Company has given a premium number to phone in when sick

[Allwood]

With my last payslip we were give a premium number 07806***** number to phone work when sick is this a premium number. Why do we have to use that number instead of work the number we have been using a local number. I have not time as yet to query it with my employer but this company has 560 outlets in the UK and if all employees use this number think of the money they are earning from it from under paid staff.

[Donk28]

Hi Again Allwood.

 

That's a new one. I've never heard this one before, but companies are entitled to put absense reporting proceedures in place. I've never heard of a premium rate phone line before, but I would imagine that you'd have difficulty claiming it was unreasonable, as in most cases the call would cost less than your commute to work if you were well.

 

(I'm just full of cheer for you today)

[patdavies]

It's not a premium rate number - they all begin 09...

 

What you have been given is simply a mobile number (078...). The company will not be making any money from this.

[Allwood]

It will still cost employees more than a land line number....this is a very large company that employs 7000 staff. Staff are paid minimum pay therefore phoning a mobile number will still cost a lot of money to some employees as opposed to phone them on a land line number:???:

[becka]

And most mobile phone contracts these days have free minutes as do PAYG deals so the argument could actually be that they are saving you money rather than charging you to call a landline?

[Allwood]

also a lot of people do not have mobile phone contracts....lots of people where I work are retired people and do not used mobiles. I know that may seem unbelievable for young people to comprehend but it is a fact. If they have a mobile then it is usually pay as you for emergencies.

[MrShed]

Oh come on - really? Unless your sickness record is appalling, is this really a "real" problem? And if it is that bad, then you have much bigger issues to worry about!!

[elche]

If you are really that bothered you can cut the cost of ringing a mobile from a landline to about 7p a minute.

 

You don't need to sign a contract with any new provider, you just prefix the call to the mobile with a number e.g. 18185 ... then the mobile no.

 

See Calling Mobiles Cheaply: Instantly cut the cost...

 

Even if you only earn the nat min wage you would earn over 81 lots of 7p every hour!

 

Seem somewhat petty to complain about!

[orfoster]

Hiya,

 

Can I ask are you a member of your trade union?

 

Is this a proceedure that is local to you for example "South West" area or for the whole country. I haven't looked into this but I am sure somebody told me that somewhere in law you can actually write in sick as long as your letter is dated the day of your sick. You will need to look at that.

 

Your employer does have the rght to know that you are sick. Our work have introduced something similar but I personally don't see a problem with it. I don't go sick often and when I call in they are friendly and offer me support. I expect this new number is to aid them in sickness monitoring so they are able to address regular absence.

[Multay]

I worked for a company that did this. They contracted the "management" of sickness to another company. It was utter madness, an employee would ring a call center number in India (I know it sounds mad!!), they would log the call and the reason and then e-mail the manager with the details. This meant that I wouldn't know why my staff were off until hours after they had rung in and the reason often made no sense (I guess there were language issues).

 

It only lsted a few months as it was such a crazy system to implement.

 

I have a massive issue with these systems for a couple of reasons:

 

If you have such a massive level of sickness in your business that it warrants contracting the management of it to an external company, then there should be some serious management investigations done.Simply getting someone else to quantify it isn't the answer.

 

As a manager, it is my responsiblity to ensure that my staff are well and happy at work. It is appropriate that the sickness side is managed by me so that I can investigate the issue that may cause the problems, before it becomes widespread or to deal with interpersonal problems that may be the cause - Stress, bullying etc.

Simple statistics will not perform that function but a knowledge of the people and the job will.

 

Just my opinion...

 

M.

[Zamzara]

Oh come on - really? Unless your sickness record is appalling, is this really a "real" problem? And if it is that bad, then you have much bigger issues to worry about!!

 

Well isn't it like theft of £1 worth of stationary: it's the principle of breaching trust by exploiting the relationship, rather than the financial loss.

[MrShed]

But theres no breach of trust. The number has changed and "happens" to be a "premium rate" number(it isnt in any case) - as opposed tp the explicit decision to do it to exploit the relationship.

[patdavies]

also a lot of people do not have mobile phone contracts....lots of people where I work are retired people and do not used mobiles.

 

If they are retired, they have no need to phone in sick :-? :?

