Can my employer take a whole days wages?

[Isitokthough]

I'm contracted to work 9-5 Mon-Fri. Last Friday, my DS school contacted me at around 2pm and asked me to collect him. As no one else was available, I profusely apologised to my manager and left.
I've checked on our online planners and my manager has marked the day as emergency leave. Before I approach this with her, can anyone tell me of the company can legally pay me nothing for the whole day despite the fact that I worked for 5 hours? Can't seem to find this exact info on ACAS so thanks for any guidance 🙂

You need your employer's policy on absence, ask for that, in writing.

are you paid a salary, or hourly?

Off course they can’t do that

The policy states that all emergency leave is unpaid, I'm in agreement but surely I need to be paid for the time I was at work? I'm salaried 🙂

Could you not opt to make the time up as it's only 3 hours?

Of course they can't. Your leave was 3 hours, you'll be unpaid for 3 hours (assuming this type of leave is unpaid).

Op I would be REALLY careful in taking any advice you receive to this sort of question on here. You'll get replies along the lines of 'demand xyz in writing'. 'Send an email stating...'[really rude email wording provided]. 'Raise a grievance'. Etc.

In reality it's probably just a simple error. Just mention to your manager that it looks like there's a mistake, you only took 3 hours leave but it looks like the whole day was put down.

There's really no need to go in like a bull at a gate requesting their written policies on xyz, or worse!

I also would assume it is an error and would send the manager a quick email, something along the lines of.

Thank you for your understanding regarding my emergency leave on x date and allowing me to finish 3 hours earlier, after completing 5 hours of my 8 hour shift. I assume my pay will be reduced by 3 hours for this day, is that correct?
Kind Regards
Isitokthough

I completely agree with this.

AIBU in particular is an unwise area
to ask for employment advice. You could ask @MNHQto move it to work.

but please speak to ACAS if you feel like you need proper advice.

Are you sure it's not just because your online oleander isn't capable of working out the hours at the front end, but whomever does payroll has worked put your hours at the back end?

Perhaps a quick email to your manager asking how the system will account for those lost hours as you can't see the process at your end?

Your boss may just be planning to write these hours off, or ask you to make them up gradually. You won't know until you (politely) ask.

Tell her you see she has marked it as emergency leave and what is the situation? Does she need you to do any catch up hours or take a half day from annual leave? Until you know her intention you don't know how to address it. It may just be a note to herself that you left early and she has no intention at all of deducting any money so don't put the idea into her head! If she says she does at that point address that it should be 3 hours only.

Just ask. Say you know you that you had to take emergency leave on Friday and how would that affect your pay. If you get told its a whole day unpaid then follow it up with an email

When I had to leave at 2pm due to a really nasty headache the report that came through looked as if it was a whole day of S/L but it actually recorded just the 3 hours. For some reason our system has a weird glitch.

Double check with your manager - they might have forgotten to untick the 'all day absence' box or similar.

Good advice. Wholeheartedly agree 👍

This 100%
It’s solved by a simple, non-aggressive conversation with your manager. A simple “I noticed that the whole day was marked as absent but it was only 3 hours. Payroll will be notified to only deduct 3 hours, right?”

This was meant to say "planner" not "oleander". Whatever one of those are.

(Edit: A kind of shrub or small tree apparently.)

The exact same thing happened to me at my last job. My hours were 9-5 but I left at 1 due to feeling unwell and they docked my wages for the whole day. Apparently it is legal (well, it was when I looked into anyway). Double check with your employer / ACAS though.

Employment lawyer here. To not pay you for hours actually worked is termed an Unlawful Deduction of Wages, unless a clause in your contract allows this (unlikely). If it is not merely an error, raise a grievance and google the term I have used on here to explain to them the issue.

Have you asked to be paid for 5 hours of the 8 hour day?

Thanks everyone for your insight, I spoke with my manager today and she explained that though it was down as emergency leave, HR has decided they won't deduct anything from my salary. Super relieved!