AIBU - employee always booking appointments during the work day

[Glitttter]

I am a small business owner with 3 members of staff. We've been working remotely like so many other people. 2 of them are brilliant, dedicated etc. the third woman just seems not to pull her weight, which might be the basis of why Im annoyed. However, recently, she keeps needing to start work late, disappear in the day, or leave early, for dentist/eye test/routine check up appointments.

My gripe is that she works part time, but always seems to arrange these routine appointments for days when she's working. AIBU to expect her to arrange appointments in her own time - at least mostly - instead of missing work to do so?

You have easy solutions here. Not sure why you think it will be so hard to get rid of her. It takes a while to do it properly but once she is on a performance improvement plan, the problems might actually stop and then you've got what you want without having to fire someone.

YANBU. Opticians are open at the weekend and I’ve never had a problem getting an appointment, even at short notice. Definitely shouldn’t be asking for paid time off to go to the opticians unless it’s a medical emergency.

Things like contact lenses absolutely can wait. Doctors should ideally be booked on day off but often can't be especially if urgent. Hospital absolutely no way can they get rescheduled, it's impossible! Annual dental check up id also say should ideally be on day off but it's very hard to get appointments.

I'd consider introducing a policy so it's fair for all.

I would address this now and not wait for appraisal. Send an email to say that you would like any future routine appointments to be made outside of her working hours.

Opticians only during work if there's an actual problem with her eye or she's smashed her only pair of glasses

@KatieB55

I would address this now and not wait for appraisal. Send an email to say that you would like any future routine appointments to be made outside of her working hours.

Yes id send an email now rather than wait.

I work part time and arrange my appointments around the days/hours I don't work, and if I do need to have an appointment in work time I make up the time.

Just send out an email (to all staff) that appointments need to be made in their own time, or the time made up, and you won't be paying for any time taken in this way - other than ones where they have a right to be taken, pregnancy, disability related (?).

Eye test and contact lens check are always done together IMO. Same with dental check up and hygienist. And if she has two non working days and the weekend some should definitely be within those days - not all but some! She is taking the piss.

Maybe she's going for interviews then. Does she at least make the time up? Surely she can't expect to take 2 1/2 hrs off ok 1hr might be lunch but surely she has to make the extra 1hr 30 up again.

If not is this because u have told her not to it is she just a chancer and uv never pulled her up on it.

U need to start telling her to make back the time. Also if it's routine contact lens check or dentist she can ask for an appointment on her days off. Shes def taking u for a ride!

Eye test and contact lens test should be booked on the days off - that's easy to arrange unless under an NHS specialist. However, most organisations allow (and pay for) these checks to happen during working hours if the employee is using DSE.

GP and Chiropractor - if the latter is under NHS, not easy to arrange on days off.

However, you should start your disciplinary process as you clearly don't like this lady or want her working for you.

Do you think she could be pregnant but not wanting to say yet so just making up excuses for appointments?

Either way, you need to talk to her and let her know she needs to organise appointments for when she isn’t working.

What does her contract say about time off for appointments as well?

I would speak to her and ask her to arrange these appointments on her day off unless it is absolutely not possible.

Do not wait until her performance review - best to discuss this and document the conversation now.

A contact lense appointment is not urgent and could be done on a weekend or on other days off.

Sit her down, explain that this can’t continue and that non urgent appointments should be taken outside of work time, at the beginning or end of the working day or the hours made up if there are no alternatives so that the business doesn’t suffer. Then follow it up with an email to all staff to advise them.

She’s taking the p.

Does she provide you proof of these appointments, irregardless you can say no and advise her to book these on her days off.

I also hope your not paying her for the time she’s has away from the business.

You dont need to, and shouldnt wait for her next performance review. You need to tackle this now

I would start with an informal chat about time out of the office, and the follow up with a performance plan if she doesnt improve

[quote Glitttter]@minipie. So far, 2 dentist appointments, several GP appointments (fine, and for a minor issue she's been open about), eye test, seperate contact lens check, and once she finished early because she went to the chiropractor. They're never at the beginning or end of a day and mysteriously often on the 3 days she works for us.

I wondered if she was applying for jobs, but surely you'd do that on a day you didn't work?[/quote]
Spec savers are open on Sunday’s now for eye tests / glasses/ contacts

Optical Express within Tesco is also open Sunday for all eye exams and glasses etc

She is taking the absolute piss.

She may not be taking the piss though - I am under an eye hospital for annual eye checks - I cannot change the appointments when they come through without waiting for another 4-6 months if I rearrange.

You pay her for X hours it’s not being demanding expecting her to work them. A good employer should allow you to take days off as holiday or unpaid. Or swap a work day for another day. If you have being paying her for every appointment going and hours out in the middle of the day she’s going keep on doing it.

Your employee is taking the piss. She works part time FFS, how on earth does she think full time staff fit all of those things in. There are some appts where you accept what you are given but many others you can book at your convenience only she's booking them at your inconvenience.
You need to tell her routine appts need to be booked for days of or annual leave.
I don't think I'd have the front to take time off for a routine appt and then tag lunch on as well.

FFS @Glitttter, don’t wait until her next review in 4 months. Sit her down now and set a clear expectation - no more appointments in work time. Also, can you be specific with her about how she’s not pulling her weight other than appointments? If so,, give clear examples and what improvements you expect to see and by when.

She’s basically showing you, that you don’t need her role/work.

Even on work days she could be having these in lunch hours etc. Even if that means lunch with a contact lens check built in is at 11.

@Amaterasux

She may not be taking the piss though - I am under an eye hospital for annual eye checks - I cannot change the appointments when they come through without waiting for another 4-6 months if I rearrange.

Yes my husband is the same. But I don’t think annual appointments like this are an issue

Have you told her she needs to make the time back up. You need to keep a note of the time she owes you and ask her when she's making it back up. It's not that hard is it?

Some of my consultant appointments I have not been able to change and even when I have they've been continuously cancelled since March 2020 and I'm still waiting for a new ones.

I'm also there for hours because pre COVID it was running so late, longest I've been waiting is til 5.30pm for a 1.30pm appointment. The difference is if I couldn't get them on my days off I'd be asking to switch shifts so that I'm still putting my hours in.