Employee handbook- version given to staff a condensed version???

[billybobynumeroduo]

Evening all,

 

I am sure I have seen this mentioned previously on the forum but not sure where.

 

I am looking for further clarification that indeed employers have a inflated version of their own employee handbooks, which can be issued upon request? Ie more detailed version of their condensed version of the employee handbooks issued to staff.

 

In addition to the above I am seeking to obtain the Company’s Data protection policy and procedures.

 

Does this make sense?

 

Regards

 

BB

[bristolmary]

All staff should have access to the full versions of a staff handbook, either a hard copy or on the internal intranet. For example, staff are given compacted versions here but have access to all policies and procedures via the intranet here, and HR and all managers have print outs of all p+p.

 

My staff handbook for example is the full version as the Admin and Events Manager but I have also added my own notes and examples of situations for reference, so that may by why some HR seem to have fuller versions.

 

HR/IT or the company DP officer should be able to give you access to their DP policy and procedure if you are a member of staff but would be entitled to know why you wanted it if you were not a a member of staff.

 

Hope that makes sense

[bristolmary]

oh and it should also be made clear to staff whther or not they are given a full version where they can find more information....

[billybobynumeroduo]

thanks for your response bristolmary,

 

I have a version of the handbook running to 66 pages and it states what happens in case of a bereavement but it is not very specific, I am just wondering if they have a elongated version which goes into more detail as this is quite an important policy for a large size company.

The handbook does state "your guide to working at xxx". Would this give me an indication that this is a condensed version of the handbook?

 

I will also request a copy of the DP policy and procedure from the compliance officer.

 

One final thing, do you think the company will have their own separate policy and procedure for handling of medical reports?

 

Many thanks

 

BB

 

The DP and security is mentioned very briefly in the handbook yet I think it is more for protecting the companies info than the employees' info. T

 

Kind Regards

 

BB

[bristolmary]

Not sure that the bereavement policy would come under the data protection policy? So am unclear why you'd want to see it, am guessing it's not a company you work for? Many companies will just state that bereavement policy is one week, two weeks, at managers/directors/ceo discretion for longer. For example, I worked at a housing association where policy was 1 week regardless of who it was that had died, and the HR manager would advise those that lost close relations to then get the doctor to sign them off! Another company I worked for was much better and would give 2 weeks, then talk to you about coming back, ie someone lost his girlfriend in the London bombings so got longer as did someone who lost his wife...so it's not necessarily unusual for a bereavement policy to not be talked about in depth.

 

Medical reports should be covered in the sickness/absence policy and should normally state when they'll could be requested and who would see them.

[bristolmary]

An example of a company dicussing medical reports and what it tells staff can be found towards the end of here for example. it's a good example of being clear of what will happen.

 

http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/personnelweb.nsf/webpages/Employee+Handbook+-+Sickness+Reporting

[billybobynumeroduo]

An example of a company dicussing medical reports and what it tells staff can be found towards the end of here for example. it's a good example of being clear of what will happen.

 

http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/personnelweb.nsf/webpages/Employee+Handbook+-+Sickness+Reporting

 

Thanks for this mary,

 

Right at the very end under the heading Medical Examinations and Report it states "The Council's Occupational Health Adviser may need to ask your permission to approach your doctor for a medical report, under the terms of the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988. The contents of this will be treated confidentially and any implications will be discussed fully between your manager and yourself. "

 

This seems quite honourable, in my case my employer once they had obtained my medical report showed a complete disregard for its confidentiality. Considering I specifically said I wanted it to remain confidential, my report was passed around the various members of staff without my consent. there was even an element of deception involved where a member of staff dealing with me was pretending the whole time to not have been privy to my report when they had clearly seen it and knew everything about my condition.

 

Regards

 

BB

[bristolmary]

OK first thing you need to do is ask for a copy of the sickness policy and see what it says in there. Then ask for the Grievance policy along with the DP policy. Don't be fobbed off at all with excuses not to see it. Put all requests if possible in writing ie email with read report tracked etc. Did you request it to be kept confidential by writing it or verbally saying it?

[billybobynumeroduo]

Not sure that the bereavement policy would come under the data protection policy? So am unclear why you'd want to see it, am guessing it's not a company you work for? Many companies will just state that bereavement policy is one week, two weeks, at managers/directors/ceo discretion for longer. For example, I worked at a housing association where policy was 1 week regardless of who it was that had died, and the HR manager would advise those that lost close relations to then get the doctor to sign them off! Another company I worked for was much better and would give 2 weeks, then talk to you about coming back, ie someone lost his girlfriend in the London bombings so got longer as did someone who lost his wife...so it's not necessarily unusual for a bereavement policy to not be talked about in depth.

 

Medical reports should be covered in the sickness/absence policy and should normally state when they'll could be requested and who would see them.

 

Hi again,

 

yes the company I worked for had/has the same policy regarding bereavement. The usual compassionate leave 5 days. It also states that there is management discretion available in more serious cases.

 

Unfortunately there was a suicide in my family, having informed my manager after the 5 days compassionate leave the company offered me no form of support, contrary to what it states in their handbook "the Group will do everything it reasonably can to support you." Infact they company deliberated three months until they received my doctors report before even discussing time off.

