could i be in trouble for time off sick and sick with kids??

[lisad123]

the last few weeks have been hell and feel like i have been off work more than i have been there.
I was off myself when my heart issues were playing up again, then dd2 got bronchelitis and dd1 had d&s.
then 2 weeks ago i had this horrible cough and lost voice generally feeling crappy but made it in for 2 days, then last week dd2 had pneamonia (sp?)so was admitted to hospital so of course i stayed with her.

My boss said we will talk when i get into work tomorrow. I feel worried, what is the worse they can do?? Can they fire me?

Maybe your HR department or a more senior manager has noticed you have been away and has asked your boss for an explanation. My old workplace used to track absenses as we did have a few employees who used to miss horrendous amounts of time from work without good reason. Our site manager understood if someone was ill, but he did expect the department managers to know exactly who was absent, for how long and why. Your manager might just need accurate information from you to pass back up the management chain.

Sometimes people were written up for taking a lot of time off work, even for good reasons - e.g. someone was always late into work because they had a rickety car but couldn't afford to repair/replace it. But the warnings only had a life of six months, once six months had passed they were removed from the personnel file.

Good luck when you go into work.

well i got a right telling off especially as they had paid £450 for me to attend a training course which i missed as dd2 was in hospital im really quite naffed off, as they went on about my 9 days off since june!! Im working extra hours and always try and cover my hours if im off as my boss says unpaid work is a bugger on the paperwork. really dont want to go in tomorrow now

I suppose they expect you to order the universe not to send pneumonia germs in your child's direction and order your heart to get better. Yes, I can quite see how that would work.

After you've done that you can cure cancer and bring peace in our time, then you can get back to work.

There now follows a festive insult - what a bunch of turkeys.

they arent acting on it, but i guess it will count as a verbal warning. DD1 hasa terrible immune system always has done, but dd2 is only 15months and so is picking all up. I think im just soo run down with the kids and my heart thingy im getting everything. Working with kids means you get loads of stuff anyways. Im just glad my cardio appointment is next week when im off!

well im on contract and thats up for renewal in march. They have told me they will be renewing but im guessing if they dont, i know why!

Caprica I'd hazard a guess that the reason no one comes to see your friend in HR to find out about their rights is because your friend works for the employer not them. Most people would feel more comfortable finding out about their rights from an independent external source.
The best thing an HR person can do to make sure people know about and get their rights and entitlements is to make sure all policies and procedures are fully up to date and easily accessible to all.

Lisa how long have you been there? As has been mentioned you are entitled to emergency unpaid leave for dependents, this would be something like a child's illness, although only really for a day or two, any longer than that and you'd be expected to use the time to make alternative childcare arrangements. They can't discipline you for using your right to that unpaid leave.

Did you actually take that though? It's not clear whether you did, or what kind of leave you took. Lots of companies have trigger systems for a certain number of days absent leading to a warning. Although what you received wasn't a formal warning as even a verbal warning if it's part of the disciplinary procedure needs to be confirmed in writing as Caprica says. Sounds like you got a rap on the knuckles.

FlowertaleofNewYork is right. A verbal warning still needs to be documented in your file to count as part of the disciplinary process. Otherwise if they followed it up later an employee could claim it wasn't a warning more of a head's up.

It isn't a verbal warning unless they have given you details in writing as to what it was for and how long the warning lasts iyswim.

Any chance you could rebook the training so as to mitigate the company's losses?

Well you're absolutely right Caprica, most employers would understand, and at least allow the employee to take holiday for a week or whatever. And I'm totally with you on not wanting anyone else looking after your sick child.

But in terms of what the law says, it's emergencies only, which should be able to be dealt with in a day or two. Have a read here about what counts and how long.

Obviously one would hope for a sympathetic employer, but in terms of what happens if there's no family to hand or whatever, what your childcare arrangements actually are is not your employer's business or their concern. Their argument could be that people should ensure there is back up care available for such occasions, and those people who haven't made those arrangements shouldn't be given more time off than those who have done so.

All our absences are monitored where I work, weekly I have to report to HR for peoples morning and afternoon attendance, recording holidays, sickness, parental leave, training, unpaid leave, absent without permission, absent with permission, jury duty, maternity leave, parental leave etc etc
All levels are monitored (obv with exception of mat leave!) and HR will request more details if levels are deemed to be too high.
I was really poorly last year at Xmas and had nearly the whole of December off, I was paid in full for that time, but my other levels of absence were minimal.
It does cost companies a lot of money to not have people in work (overtime to make up for work lost, pay with no atendance etc) and depending on the work commitments, some offices can struggle to cover the hours. But it all depends on the company and the work.
I feel very fortunate that typically I have my parents, siblings and in-laws who are avaiable to help out when DD is ill, I tend to be off with her but I work in accounts so if it is our month end, I might ask family to help out or I could work from home. DH used to take the time off instread, but he has changed jobs and works away a lot now.

no way i could have left dd2 in hospital to go to work, i would rather get fired tbh!
One of the managers were taking notes so will see if i get it in writing tomorrow. I have been in the company for 9 years now although only in this department since june. It seems so much harder working with 2 kiddies than just one. much harder than i thought tbh

most companies would be totally understanding when a child is in hospital, mine is/would be

I believe (from my involvement with diciplinaries) that they should have told you there was an investigation and told you that you'd had a verbal warning, iirc (not done it for a while) they a) have to let you know ahead of time re warnings so you can arrange for somebody to go with you should you choose and b) even if they could not get a letter to you that day, they should say the findings is x and they will arrange to give you a letter by z

If they give you a letter, make sure it correctly notes the reasons for your absence. There should be a place for you to sign saying you acknowledge it. There may also be a place for comments where you could document that your child was seriously ill in hospital and this is one reason why you were absent.

Well exactly, no idea, I have no solution to that! But the law can't legislate for individual childcare problems.

It would be very harsh of an employer to insist that someone comes in, or doesn't allow them to take holiday or extend the unpaid leave or whatever though, obviously. Also would be a daft business decision as clearly in those circumstances people will end up just ringing in sick.