Disciplinary after time off - **Resolved Amicably**

[Honey Monster]

Good morning all.

 

Just after a quick bit of advice.

 

I have been off work for the last few weeks after finding out something horrific that had been happening to my 8 year old son. I informed work what had happened and that obviously I would be off work as needed time to not only help my son through it but, also to try and deal with all the emotional things I was going through.

 

I went to see my GP and obtained sick notes to cover me for the time I was off. I even attempt to come back to work sooner but after a few hours there, I was an emotional mess and broke down in tears so obviously wasn't ready.

 

Anyway, I had my welcome back interview and my manager didn't ask how me or my son were doing just simply kept stating how much pressure my time off had placed on my colleagues and, as I was off on Feb for 2 days with sickness I will now be having a disciplinary meeting.

 

I appreciate they are just following company procedures buy just feel the way it has been handled, knowing what I was going through, was very unsympathetic.

 

Anyway, I have seen something about time offf for dependants this morning and was wondering if this is something I might be to have instead of having it as sick even though I provided sick notes?

 

Many thanks

[obiter dictum]

Any excesive time off whatever the reason will trigger an absence review. The system will rcognise you have taken more than the maximin time off allowed, even with Fit notes

 

That does not mean the employer will activate any warnings or issue any stage warmings for that absence. That will be a management decision on the facts presented at the interview

[Sidewinder]

Just to add to the above, time off for dependants, whilst valid at the outset of an event, would not cover you for an absence of weeks, only in the very short term

 

It is designed to allow time off to deal with the immediate emergency, and to arrange for longer term childcare where that is needed. This would normally be just for a shift, a day, or at a push a couple of days - it would not cover the parent for an extended absence due to the effects of the incident on your own health, and a sick line from your doctor, such as you have, would be the appropriate reason for such an absence.

 

As stated above, however genuine the reason for absence, it does not mean that a formal review or hearing should not take place, nor does it mean that disciplinary action cannot follow if the absence level does not improve during any subsequent measurement period. Some employers are sympathetic and will disregard what they know to be a genuine absence for the purposes of absence measurement, others are not. It seems that yours is the latter, but there is nothing to say that they must be sympathetic or considerate. Hopefully your absence review will not result in any formal warning, but the employer would unfortunately have the law on their side should they choose to take that course of action.

 

The wellbeing of your child and yourself is the overriding factor here though, so hopefully whatever the event and it's aftermath, I hope that things are improving for both of you.

[Honey Monster]

Thank you both for your replies.

 

Having spoken to my area manager and the HR lead today at some length, they have decided that I won't be required to attend a disciplinary meeting now and no further action will be taken. That's at least some less pressure at this time.

[Sidewinder]

Good news - common sense prevails!

 

Thread title adjusted