I was under the impression that once I informed the company of my clear distress and trauma having endured a family suicide that they would offer me time off, ie reassess my needs under the company bereavement policy. how wrong was I?

 

Also yes I requested my medical to report to be kept confidential a) in writing and b) verbally

 

Regards

 

BB

[billybobynumeroduo]

I mean where was the duty of care that a company has for its members of staff?

[bristolmary]

I need to log off now, but will reply to you in the morning as I've been in similiar position!!

[billybobynumeroduo]

ok

 

many thanks look forwards to your response

 

Regards

 

BB

[Emmzzi]

I think we have been through this before and it was not at all clear cut that the employer would have known they had an additional duty of care because they were not given all the information by you at the outset.

 

It is probably helpful to ask for your threads to be merged so people have the whole story - you will not get great advice with only a delected portion of the facts.

[stu007]

Hi

 

Please have a good read through the Acas Website this is the link: www.acas.org.uk/

[billybobynumeroduo]

Hi Emmzzi,

 

I'd prefer if this wasnt merged for the moment as initially it was only focussing on the company handbooks.

 

I appreciate your point of view which is very realistic and never fails to bring me back to reality.

 

Yes your right that it was not clear cut at all however for now it is down for the judge to decide. More importantly why the respondent deliberately withheld this vital piece of information from the tribunal knowing that the decision could go either way is surely incriminating in itself.

[stu007]

Hi

 

What you need to be careful with on beareavement is to check whether anywhere in their policy for this it mentions Next of Kin (NOK) and what they actually class as NOK

[Emmzzi]

ok.

 

FYI I work at a very big company and our "time off for bereavement" policy is just one paragraph added to the general "time off" policy. it isn't meant to cover every eventuality, just give an indication of what is reasonable paid and unpaid time off (one day for a family funeral to one week off for a spouse/child/parent, and "it depends" respectively).

 

I think your expectation that there is a giant folder of policy somewhere is unrealistic.

[billybobynumeroduo]

Hi Stu,

 

next of kin is not mentioned in the bereavement policy, only mentioned is: "When bereavement occurs in your immediate family (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Wife, Husband,Son, Daughter or Partner) 5 days paid leave will normally be allowed."

 

there is one small paragraph on bereavement surely there must be an extended version of this?

[Emmzzi]

Hi Stu,

 

next of kin is not mentioned in the bereavement policy, only mentioned is: "When bereavement occurs in your immediate family (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Wife, Husband,Son, Daughter or Partner) 5 days paid leave will normally be allowed."

 

there is one small paragraph on bereavement surely there must be an extended version of this?

 

I'd say this is a normal policy everywhere I have worked has been similar. and yes - that's it. Extended leave would be covered by sick absence and a doctor's line after the initial period of time.

[billybobynumeroduo]

Hi emmzzi,

 

I posted before I saw your recent post, ok it makes sense that a very small paragraph could be all the company policy details re bereavement.

 

the only other points of interest:

 

"If you need time off due to illness, accident or bereavement of a close relative, even where you do not

come within the statutory rules regarding time off to care for dependants the Group will do everything it reasonably can to support you"

 

"You will have a statutory right to reasonable unpaid time off work in the following situations: 1. In consequence of the death of a dependant."

 

The policy wording is very brief however it appears that the Company have gone against their own handbook guidleines, by failing to provide a statutory right to time off or offering any form of support.

[stu007]

Hi

 

I have to agree with Emmzzi that this is a normal policy and outside of what is written in their policy for immediate family, it would really be at the employers discression.

 

Also to be able to answer your above post we would nee to know if this was to do with immediate family or not as you mention in the companies brief policy.

[Emmzzi]

well generally a dependent is a child not a parent

and you would need to show you had gone through the company process to request time off with full disclosure so they could consider it properly.

 

again your issue is that "reasonable" is subjective and the judge will need to decide with all the evidence in front of them.

 

I have had staff who wanted one day off for the funeral and that was it - that was how they coped. Others have had 3 months unpaid leave. Others have gone medium term sick with depression before rehabilitation.

 

There is no one measure of reasonable.

[Emmzzi]

PS Is this for your EAT? remember this is not a re-hearing of the original case!! So it is simply "this point of law was applied incorrectly, do you agree.... yes or no."

 

I am not sure why you are gathering new data which will not be heard?

[billybobynumeroduo]

Ok Emmzzi,

 

an employee comes to you as Human resources manager stating they are not coping at work, they have had a suicide in their immediate family.

They go on to say they have been working flat out at work and have reached the point where they need some time off as they have been neglecting themselves and are depressed.

You as the HR manager then state this is a very serious matter and you will get back to me immediately so that you can progress the matter and deal with the matter effectively.

 

The end result is you never call me back and the employee has no-one within the company to talk to, despite you being the HR manager who is the person responsible for staff.

 

I can see where you are coming from but it seems very unprofessional to not oblige with a follow up phone call even out of courtesy not withstanding that you have just found out that one of your members of staff is suffering from bereavement.

 

Does a HR manager really need to wait 3 months for a doctor to write a report to say that an employee has depression when it is a no brainer that a death in a family through suicide is more than likely to result in some form of mental instability??

 

regards

 

BB

[Emmzzi]

we can discuss all you like but if it is for your EAT you are missing the point of that process.