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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Re work and childcare

34 replies

lastqueenofscotland · 28/05/2019 21:32

A colleague called in today to say their parents couldn’t do the childcare this week, half term was too full on for elderly parents, so they weren’t coming in this week.
Our boss basically said they’ll give her today as emergency leave but the rest of the week has to be annual leave if she doesn’t sort something
She’s furious and has been giving it out over WhatsApp,
Aibu to think our boss was actually fair and deciding you’re having a week off to look after your kid should be holiday?? Everyone else takes annual leave to cover half term etc Confused

OP posts:
Di11y · 28/05/2019 21:34

I'm impressed the boss was willing to do annual leave with no notice. maybe next time they'll book holiday club like everyone else!

FannyWork · 28/05/2019 21:36

She’s taking the piss. I think she’s extremely lucky he offered paid holiday and not unpaid leave.

Bunnybigears · 28/05/2019 21:37

Surely they knew this before today so actual the bosses have been very fair. My childcare arrangement dropped me in it at 11pm last night and my bosses have been lovely but I dont think they would have been impressed if I just hadn't bothered arranging anything at all.

Original poster
lastqueenofscotland · 28/05/2019 21:38

She seemed to expect it would be like calling in sick. She’s now raging if she doesn’t come in tomorrow she needs to use up her holiday Hmm

OP posts:
Primarystress · 28/05/2019 21:39

Boss = he??!

Yanbu.

mummysherlock · 28/05/2019 21:40

YANBU - if her elderly parents can’t/won’t do childcare then it’s either book AL in advance or send them to holiday club

Original poster
lastqueenofscotland · 28/05/2019 21:42

Boss is Male but has 2 preschool aged children and is generally very understanding of people being 10 mins late if they had to deal with a toddler melt down/making up time to go to parents evening.
She’s fuming and I’m just going to ignore her woe is me WhatsApp’s

OP posts:
legalseagull · 28/05/2019 21:45

They are both BU. She is entitled to unpaid parental leave. This is what should have been offered to her instead of using up her annual leave. She should have been contingency plans or be happy to take the unpaid leave she is legally entitled to

edwinbear · 28/05/2019 21:46

She didn’t sort half term childcare out so thought she’d just cover it with some free, extra annual leave she just awarded to herself? Confused Your boss sounds lovely and very accommodating, she’s a CF.

Mummyshark2019 · 28/05/2019 21:47

Your colleague is a twit. The boss was very nice indeed to even give her today as emergency leave so that it is not deducted from her annual leave allowance.

OddBoots · 28/05/2019 21:47

"She is entitled to unpaid parental leave."

You have to give 21 days notice for unpaid parental leave, it doesn't just start the minute you ask.

Bunnybigears · 28/05/2019 21:49

She is entitled to unpaid parental leave. This is what should have been offered to her instead of using up her annual leave.

This is incorrect. She is entitled to unpaid parental leave but unless the child is disabled this has to be requested at least a month is advance. She is entitled to unpaid emergency leave for dependents but this wasnt an emergency situation it is a situation she had prior knowledge of so doesnt qualify as time off for dependents.

edwinbear · 28/05/2019 21:51

Parental leave can also be denied by the business if they cannot accommodate the dates requested, for example if other staff are off. They must then provide alternative dates. But you can’t just call up on the day and tell work you are taking parental leave.

PenguinWings · 28/05/2019 21:53

What's this about being entitled to unpaid parental leave? That sounds great. I'm in the UK and I didn't know about it. Could anyone help me out (oh, sorry yes I mean YANBU- we use our AL to cover holidays)

Houseonahill · 28/05/2019 21:55

Your colleague is unreasonable in what she did and how she went about it but I don't understand why she can't just take it unpaid?

Bunnybigears · 28/05/2019 21:56

www.gov.uk/parental-leave

PenguinWings · 28/05/2019 21:59

That is very useful. I'd been under the impression that it was at the employer's discretion.
Thank you!

goodwinter · 28/05/2019 22:00

Annual leave is completely reasonable in the circumstances, your colleague is behaving like a bit of a tit by complaining about it!

Out of curiosity is the whatsapp conversation just between the two of you, or is it a wider work chat?

Cherrysoup · 28/05/2019 22:03

What an idiot cf! Schools publish term dates a year in advance and she must have been aware her parents were no longer up for it. It wasn’t an emergency, nobody was sick, she’s just taking the piss.

SpeedyBojangles · 28/05/2019 22:04

She knew in advance her parents would not be able to cope during half term so she should have booked this as annual leave way in advance.

Your boss is being generous, she is taking the piss massively. I wouldn't even give that as emergency leave as she knew beforehand. It'd be unpaid parental leave and a warning on her return.

I say this as a parent of young children, but also as a manager. I understand that childcare can break down at times and has happened to me before, but that is just taking the piss.

quizqueen · 28/05/2019 22:15

How is your colleague going to manage 3 lots of half terms, Christmas and Easter, and wait for it, 6 weeks summer holiday as well as inset days and illnesses for at least 9 years. Did she just land on this planet?

Iliketeaagain · 28/05/2019 22:20

She's got some nerve to even try that!
I might try that over the summer. Call my boss on day one of the summer holidays, declare my parents can't help with childcare (as they are 400 miles away) and tell her I'm just taking it off with full pay 🤣.
What is everyone staying over WhatsApp? Surely no one would think what she is asking for is reasonable?!

Petalflowers · 28/05/2019 22:22

Boss was fair,. Either annual leave or unpaid leave. She can’t expect a weeks paid leave as all parents would pull that stunt.

Many companies have Social Media policies, so she needs to be careful what she writes on there.

rookiemere · 28/05/2019 22:28

Very lucky her boss offered her holidays at such short notice, I mean she knew half term was coming right?
She can always apply for parental leave for later in the year if she needs the holiday cover.

Stopyourhavering64 · 28/05/2019 22:30

Wonder what her plans are for the summer holidays?!

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