To think she needs taking aside

[Iamthequeen82]

Work in a school kitchen.
Have this one lady who for some reason cannot get her appointments out of work time. We work 9-2. A few years ago she needed a cosmetic dental treatment, during work time, line manager said no, so she went about their head spoke to the head teacher who let her have the time off (paid). Another colleague wanted to go to a funeral but was told no, she just accepted it and that was that. This one lady always has to have blood tests, X-rays etc etc (nothing wrong with her). I’m feb she had a minor op and was off for 4 weeks paid. I’m April her dad died so 2 weeks off (totally 100% behind that and support the time off) paid. Last week she told line manager on Friday she might be half an hour late as she had a smear booked in for 8.30 Monday morning. Line manager just said ok, as felt it was too late to get her to change it. Monday morning comes round, gets to 10am still no sign, line manager goes into office and lady had txt them to say “app changed to 10.30 will be in later” in she waltzes at 11.15 no apology or naff all. And nothing has been said to her or anything. I feel it’s unfair on us that abide by the company rules. One colleagues daughter is going to hospital app alone, another has arranged her mammogram for out of works time. I’m just really fed up with the injustice of it.

[MouseInCatsClaws]

I work with one of these, it is so frustrating and bad for staff morale. The manager shouldn't be tolerating it if everybody else has to toe the line.

There's always one

[lastcall]

She wouldn't last long in our school...

[AbsolutelyPatsy]

i dont know why you know all this is paid time, put her out of your mind, sheis not your problem

[JustSaveIt]

I too work in a school kitchen. We are a small team, and we have a member of staff like this. Every appointment is during working hours, she sneezes and then takes 3 days off sick. She’s had 4 term time holidays approved even though I was told that this was forbidden.

3 years she has worked with us and during that time, she’s only completed one or two half terms without taking time off. She had an op last year that had a recovery time of 2 weeks - she took 6.
So yes, I should probably mind my own business too, but it’s extremely bad for moral working alongside someone like this. The worst thing about it is that her shifts are only 2.5 hours a day anyway! And yet she still can’t schedule her appointments around it.

[Phoenix99]

I hear you OP. I always manage to rearrange appointments for me or the DC outside of work/school hours. Some people just don't try. I'm sorry you couldn't go to the funeral. In your shoes I would have argued it, and used said colleague as an example, but then I am more assertive than your average person.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

i dont know why you know all this is paid time, put her out of your mind, sheis not your problem

Except every time OP and the rest of the team have to do her share of the work as well as their own....

[FierceBarrie]

@Use627

Ming your own business and break the rules as well if you want to?? People like you are the worst in a work place 😬

No, piss-taking skivers are the worst in the workplace.

It’s not OK for one person to get preferential treatment in the work place. It does nothing for staff morale, company culture and keeping people motivated.

Everyone knows this, which is why the vast majority of people behave reasonably, whereas skivers stick out like a sore thumb - and get well and truly noticed.

It’s your manager’s job to explain to you why employees aren’t being treated equally. That does not mean divulging people’s confidential medical information. It just means reassuring you that there is a good reason why one person is entitled to more paid time off than everyone else.

Speak with your manager.

[Gilly12345]

If I were you I would mind your own business, just turn up for work and do your work and then go home, simples.

[Youaretoocool]

@wewereliars

You have no idea what's wrong with her, she may be battling a serious condition. She 's not likely to tell you.

I have a work colleague who has MS and is the main breadwinner. I have become friendly with her and know that the lengthy absences she has had are because of awful complications. Management know but no one else. I would not want to swap with her that's for sure.

Nah. Her colleague just sounds like a chance. If she had MS for example, I’m sure she’d of told everyone and anyone. To me it sounds like she’s just taking the piss

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

I think you’re right OP, and people are being deliberately contrary.

I understand what you’re saying to be that she has a lot of appointments, and appears not to even try to get them in her own time, but appears to be having them in work time as much as possible.

I think maybe you lost sympathy by posting some irrelevant bits that were justified, like her bereavement etc

[Youaretoocool]

@Gilly12345

If I were you I would mind your own business, just turn up for work and do your work and then go home, simples.

Hahaha sounds like you’re probably one of these types of people 🤣 it is the OPs business as they’re meant to be working as a team. It’s very hard to have good staff/colleague morale when one clearly takes the piss. It isn’t hard to arrange appts after 2pm. Christ I work 8:30 - 5 and I still try book outside of work or at the very least, the last possible appointment. If you think this kind of behaviour is ok then you’re obviously the same 🥰

[billy1966]

Well now that a precedent has been set for such flexibility, you and your colleagues can insist on it or ask why not.

