Sister-in-law's wedding. Would you expect time off work to be paid or unpaid?

[saltandvinegardiscos]

I've got a friend who works as a TA. She's asked for leave from work for a day, so she can go to her husband's sister's wedding.

She's fuming, because work has said she can take the day, but it will be unpaid.

Personally, I think that's fair. The policy says it's at the discretion of the headteacher.

Anyone else who works in schools or in jobs where you can't just book annual leave, what would you expect in this circumstance?

I’m surprised she was even allowed the day off. Why does she think she is entitled to be paid for it? After all, all her colleagues get the same amount of annual leave and she isn’t special so doesn’t warrant any extra.

It is concerning that someone assisting with teaching is struggling to understand why such a day would have to be unpaid.

You do know that schools have a finite budget?

It's not like she works in a shop where they can have a busy day and make up the money.

Unpaid and lucky to be granted leave as it’s a wedding and not a close relative.

That is terrible. I can sympathise though. I had to take annual leave for my Mum's funeral.(Not in education but other public sector).

Why on earth does she think her employer should pay her to go to a relative's wedding? That's insane!

Is this her first job in the real world?

In all schools I’ve worked in, this would be paid. It’s a close relative, the TA hasn’t chosen the date, we can’t pick and choose when or holidays are, so why should it not be paid?

So a totally different situation to a TA😂

Of course it will be unpaid as she can't make the time up.

Well, I’m a headteacher in a primary school. It would depend. If she was part-time, I’d probably ask if she would be willing to swap a day or make up the hours. Full time is a bit harder but I would likely try and make it work to make up the hours somehow- e.g TAs don’t work INSET days so they could possibly owe me one of them instead.

However, I am a bit of a softie and like to help people in their lives. You get back what you give. I let staff go to nativities, sports days, assemblies. In exchange, they are flexible if they have to do a bit of unpaid overtime or come in early / stay late for things. Primary schools run on flexibility and co-operation. I find not being a dick helps me in a lot of situations!!

From annual leave allowance = paid
If not from annual leave allowance = discretionary unpaid

I’m a teacher and would be paid if I took time off for this. My school allows days off for taking children to uni, graduations, weddings, funerals etc. it makes it a great place to work and it makes sense as there is lots of goodwill there.

What @captainflash said.

This is the ideal.

Officially, she isn't allowed the time off at all.
If the HT has been generous enough to work things so that she can go, I don't think she should be complaining that it is unpaid.
However, I think we all look at this with our own experience. We don't know what the TA is like, and if the school are willing to give and take, whether she will be. I've worked in schools where people move heaven and earth to support one another and cover something like this, and I've worked in schools where sadly you get someone taking the mick and it ruins it for others.

Why on earth would she get paid?

If everyone responding to this works in and around schools, it really isn't hard to see why there's recruitment issues.

My thoughts too @Kitcaterpillar

can see it’s frustrating that she can’t just book annual leave like people in the majority of other jobs. However as can imagine annual leave days totally set to holidays in teaching it’s not possible for
them to just allow her to make up the time in the holidays. Definitely living in cloud cuckoo land to expect paid day off, even the most generous employers would only do so for funeral of very close relative, they are doing her a favour even just letting her have the day off for it

@LuluBlakey1 I see you view but it's between the head teacher and the TA. Staff aren't school children and don't have to be managed by a policy, the policy is the minimum entitlement. Discretion can and should be used.

I manage people and use discretion for good people I want to retain. I wouldn't pay them if they usually take the piss though!

My manager let me have time off when my husband was ill and also lets me go to my kids school events without taking holiday. In return I work long hours and say yes to many meetings in the evenings! It works both ways.

Why the hell did she ask?
Should have had a sickness bug two days before. Return to work after 48 hrs.
😉😁😁

If she was expecting the day off paid then she is having a laugh!

They don't have to allow the day off but have kindly said she can take it off unpaid.

I'll also add that the attitudes on here contribute to us not having enough teachers and support staff in this country. We need to appreciate them for all of the hours they work outside of those in front of the kids and treat them with the respect and decency that you now get in most big non public sector organisations.

I knew from the title this would be a school one and leave during term time.
She's lucky to have the day off, obviously it's unpaid as she will be contracted to work the 195 days of term in the academic year.

Staff don't need a policy?

There's the employment terms and conditions, the pay policy, the pay appeal policy, the grievance policy, the sickness and absence policy...

Doesn't matter whether they're under Burgundy or Green Book or school or MAT specific T&Cs, they have policies for managing. Otherwise, how would you know if somebody were breaching them? They're essential for employee protection.

Of course it's unpaid. Absurd to think it wouldn't be. She clearly hasn't been paying attention to how schools function.