Take 1 hour off work every week to go counselling?

[FreeNim]

Hi,

Would it be unreasonable to take 1 hour off every week to go counselling? I work 4 days a week but my counsellor is only available on one of the days I work, and changing the hours around will make childcare difficult. I am only 6 weeks into the job so hesitant to request it. Would I be unreasonable to request it? It would mean leaving work 1 hour early.

Depends what kind of job it is. Supermarket retail kind of job maybe not. corporate job should be fine.

Can you offer to work x amount through lunch and take the hour in lieu?

YANBU but what I mean is depending on the job type depends on whether they'd be open to it I guess.

It's not unreasonable to ask, but it also wouldn't be ncessarily unreasonable for your manager to say no.

YANBU - could you offer to make the hour up across the week, ie work an extra 20min or so (finish later) throughout the rest of the week? Or come in late, leave late? Depends when your appt is really

It is office based in public sector so I could ask, but I feel hesitant as it is a new job (and I don't want to come across like a slacker). My counsellor said I have a problem of always putting myself last ... (very true)

@Malcolms I was thinking of perhaps asking to take an hour for lunch and try and go for counselling then, and then make up the hour at the end of the day, but I will be very rushed for time.

Oh I didn’t read.
I’d offer to work adjusted hours (so 8-4, if you normally do 9-5) on the day you need to leave early. I’d request a meeting with your manager, explain why you need the hour, and explain what you’d be happy to do to accommodate your work/amend your hours accordingly

I would guess you are still on probation . Depends on how secure and how replaceable you are. I would also offer to work though lunch and leave early or start late if that’s an option

I'd find a different counsellor if you can't do it in suitable time. As it won't be a productive session if rushing

Be honest with your manager. I had same issue, similar job. Told him I needed to take an hour a week at lunch for 12 weeks, gave him rough idea what it was for, explained I would have to take an extra 15 mins either side but would make up that day or during the week. He was fine with it.

Depends what type of role your in and how much felxibility you have.

Can you offer to work an extra hour or another day?

Would you expect to be paid for that hour?

And does would that hour include the travel time there?

Do you not get flexi time? I guess not if you're asking but public sector is usually v flexible, you'll need to make up the time tho.

I think it is reasonable to ask. If you have an occ health department they can liaise with your manager. I work in bereavement services and some of our clients have written agreements to attend in work time after occ health supported them. Some mental health clients also have contractual arrangements to attend appointments related to severe/enduring difficulties in work time as part of relapse prevention.

I work in public sector and I make up my time missed on appointments, including counselling. I think it depends where you are, as attitudes are different, also you are new so I'd be a bit more cautious.

It also depends a lot on your grade. If you are a more junior employee (think CS AO, AA. maybe EO) then it's the kind of post where you stick to your hours, then you'll probably have to talk to them and specifically ask for the time off. I'd give them an end-point, and I'd also offer to make up the hours, though they might not take you up on your offer.

HEO, SEO, G6/7 and up then you tend to work far more than your set hours anyway. If you are supposed to work 37.5 hours a week but usually put in 40-70 hours a week, then it's really normal to just block the appointment out in your diary and make up the time, or take it as an exchange of goodwill for the extra hours you've already worked. I'd still have a quiet word with your LM, as you're new.

Counselling can be emotionally demanding. Im not sure if i would want to go back to work after a session.

Did you say you work in a public sector? If it's a public-facing, customer job, they might be a bit pissy about it, especially if short-staffed. If it's a back office, there are more chances they'll be understanding.

I don't know anyone n public service who'd work during lunch as by law you have to take 30min break which is then deducted out of your worked time, if you have any electronic clocking in card. I think it's either: 1) leaving one day earlier, staying another one later or 2) it's allowed as a discretion and medical appointment in work time. In my old job we had a list of various adjustments to credit you back the lost time, for travel delay, doctor appointments. No one was expected to make up the time they had a GP appointment, and that's fair.

It's not unreasonable in itself to take an hour at lunch to do counselling, but 6 weeks into a new job I'd be a bit hesitant to ask for any favours. They don't know you very well and you won't have built up any goodwill as such. They might think 'aye,aye, this is a CF who's going to be asking for all sorts!' I think I'd wait until I'd passed my probation period to ask or find a counsellor who can do it on your free day.

you're not entitled to it but you could ask. 6 weeks in though I'd be inclined to find a counsellor who can see you outside of your working hours, particularly if you only work 4 days a week anyway.

When I was an EO I was allowed time as medical weekly to go to CBT. This did however involve full disclosure to my manager that I was going to CBT (not the topics of discussion obviously) and arranged as best I could to get the earliest or latest appt.

On days where this wasn't possible I would work from home.

Have a chat with your manager and explain that it will help your motivation, efficiency and output, and roughly how many weeks the treatment course is. They're much more likely to be accommodating if they'll get a happier employee out of it. If you have work-related stress it might be worth discussing this with them too to see if anything can be done.

Office based public sector should be fine, mine is, mine even has in-house counseling on offer. Certainly ask.

I don't know anyone n public service who'd work during lunch as by law you have to take 30min break

Um, I work in the public sector and I cannot remember the last time I had a lunch break, or when I last saw a colleague take a lunch break. If working from home, I grab a sandwich and eat at my desk, takes about 5 mins and I'm reading emails at the same time. I think this really varies by grade - a lot of more flexibility for when you put your hours in, at higher grades, but you work a lot more than your contracted hours.

You have only been there for 6 weeks. You only work 4 days a week.

As your manager I would question why you can’t do this on your day off.

Public sector tends to be flexible when it comes to medical appointments but usually expected to make the time up unless your employer has set the councillor up for you.

I would ask if you can use your lunch hour to make the time up or use a day of leave spread over the weeks.