Manager not believing me

[kelllogss]

Dd had a health crisis one day when I was WFH so I quickly notified my manager via the work system about it and said I was going to update when I could

Got to the hospital by ambulance, spent the whole pm and overnight. In the morning I texted manager to update - no reply

When finally got home in the pm I logged in and communicated with manager who requested a call. After hearing the story manager seemed unsure of my story and requested hospital paperwork

Is this normal? HR matter?
I always take time off / AL when need to deal with Dd’s health issues which all my superiors are aware of but this time it was an emergency and I did not bring work laptop to the hospital

This sounds like a rather extreme reaction from the manager.

Check your contract/employee handbook regarding the Company's emergency leave policy. There is some good information about emergency dependant leave on the Acas website

https://www.acas.org.uk/time-off-for-dependants

If the Company insist on proof, just photocopy the discharge paper, black out all personal details except the patient name, date of admission and date of discharge, photocopy it and provide that.

I was going to suggest the same as @C152 check your Emergency Time of for Dependants policy and what's required, then stick to that.

I absolutely would not be sending somebody else's private medical papers to satisfy the curiosity of a manager. That's completely unacceptable. What I would be doing is asking them why they don't trust you. Especially with your good work ethic and record.

Wow Mumsnet are usually pretty measured in their responses in my opinion, but here a lot of you seem determined to make a mountain out of a mole hill!

What’s wrong with sending redacted discharge papers that prove OP was where she said she was but don’t reveal any information about the daughter?

My company now asks for evidence of Drs and dentist appointments. I would just send the discharge paperwork over, cover the personal details of why you were there, she doesn't need to know what tests etc were carried out.

If its a genuine company request fair enough and if she trying to catch you out then you are wiping the smile off her face, win win.

Also, is there are ongoing issues they may have tools to help you

He can't ask for your child's discharge papers.

Contact HR and report your manager he's being ridiculous.

I don’t get why you’re arguing against it, just submit it. What’s the big deal, they will do the same for everyone. You can’t be an exception.

Yes he can. She can blank out any private medical info.

@Onceachunkymonkey No he can not. No employer has any rights to a third parties medical papers.

He can, he is not requesting private medical data. He is requesting discharge, this is ok, she doesn’t need to provide any private medical info.

cmon now, be sensible.

It's not a GPs job to provide letters for his patient's parent's employer!!

Where I have worked this would be a perfectly normal request. Sight of formal hospital paperwork would kick it in to special leave provision.

@Onceachunkymonkey you need to act sensible and behave.
A discharge form is still a medical paper.

😂

Actually, she is perfectly entitled to ask for a medical letter as evidence for an employer. The GP, however, is perfectly entitled to charge a fee. So, yes, it is their job. Medical letters are listed on their fees and services tabs of all GP websites. My GP has had to provide precisely one of these letters when I have to cancel a personal trip due to a child’s illness/hospital admission. Just as in this scenario, I could not - and would not - upload my child’s personal medical data/discharge forms as proof of inability to catch my flight. It’s a violation of their privacy.

@kelllogss send him this.

Perfect - I find it strange that a Manager would feel they need to ask for evidence at all, esp given OP has followed protocol throughout. Unless there is some backstory we’ve not been made aware of, I think OP should in the first instance simply email the details of why she was absent and cc HR.

How can your absence be 0% ... you've just been off work?

I think your manager is out of order, where is the trust?! It sounds like you’ve been the model employee. I’d ask him out right if he doesn’t trust you, put him on the spot.

FFS, obviously 0% absence until this event.

Personally, I require a voice phone call message at least for calling in sick.

Text or having another person call is suspicious for me … unless incapacitated. I don’t need to know your symptoms, just your voice talking.

I always stress this in advance, am surprised when I get a call from a friend with a big drama from A&E …. And always “no documents”

I’ve had loads of fakers or just plain weird excuses - it’s usually when “a friend” or “partner” calls, or they send text or email. The implausible dramas … etc
Maybe your manager is also jaded as I am ..

I always take time off / AL when need to deal with Dd’s health issues

How often do you take time off for this? Is it generally at short notice?

There might be a wider concern here.

As with many things, the devil is in the detail. That reference to emergency leave is (a) for unpaid time off, and (b) is for time off to arrange for other care - not to do it yourself. The point of fact is that the OP was - very understandably - off work for the majority of two days (in many workplaces that would be counted as two days). I am not suggesting that the employer should or would, but they would be entitled to say that the OP had time to get someone else to stay with her child instead of having that amount of time off. Sometimes it is worth considering what hill you want to die on. I don't think this is the one if it is a simple matter to prove that she wasn't recovering from a hangover after a wild night out on the tiles. My last employer, for example, gave paid special leave in these circumstances, but we had to show some evidence of the hospital stay. Otherwise it was unpaid.

HR here, I wouldn't advise requesting anything like this, but I work and have worked at companies that trust their team until there is a reason not to.

The discharge papers are your daughters private data, talk to HR to find out if providing such information is in their policy.

Are you intending taking leave for this OP?

Notwithstanding that question I, like several others on here, would not expect to have to prove my reasons for taking emergency time off to care for a child, but I am lucky in that I have a very supportive and flexible manager. I'm always astounded on here at how little trust some people have in their staff!