[Zamzara]

But theres no breach of trust. The number has changed and "happens" to be a "premium rate" number(it isnt in any case) - as opposed tp the explicit decision to do it to exploit the relationship.

 

I tend to agree, I just wanted to point out that the amount of money involved is not necessarily the sole issue.

 

A quick search shows that these personal 07 numbers cost around 10p per minute and are not profit making, so not much different to a standard call.

 

However, I do question why the OP cannot just phone his office directly. If there are any shenanigans like being kept on hold for an extended time, this could be a barrier and I would be inclined to claim the cost as expenses reasonably incurred. If the employer considers the amount trivial they should have no problem paying it.

[Allwood]

If they are retired, they have no need to phone in sick :-? :?

 

Could you live on £90 pw on state retirement pension, I think most people would find that difficult, that is why retired people have to work and are finding it very difficult (indeed the government are positivity encouraging everyone to work no matter how old they are). Retired people also work in low paid jobs due to age discrimination and as older worker, employers gives them more responsibility but will not remunerate the older worker for it due having pass their sell by date... people are getting older every day they wake up, so it will not be long before you too reach that golden.... or should I say dreadful age.

 

Retired people do not want to claim benefits because is not their culture as they always had to work for everything ie all their needs and wants all their lives.... unlike today's young people....I want it now....does not matter if it has to be paid for later, or never, that is why the country is in the state it is now!!

 

Also being an retired employee means they have older relatives and some times have to take time off for caring but this is not mandatory like it is for employees with children therefore an older employee is asked to leave employment if they needed to have flexible working or needs to take off time for caring.

 

Younger workers are allowed to take time off for child care as well as for study and if their organizations wants them to promote them then they will be allowed to go on their schemes for this also but not older employees that near or have reached retirement age. :-x

Edited October 17, 2008 by Allwood

[MrShed]

Retired people do not want to claim benefits because is not their culture as they always had to work for everything ie all their needs and wants all their lives.... unlike today's young people....I want it now....does not matter if it has to be paid for later, or never, that is why the country is in the state it is now!!

 

 

Well generalised and discriminated against us "young people". :-|

[MrShed]

And to be fair, a lot of your argument is flawed.

 

Retired people, when they have gone BACK to work, do not work in low paid jobs due to "age discrimination". Generally speaking, these retired people have gone back to work to "top up" their pension. As such, the ideal work for their demographic is low paid with low responsibility, and generally part time - which is statistically a lot more low paid across demographics than full time work anyway. These people are wanting a job, and "enough" money - not a CAREER and LOTS of money.

 

You cant blame age discrimination on many working retired persons in fact getting the ideal kind of job for them, the jobs that they want!

[Allwood]

Well generalised and discriminated against us "young people". :-|

 

I have put down facts that I have experience….what experience have you got regarding discrimination being an older worker

 

And to be fair, a lot of your argument is flawed.

 

Retired people, when they have gone BACK to work, do not work in low paid jobs due to "age discrimination". Generally speaking, these retired people have gone back to work to "top up" their pension. As such, the ideal work for their demographic is low paid with low responsibility, and generally part time - which is statistically a lot more low paid across demographics than full time work anyway. These people are wanting a job, and "enough" money - not a CAREER and LOTS of money.

 

You cant blame age discrimination on many working retired persons in fact getting the ideal kind of job for them, the jobs that they want!

 

What personal experience have you got on this to support you statement???

 

I am aware that retired people do not have to go BACK to work but the ones that choose to do so instead of claiming off your and others taxes and for their owl self esteem, older people do have pride believe it or not…It is not a case of ‘top up’ pensions it may be for a some but the majority of older workers have to back to work as mentioned because their ‘state pensions' are LOW. They are in low paid jobs but the responsibility is always there this is from experience and not generalisation.

 

Are you saying that older people should not work and they should exist on the LOW state pension and claim money from tax payers? A lot of retired people work full time if they can but sometimes due to caring for older relatives as well ill health issues which come with some aged people they cannot do this.

 

You will get there on day…..but younger people are lucky compared to people who are retried now because retried people of today did not have the same rights when they were young as younger people have today.

Edited October 17, 2008 by Allwood

[MrShed]

In what respect did I possibly say that?

