To say colleague is a cheeky fucker?

[SayYouCare]

She booked an all inclusive to Spain a few weeks back.

She requested a half day (leave at 12pm), so she can get to the airport and depart. The rest of the week she's there, she already had booked off.

Today she's requested to speak to me. Turns out she is telling me she will be leaving at 12pm on Friday (the date of her holiday), because she says she is now pregnant and has her first MW appointment (the booking one).

Employees don't need evidence for their first Midwife appointment.

AIBU to think she's cheeky and she is leaving for the airport?

Is the flight at 3am? 3pm makes no sense even with half a day off.

I’d be looking very carefully at the holiday snaps she’ll be sharing after she gets back, and listening to the recounts.

Not to say there aren’t preggo women who still drink like fish and go parasailing, but I’m guessing it’s less likely when they’re with their mum & nan in the first trimester?

Don’t know if it’s allowed with your HR policies, but I’d also wait for the next time alone with her after the hols and ask with genuine concern about morning sickness and hoping it hadn’t spoiled things for her? If it is a lie, she’ll have prepared a few strategies but she’d have to be really cold-blooded to control a creeping blush when you bring it up. It’ll only be word-perfect if she controls the timing.

If your suspicions are confirmed (by this means or another) and the miscarriage story is equally strange, you’ll know to treat her with suspicion for the rest of her employment. You’ll get to play the long game, and your moment will come when she counts on a reputation for honesty that she just doesn’t have any more.

You may have to look the mug for now, but karma will likely be your friend.

Or she has the baby, names it after you (or Mallorca) and everybody lives happily ever after.

I'm with those who suspect that the excuses are the other way around I.e she asked for time for a flight when really it was her booking appointment, she just didn't want to formally inform you of her pregnancy yet.

It's a little cynical to immediately think the worst of someone.

Are you seriously expecting her to forgo a paid for holiday because you’ve already got two staff off?

She's just shared a suitcase with tags on it saying "1pm Friday, this will be all packed to go 🙊"

On instagram, no private settings. Ffs

So ? Her suitcase will be packed at 1pm - what's that got to do with price of fish - doesn't mean she doesn't have a midwife app

Then she's some kind of stupid!!!! Screenshot it & keep it to ask her if she has an appointment or not!!

And? That doesn't mean anything, except that she'll be packed and ready by 1pm.

You need to tread very carefully here. Of course she might be lying but if she does have a midwife appointment and you go and accuse her of making it up you're on really weak ground.

Oh come on.

Yeah, this is all bollux. Sorry it is all made up workplace tittle tattle. I don't think you are a manager at all, you are a whingy work colleague with a beef because you perceive someone is getting something better than you.

The flight time thing makes no sense. But most of all your attitude makes no sense.

No manager looks at their employees instagrams and builds their case around shit like this. A manager looks at the employment law and acts on that. And shuts up about their private doubts.

If this is real, i would strongly suggest you ask for this to be deleted. You run the risk of losing a discrimination case and your employer lot of money.

What does your AL policy say, as mort require leave to be booked before a holiday. Ours specifically states you are not guaranteed time off, its based on business need.

Keep records of conversations with her
Screenshot the instagram
Allow the maternity appt - you have to.
Sit back and watch/listen.

Either she will reveal herself as the CF you think she is OR the truth will become clear. No need for action at this point... sometimes doing nothing is the very best course of action.

But again... get this deleted.

Surely she'd have just rang in sick rather than fake a pregnancy and then a miscarriage. She'd have to be a pretty horrible person to fake a miscarriage for 4 hours off work or for any reason at all.

I think like others have said, maybe she didn't want you to know she was pregnant yet so used the airport as a cover for the appointment.

And as for the Instagram thing- she's hardly going to be putting anything about the pregnancy on there yet. It'd be way too early. And her case will probably be packed and waiting for her when she gets back from her appointment so will be all ready at 1pm Friday.

Ask to see proof of the appointment time if you think she's lying. Good idea to say she must come back into work after the appointment. I bet she is off to the airport. CF.

I'm 5 weeks pregnant and didn't want to tell work but I had to as I have gestational diabetes. I spent 3 hours at the maternity unit on Thursday seeing a consultant, having bloods and then seeing a diabetic midwife- luckily it was my day off. I still have to attend my booking in appointment next week which I've been told will take an hour. I know lots of people who dont want to disclose pregnancy early and ask for annual leave for a booking in appointment as you refused it she had no choice but to tell you it was for a midwife appointment

It is utterly unprofessional of you to be labelling people you line manage as CFs on such a public forum and discussing their private requests and possible pregnancies.

Regardless of any doubts you may have.

She wanted to get to the airport early too, her flight doesn't leave until 3 but she wanted time to catch her breath and have a little catch up with her Mum and Nan (they are going with her)

This simply makes no sense at all. She will have to arrive at the airport a minimum of an hour before the flight, and probably two. Unless your office is very close to the airport, she would probably need to leave at noon simply to get there at the right time, not to get there early. And surely she'll have the entire holiday to catch up with her mother and grandmother?

She's an idiot if she thinks employers don't check social media, especially when they think you're a bit of a chancer. Silly woman.

Are you seriously expecting her to forgo a paid for holiday because you’ve already got two staff off?

I’d be seriously expecting her to find another job if she’s that fucking thick.

Not at all unreasonable for an employer to refuse a holiday if there are already people off at the same time.

Tough shit if she’s already paid for it. Expensive lessons are usually the most effective lessons.

She will have to arrive at the airport a minimum of an hour before the flight, and probably two

Why?

Check in online. Get to the gate before it closes. Job done.

Security checks? Have you seen the queues at London airports?

Heathrow check in guide:

As a general guide you should aim to arrive at your terminal:

Long-haul and El Al: three hours before scheduled departure.

UK and European flights: two hours before scheduled departure.

Even if you have already checked in online you should still allow plenty of time – check the times given by your airline for dropping bags, collecting boarding cards and getting to your gate.

You could ask to see appointment card

I agree with all the others that she is pregnant, and she is going on holiday - just not when she says.

I'd find it hard to believe anyone would book a holiday off work but not book the actual day they flight out off. I honestly I would say she's flying out the next day. I also personally think that adds up anyway - she's got her booking in appt the day before going on holiday so that it's done in time otherwise she's adding on another 1-2 weeks after her holiday before she can even get in to see the midwife? I know if i was going on holiday around the 8 week mark, I'd personally rather try and get in to see midwife before I went away on holiday anyway instead of delaying it till I come back! And as she would only be early pregnancy, it would have suited her better in keeping it a secret until at least after the holiday if she could have gotten away with taking the day as a/l instead of coming clean about the pregnancy before she was ready!

I might be being completely naive of course, but I'm 7 weeks pregnant myself and I just know if I'd of wanted to keep my pregnancy quiet from work until after I'd been on holiday, and genuinely had my booking in appt the day before going, I would of at least tried to take the day as annual leave first and make up some excuse for why I needed it, and then have to come clean when the annual leave got refused. I really don't think it's as far fetched as some are assuming it is, I think trying to hide it as needing annual leave has just backfired on her and now it looks a little too convenient. I'd also be seriously pissed off if I knew my manager was doubting me, especially on mn!! But again, maybe I'm way too trusting for my own good lol