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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Manager refusing time off work for appointment

102 replies

user78754567 · 28/05/2021 22:37

I have an hospital appointment next Friday and asked my manager if I can take a day holiday or unpaid to attended the appointment and he refused. He told me he can’t give me a whole day off for the appointment only half a day. The hospital is a 6 hour round trip so no chance of me been able to work. Aibu to take a sick day?

OP posts:
Looksabitbig · 28/05/2021 22:39

What does he want you to do? I mean a half day might normally work but not in this scenario!

BadTimesAtTheElRoyale · 28/05/2021 22:40

It depends if you get paid for first day off sick. Ssp only kicks in after the 3rd day.

Original poster
user78754567 · 28/05/2021 22:41

@BadTimesAtTheElRoyale

It depends if you get paid for first day off sick. Ssp only kicks in after the 3rd day.
I won’t get paid but i think it’s my only option
OP posts:
Original poster
user78754567 · 28/05/2021 22:42

@Looksabitbig

What does he want you to do? I mean a half day might normally work but not in this scenario!
It’s because we are short staffed that day two people on holiday
OP posts:
MadMadMadamMim · 28/05/2021 22:42

I think I'd be asking him what he suggests you do?

I wouldn't take a sick day - I'd simply politely re-iterate that I have a hospital appointment that day that I cannot cancel. I will either take it as unpaid or a day's holiday.

BarbarianMum · 28/05/2021 22:43

Take the half day then just call him to say it's taking longer than expected/you're stuck in traffic.

callmemaybee · 28/05/2021 22:43

I mean, depends on how much you like your job

Somewhere you don’t care about? Attend your appointment regardless

If you do care about this company though, that’s not the right move. It’s obvious you’re taking the day off for the appointment.

Just show an effort to compromise eg say you tried to arrange it outside of work but couldn’t (which is presumably true). The next step would be to rearrange the appointment to miss the least amount of time at work - so maybe ask for the last appointment of the day and leave 3.5 hours before you finish work? Or perhaps offer to work from home that day so you can still complete some work, or catch up on it later.

ijustgiveup · 28/05/2021 22:48

Just go. Employers need to remember that they don't actually own us

FindingMeno · 28/05/2021 22:49

Tricky, and a bit shitty of your boss.
Everyone knows there's not a lot of wiggle room for hospital appointments to be messed about in the present circumstances.
I would try to see if there's any possibility of it being changed -and whether you have any say in the new date/ how long the wait will be.
If you can arrange to miss the least amount of time, then do, if you are not having to wait too long. If not, explain to your boss that you have tried to re- book, and put the ball in their court to come up with a workable solution.

Iggi999 · 28/05/2021 22:53

Obviously the importance of the appointment will affect what you do. If it is an important one (since it's far away I'm guessing something pretty specialist) I would be off work and assume he won't actually fire me. For something minor I'd try to rearrange.

PixieDust28 · 28/05/2021 22:55

Just go. Waiting times are long as it is. Does he expect you to cancel to benefit him?

They don't own you as PP suggested. His first fuck up was allowing two people to be off on the same day with holiday if he knew was was going to be short staffed. Not your problem.

Could you ask one of the people on holiday if they'd swap a holiday day with you? So they come in and you have it off? I've been asked this before and swapped a day.

LivingLaVidaCovid · 28/05/2021 22:59

Argh....Why do managers treat staff like this????
Politely tell them in writing its a medical appointment, you need to go and cannot cancel, it will take 6 hours. You are flexible on how this is handled - sick day / unpaid time or time made up, and if desired you can work after the appointment / do overtime.

Please go to the appointment

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 28/05/2021 23:10

Could be worth a quick chat/Google with ACAS just so you know where you stand on legal point.

PrtScn · 28/05/2021 23:11

@BarbarianMum

Take the half day then just call him to say it's taking longer than expected/you're stuck in traffic.
This is what I would do
Sillyduckseverywhere · 28/05/2021 23:11

Tell. Don't ask.
It's not like you're asking for a day off to put your feet up. I'm sure he'd rather you weren't off sick for longer due to not being "allowed" a day to see to your health and wellbeing

Creamdo · 28/05/2021 23:33

Do you have a HR department you can copy in when you reply to him and state you need to attend a medical appt

MustardRose · 28/05/2021 23:44

Requests for time off to attend a medical appointment should not be unreasonably refused. The fact that other people are on holiday isn't your fault, is it? You didn't deliberately arrange the appointment to clash with their day off.

It is their responsibility to arrange cover should the business be short-staffed. It isn't exactly unknown for people to have to suddenly take time off at the moment, is it? There should be contingency plans anyway, and if they haven't any, then that's their fault.

Hospital appointments are as rare as hen's teeth at the moment - they would be unreasonable to refuse.

Memedru · 28/05/2021 23:58

I would take half a day, then phone up saying you cang make it back due to traffic/appointment taking longer!

I had a similar problem, told I couldnt have the day for an appointment, then a few months later, when they was desperate for someone to come in on a Saturday I told them to piss off!

My attitude is, I can be flexi, if they can be flexi

MiddlesexGirl · 29/05/2021 00:07

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/basic-rights-and-contracts/time-off-work-overview/ Scroll down to time off for doctor/dental appointments.
And then www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/holidays-and-holiday-pay1/taking-your-paid-holiday/
It's actually less helpful than I was expecting. And particularly unhelpful for 9-5 workers.

DeflatedGinDrinker · 29/05/2021 00:10

Your boss is a dick op just go he/she obviously cares zero fucks about your health and wellbeing.

Dddccc · 29/05/2021 00:19

Sorry but its short notice most employers require 4 weeks notice for days off other people have already booked off which you knew about I would first be ringing the hospital and see if they can fit you it at another time ie late afternoon so you could work the morning or a different day, no employers do not own ppl however they do need to have staff to run a business if no one works no money would be earned so no wages

RB68 · 29/05/2021 00:25

At the moment you are not always getting much notice for hospital appts so talk of 4 weeks notice frankly isn't feasible or reasonable. With the NHS you go when summoned

CoffeeCakey · 29/05/2021 06:16

Annoyingly I think they don't legally have to give you the time off, they can expect you to arrange it out of working hours. Which is very short sighted of your employer.

Loubiemoo · 29/05/2021 06:41

Do not try to rearrange your appointment. Your health comes first.

ittakes2 · 29/05/2021 06:44

Sounds like you have been given an appt at short notice - I would ring hospital to see if they can shift it back or forward a day. And start looking for a new job as unfort your boss sounds awful.

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