Compassionate leave or lack off

[Si 330]

I have been in my current employment 6 months and we are contracted to 37.5hr week. The office day starts officially at 9am, most days I’m in for 8am and stay late or take work home as and when required we don’t get paid overtime. Last week my farther in law was rushed in to hospital and died later that night it came as a shock as he hadn’t been ill. Obviously my wife is quiet distraught I went home early on the Tuesday and took the Wednesday off and worked from home on the Friday.
I looked up our contracts for compassionate leave my wife, children, parent or sibling die I can have 3 days off. I went to see one of the partners this morning I said I was booking the full day as holiday and I would make the time up for the day I left early.
I really thought he would say either do not worry about making the time up or you can have compassionate leave. It’s only a small company so things can be flexible. Nope he just said yeah just make it clear on your time sheet what you owe.
How’s that for a morale boost, if I was a clock watcher or didn’t pull my weight fair enough but is far from the case.
Am I been unreasonable for been annoyed at this?

[CheekyCherub]

Si 330 said:

I have been in my current employment 6 months and we are contracted to 37.5hr week. The office day starts officially at 9am, most days I’m in for 8am and stay late or take work home as and when required we don’t get paid overtime. Last week my farther in law was rushed in to hospital and died later that night it came as a shock as he hadn’t been ill. Obviously my wife is quiet distraught I went home early on the Tuesday and took the Wednesday off and worked from home on the Friday.
I looked up our contracts for compassionate leave my wife, children, parent or sibling die I can have 3 days off. I went to see one of the partners this morning I said I was booking the full day as holiday and I would make the time up for the day I left early.
I really thought he would say either do not worry about making the time up or you can have compassionate leave. It’s only a small company so things can be flexible. Nope he just said yeah just make it clear on your time sheet what you owe.
How’s that for a morale boost, if I was a clock watcher or didn’t pull my weight fair enough but is far from the case.
Am I been unreasonable for been annoyed at this?

Firstly sorry for your loss. For it to happen so unexpectedly must be a real shock to the system.

I'm afraid companies do not legally have to provide you with compassionate leave. Most companies do have something in place though, as it sounds like yours does with regards to direct family members. I would book what you need as holiday, and don't worry about being such a good worker from now on! Perhaps you should've asked what you could've had rather than saying you will make the time up? Hindsight, I know...

[Rude-boy]

Yes and no

If it is in your contract that you have no right to compassionate Leave in respect of the death of a FiL or MiL then it is up to your boss how they deal with it if you don't want to take it from your annual holiday allowance.

What your Boss has said seems, as typed, a little harsh but totally fair - he could have told you you have to take a 1/2 day or something for the hours you 'owe'.

If you are in early anyway then it shouldn't be an issue about making the time back up as you will do that within 2 weeks.

Remember in a small company the effect of you being out of the office can be much greater than in a bigger one.

Look at it another way, he might well have told someone he didn't trust to make the time up that they couldn't have the time off, or that they couldn't just top the hours back up.

[stumpage]

Si 330 said:

I said I was booking the full day as holiday and I would make the time up for the day I left early.

In the above statement you have said what you are going to do and have made it sound like you think it's a fair while also giving him a solution he doesn't have to think about. You should have just asked, "What do you want me to do about the time I've had off, due to a death in my family?". He would probably have said "Don't worry about it"

It's all about the negotiation.

Edited by stumpage on Tuesday 18th January 13:51

[okgo]

Do you think they care you're in at 8 and leave at 6?

Of course not.

[johnfm]

Why are you working so many extra hours?

Are there promotion opportunities?

Or are they understaffing?

Or are you not very quick at your job?

Does this director even know you get in early & leave late?

[Saddlebag]

I think it just depends on the company to be honest.

I had to go to see my very sick brother last year, and the company gave me the 12 days I had off as compassionate, no problems. So in my opinion your company has been pretty harsh.

[BEP]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just had soemthing similar, dad died on 19th Dec unexpectedly.
I went in for 3 hours on 20th and took 21/22nd as bereavement, so 2 1/2 days out of contract available 4 days worth bereavement leave.
I was on holiday the 23/24th as I HAD to take them anyway...so when I came back I said may I take the balance offered by contract. Answer NO, you have to take the 4 days consecutively or loose them!!!

Really do wonder why I bothered to go in on the 20th and also when I heard they'd had sickness in dept on 21st I offered if they were stuck to come in and help....really makes me wonder!!

[Si 330]

I probably feel harshly treated as I worked for Arup for many years and as an employer I found them exceptional good. It’s a times like these that it reinforces how good they were.

In hindsight I should have phrased the question differently.