Career Break

[whattousetoday]

Can my employer decline a career break before I have even applied for one, they have told me they are not allowing career breaks for business reasons and have turned down a few already for this reason.

Our flexi working policy specifically mentions them.

I am in a very complicated and unusual situation, I effectively have 3 choices, I can go long term sick, take a career break or leave, at the moment, I am not able to fulfill my role, it is likely that time will heal this and I will be able to return to work, just not at this point in time, in the curretn economic climate I am reluctant to jsut up and leave.

I know that it would take them forever to get me out through the sickness procedures but for them and for me I would rather not go sick, I would rather unpaid career leave.

I am getting increasingly anxious, beginning not to be be able to sleep etc.

If it is a discretionary policy then they can refuse and presumably are giving you notice that this policy is no longer applicable. tbh when I took a career break there was no guarantee of a job at the end of it , just that were I to be available to work they would look at opportunities and if I went back my accrued leave entitlement and other benefits would be honoured.

It is still av. according to the policy and our hr department, I checked that with them this morning, but it is at line management discretion as are all our policies, due to responsibility for implementation being pushed out to departments, so its not corporate that we no longer have career breaks, its departmental as I understand it.

I know I would lose my actual post in the department, but be retained by the council.

If they have the discretion to refuse, then they can refuse. If there is a set procedure they are required to go through under the policy, then you could insist they do that, but that won't change the decision in itself.

Is your manager supportive of what you want to do?

no my manager is not supportive as in there is a departmental wide block on and sort of changes to your normal working pattern, its just my view that they would be better off with me on a career break than on long term sick, I haven't put it to them like that as it sounds poor and I need to find the right way to express it, I am not, at this point in time capable of performing my role.

They are very supportive of the situation I am in - don't get me wrong they have done everything they can to help - but it is simply something they cannot help with - it needs time and space and I don't think they can grasp the long term and devastating impact of it.