 

I never said older people should not work. What I said is that generally speaking, people in the situation where their pension cannot fund their lifestyle, these workers want a job that enables them to live - nothing more. Equally, they do not want the responsibilities that go with "high pressure" jobs - they are in their "golden years" as you say, so do not want to take work home with them, and have the stress that goes with it.

 

My experience is neither here nor there, but part of my job is to do with older persons services - so yes, I do have extensive experience of this.

 

I would like you, however, to quantify your comments that all of todays young people "want it now" - as someone in their 20s, I take personal offence at this typical, and completely false, stereotypical discrimination. You are no better than the people you vilify for age discrimination - completely hypocritical for you to have a go at people discriminating against older people, and for you then to do the same against younger people.

[Allwood]

In what respect did I possibly say that?

 

My experience is neither here nor there, but part of my job is to do with older persons services - so yes, I do have extensive experience of this.

 

That says it all.....no more to be said!!!

 

I would like you, however, to quantify your comments that all of todays young people "want it now" - as someone in their 20s, I take personal offence at this typical, and completely false, stereotypical discrimination. You are no better than the people you vilify for age discrimination - completely hypocritical for you to have a go at people discriminating against older people, and for you then to do the same against younger people.

 

 

Really, I was comparing how it is now in employment law to when for older people/workers were young. Are you saying that there these employments rights were always law for workers in the 60', 70' and 80's.

If you are implying this then god help us if you are responsibility for older people services????

[MrShed]

I have said nothing of the sort - I said nothing even close to what you are saying. You really are being obstructive, refusing to answer points, and being discriminatory. It is just as well I am not like you, as if I was, I would take your post and tar all older persons with your stubborn, "they have it better", "young whippersnappers" attitude that is frankly very outdated, and completely unfair on younger persons.

[MrShed]

However, to extrapolate your farcical argument - on that basis older persons have had the best of both worlds!!

 

When they were younger - no age discrimination laws, so they would get jobs ahead of those older at this point.

 

Now they are older - age discrimination laws are in place, so they are at least on an equal footing!

 

I dont agree with this argument - but pointing out the ridiculous stereotypical points you are making.

[patdavies]

A quick search shows that these personal 07 numbers cost around 10p per minute and are not profit making, so not much different to a standard call.

 

 

The number quoted by the OP is not a personal number (these begin 070). It is a mobile number (078 )

 

This perhaps explains it fully.

Edited October 17, 2008 by patdavies

[patdavies]

Could you live on £90 pw on state retirement pension, I think most people would find that difficult, that is why retired people have to work and are finding it very difficult (indeed the government are positivity encouraging everyone to work no matter how old they are). Retired people also work in low paid jobs due to age discrimination and as older worker, employers gives them more responsibility but will not remunerate the older worker for it due having pass their sell by date... people are getting older every day they wake up, so it will not be long before you too reach that golden.... or should I say dreadful age.

 

Retired people do not want to claim benefits because is not their culture as they always had to work for everything ie all their needs and wants all their lives.... unlike today's young people....I want it now....does not matter if it has to be paid for later, or never, that is why the country is in the state it is now!!

 

Also being an retired employee means they have older relatives and some times have to take time off for caring but this is not mandatory like it is for employees with children therefore an older employee is asked to leave employment if they needed to have flexible working or needs to take off time for caring.

 

Younger workers are allowed to take time off for child care as well as for study and if their organizations wants them to promote them then they will be allowed to go on their schemes for this also but not older employees that near or have reached retirement age. :-x

 

So they are not retired then - they are working. Albeit that they may have retired from a previous job.

[Zamzara]

The number quoted by the OP is not a personal number (these begin 070). It is a mobile number (078 )

 

This perhaps explains it fully.

 

Thanks.

 

Could you live on £90 pw on state retirement pension, I think most people would find that difficult, that is why retired people have to work

 

...

 

Retired people do not want to claim benefits because is not their culture as they always had to work for everything ie all their needs and wants all their lives...

 

I don't think you can have it both ways. The help is in place with pension credit and more generous housing and council tax benefit for over 60s. If you choose not to claim it out of personal belief then you're not exactly being forced to live on the lower amount.