[Womendohavevaginasnick]

4 years ago she had lots of health investigations and found 'nothing wrong'
She has regular bloods tests.
She needs x-rays and other scans.
She's had an operation which led to a month out of work.

Do you seriously think there's nothing wrong with her health?

If I had nosy colleague's I'd be saying I'm fine too. But then I always say I'm fine. There's nothing wrong. Even if my leg fell off I'd say I'm fine.
Some people don't want to be the one the office is gossiping about.
Nobody wants the patronising head tilt and constant "are you okays" they'd rather just get on.
There are any number of things that could be going on here, physical, mental, emotional. Literally could be anything.
Imagine if you went to your manager complaining about her and later you found out she had cancer? Or was in a mental health crisis? Or had a sick or disabled child at home? You'd feel like absolute shite and rightly so.

[MouseholeCat]

Bringing up the operation and bereavement leave isn't relevant- those are perfectly valid reasons for time off.

GP appointments in work hours for routine/preventative stuff is annoying as yes, she could probably schedule those after work.

It can be harder to do that with hospital appointments.

If you really want to do something, perhaps just clarify the leave policy with your manager saying that you noticed some colleagues routinely have appointments during work hours and you're not sure what's okay and what isn't.

[daisybrown37]

I have worked in HR for 20 years and in education.for the last year. It is the least flexible environment there is - no time off during term time for anything but emergency or hospital appointments. Smears would be expected to be done during the holidays. No chance of seeing your kids school play or taking them to an appointment. I can see how resentment grows when others are treated differently.

I left after 8 months, I needed to be able to occasionally put me ke my child first (I was all year round but still had the same rules to follow, despite working for school holidays)

While it is not the OP business, it will feel unfair when others receive no flexibility.

[pabloescobarselasticband]

I get what your saying OP. I used to have to manage someone like this, always a different reason excuse As to why she needed time off or came into work Late! It really began to get on my nerves after a few months and I pulled her up on it, she stormed off, went above my head and requested a transfer. She then went on to behave exactly the same in the next department she was transferred to!

[Mandalay246]

If she works 9 - 2 she has plenty of time to make appointments out of working hours. I fully agree with paid time off for medical appointments, funerals etc. for full time jobs, but this woman is taking advantage.

[HowdyPartners]

Blimey OP, get your nose out of her business! Be supportive and kind instead. That many appointments would be so embarrassing for her and acting nonchalant is probably a defence mechanism against you and her other cruel colleagues.

[PineappleMojito]

I have a chronic health condition that I don’t readily disclose to colleagues. My managers at work know, and they are also aware that I do my best to arrange appointments away from work but the NHS isn’t always flexible for hospital stuff. She may have a GP surgery that is oversubscribed and doesn’t have much choice of appointments. You don’t know that there is “nothing wrong with her” - you wouldn’t know there’s anything up with me either. Not every disability/illness is visible and all. And it’s not up to a work colleague to decide what appointments or tests other people do and don’t need.

That said, cosmetic dentistry in work time seems a bit unreasonable unless it was something that would affect her at work or was affecting her mental health (missing front tooth kind of thing)

[Weetabecks]

I think it is very unreasonable indeed that a different colleague wasn't allowed to go to a funeral! ☹ TBF 2 weeks off isn't that long after her dad died.

[Bargebill19]

Totally with you Op. This type of colleague are also the first to complain about everything.
If your manager refuses to do anything, you don’t have much choice as to what you can do. It’s either leave, or simply ignore her.
Your colleague will never change nor realise that she is massively taking the piss out of everyone, to them it’s normal behaviour.

[Lesssaideasymended]

Maybe she she has no choice. Some bloods have to be taken first thing in the morning. And I know in my GPs only 1 nurse does smears and she only works mornings

[FierceBarrie]

@HowdyPartners

Blimey OP, get your nose out of her business! Be supportive and kind instead. That many appointments would be so embarrassing for her and acting nonchalant is probably a defence mechanism against you and her other cruel colleagues.

😅 You're funny.

[Leshan]

Tough crowd in here.
Must be the full moon.

YANBU OP, but you can't win.

[alexdgr8]

OP, i'm sorry that you had that experience re the funeral.
but it might be worth to study the terms and conditions; probably non-family members funerals are not allowed.
i might have gone off sick, having read this, knowing i would indeed be feeling pretty low, and not queered my pitch by asking ie telling management about the funeral.
but that's just me. and with the benefit of hindsight re your situation.
also suggest you join a union, maybe gmb, or unison, who will help you all to stand up for reasonable conditions, and unity is strength.