) but also where something like today's sort-of disaster is rare and we're not expected to put in more than our contracted hours during the week.

AIBU to think that they could at least consider changing it half a day's leave? Or is this just a suck-it-up-and-not-go-the-extra-mile-again situation? I'm so surprised they said this as they consider themselves a good and family friendly firm.

I reckon they should give you half a day's leave, ungrateful bastards. I'd be really upset.

YANBU

I would probably send a pissy passive aggressive response along the lines of "thanks for clarifying companies position for future reference"

They sound very ungrateful.

All it takes is a little give and take on each side and situations like this can be resolved easily.

If it was me, this would have got my back up and made me decide to not be so helpful in future, and it would be their tough luck!

I would take it as is, the take a whole or half days sick in a few weeks. That's just me though.

Actually I don't think it's required as annual leave.

In my view it should be a parental leave day. Or working from home.

Neither of which would actually impinge you and you would be paid for.

It's what I'd use, HR.

I'd put in a written complaint about that and copy in HR / next line manager. I'm not stroppy but that's massively taking the piss and does not show any appreciation for your working flexibly and covering others.

I don't get any paid parental leave, just unpaid. I could really do with this half day back as taking today as holiday means I have to cancel a planned day off later in the year, which I need to cover DH's work. But half a day would help enormously.

I'm glad to hear I'm not being tight or anything. It seemed reasonable to me as I've still done half a day's work, but when they said no I thought maybe it was just me.

If they still say no then definitely, I'll not even log on to my emails when off again!

I'd be happy for you to get half a day's leave back, if you worked for me and did that.

I'd email that you have spent 4 hours on the project, achieving XYZ progress, which has helped the the team / company in such and such a way, and you hope that she will realise that this was your own time, and therefore you hope she will reconsider.

If not, escalate to her line manager.

Thanks just. If they say no I might email our joint manager and explain. Though it's a bit hard to decide whether to rock the boat or just suck it up and not be helpful again. And have an imaginary doctors appt on the morning I need a few hours off...

Do not suck it up. You did half a days work. You should not have to take holiday for time you worked. Don't get pissy about it just put the facts out there. Speak to HR if necessary. She might not have realised the amount of work you did. If you let it pass worse will happen next time.

I agree - you did a half day's work, so you should not have to take it as holiday.

I'd also definitely not be doing anything extra until they showed a bit more appreciation.

Ridiculous. Working from home is seen as valid paid employment and actually the norm in some companies. I would push for payment or the extra half day in lieu.

You're being completely reasonable. Don't suck it up.

YANBU, but they would not have been unreasonable to have refuse you (or your boss) the day off you took at short notice, if they were shortstaffed and working to a deadline, regardless of your childcare issues which are not their problem. So I would not push it, especially if your line manager has also spent half the day working on a day she will have to take as holiday.

YANBU.
As a Line manager I wouldn't expect someone to take a days leave in those circumstances.

My advice: don't mention it again for a while. Mention it when you need to leave early for a nativity play or similar. Store it up.

I'd ring in sick on the day you originally wanted as holiday, for definite. And the day after, to make it 'believable'

YANBU....definitely take it further! It's undoubtedly against policy. You need to force them to think it through. Agree, maybe involve HR if further friendly chat about it with manager proved fruitless.

but they would not have been unreasonable to have refuse you (or your boss) the day off you took at short notice, if they were shortstaffed and working to a deadline, regardless of your childcare issues which are not their problem.

But you have a childcare problem to which the only solution is for you to take the day off. So you do. What can your employer do in such a circumstance?

boomtownsurprise parental leave is in week blocks, not one day occasions. Did you mean dependents leave? Dependents leave is unpaid but could be enhanced by some organisations (mostly it is unpaid).

OP - speak to your line manager and explain you were unhappy with her response due to the work you did from home. And then follow up in an email if she disagrees.

This kind of thing frustrates me. Organisations don't help themselves sometimes - scratch my back we scratch yours is normally a better mentality to have. I'd have given you a pat on the back and thanked you for saving the situation.

Not in my firm. We approve a day or up to 5. Mostly we find people just use a day or two. Either they split between parents or that's enough to find alt. arrangements.

I'd be u happy. You did 4h work from home so that's not a full day of annual leave.

Raise it with your line manager and/or HR depending on your organisation.

I'd give you the full day back!

I'd love the full day back!

Well, am in the office today and nothing has been raised. We're still busy so I'll leave it till tomorrow and then ask my line manager again what I should enter on the leave system, a day or a half day.

Dh has had to do a few days from home recently because of various family issues and he has not had to take leave. You are being completely reasonable, you worked from home despite looking after a poorly child. Your company needs to get its act together!