special leave paid or unpaid

[scottb]

Hi,

Hope some one can give me some advice here.

Last week i had to take the day off work to look after my 6 year old daughter, she had been sick that morning just as i was about to take her to school. I phoned my manager as soon as it happened and informed him what had happened. I could not send he to school as she had been sick, i could not send her to a childminder as they would refuse to take her as she had been sick, my wife was already at work and her place of work is over 20 miles from our home and she has to depend on lifts to get to and from work as she doesn't drive, so could not come home.
I was told by my manager after returning to work that i had to take it as either unpaid leave or as annual holiday. When i challenged this and suggested that it could be taken as paid special leave I was told if it was special leave it would have to be unpaid. I was told that locally the entitlement had changed due to people abusing the system, and paid special leave no longer was offered. I have read a few posts and the entitlement doc from 2010 but can someone please confirm the exact entitlements for special leave due to illness to dependents and if these entitlements are part of the national pay and conditions agreement how can they be changed locally?

I also noticed the section called family medical problem stating if urgent you should be paid 1 day with further days being unpaid, should i go back and suggest i take it as this instead of special leave?

I have been with RM just short of 2years and have not had any days off due to illness in that time.

Hope someone can answer my questions

scottb

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

Unfortunately the key word is "should" whether special leave is paid or not is up to the dom but if he is not paying it and refusing it all point blank I would get the rep to raise a greivance with him

[Son Of God]

Unpaid. Sorry :(

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Dependants/Family Emergency Leave UK Legislation allows for employees to have a reasonable amount of unpaid time off during working hours to make emergency caring arrangements and provide emergency assistance for dependants. Who would be considered to be a dependant?  A spouse or civil partner  A child  A parent Someone who lives as part of the family (this does not include tenants or boarders living in the family home, or someone who lives in the household as an employee e.g. live-in housekeeper) Anyone who reasonably relies on the employee for assistance when they fall ill (or are injured, or assaulted) In what circumstances should reasonable time off be considered?  When a dependant falls ill or is injured or assaulted  When arrangements for caring for a dependant unexpectedly break down  When a dependant gives birth  When a dependant dies  To deal with an unexpected incident involving a child The purpose of the time off is to allow the employee to cover immediate emergencies and, if required, make alternative care arrangements. If further time off is required the employee should discuss such requirements with their line manager. Consideration could be given to a further day off either unpaid or covered by holiday entitlement. In exceptional circumstances up to three days may be considered. If more time is requested then consider Getting Help to discuss options

[rehabron]

situation would be covered under immediate domestic distress which would give one day paid special leave and under certain conditions could be extended to three days. Any leave over and above would be unpaid or used in your holiday entitlement.

[scottb]

Can anyone tell me do i have a time limit on raising a grievance on this issue?
I have approached my union rep and he in turn has spoken to our area rep who was to raise this with our area manager, thing is they are all off on holiday this week, it has came to my attention that someone else in our office was given 2days paid special leave to look after their wife after coming out of hospital. this to me is discrimination.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Can anyone tell me do i have a time limit on raising a grievance on this issue?
I have approached my union rep and he in turn has spoken to our area rep who was to raise this with our area manager, thing is they are all off on holiday this week, it has came to my attention that someone else in our office was given 2days paid special leave to look after their wife after coming out of hospital. this to me is discrimination.

I don't believe there is a time limit.
Even if there was/is, it's only been 3 weeks or so, I think you have every right to file the complaint.
But, see the Area Rep first, clarify if they have had any joy with it.
If they haven't, then maybe file the complaint.

Don't know if it discrimination though.
It may be unfair treatment, as one employee would appear to have been treated more favourably than another. The circumstances are slightly different.
I'd get advice from the Area Rep before filing, just to make sure.

[feduppostie]

situation would be covered under immediate domestic distress which would give one day paid special leave and under certain conditions could be extended to three days. Any leave over and above would be unpaid or used in your holiday entitlement.

there is no 'immediate' domestic distress only domestic distress which is paid or unpaid at the discretion of the manager

I can only speak of my office - a child/family member taken to hospital/accident etc then usually paid with details sorted out when known

unwell child which does not require hospital or immediate medical treatment - unpaid

[scottb]

thanks for all the advice guys,

I will see what comes back from area rep, but i can't believe that someone can be denied paid special leave to look after a sick 6year old child for 1 day and yet someone else can be granted 2days special leave paid to help an adult who has just came out of hospital. Who has the ability to look after themselves?

If i was able to get someone else to look after my daughter when she was ill i would have and went to work. But as i said earlier i couldn't send her to school or a childminder. This is also the first time I've had to take any time off due to my daughter or indeed any time off.

If it's not discrimination then it's favoritism, I wonder where exactly does this fall in the recent joint RM CWU statement re- fairness, dignity and respect ????????

[kumarana]

my wife had an emergency admitted to hospital for 3 days,i called in for family emergency.Will i get paid or un paid leave

[TrueBlueTerrier]

my wife had an emergency admitted to hospital for 3 days,i called in for family emergency.Will i get paid or un paid leave

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=24456" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

FAMILY MEDICAL PROBLEM
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Urgent indicates an immediate need, the provision with pay should normally be one day, with further days unpaid or covered by holiday entitlement. Exceptional circumstances might warrant 3 days. Where regular treatment is occurring the employee should try and get appointments outside work hours and Post Office Ltd should help by arranging changes to working hours wherever possible. Managers should treat requests for additional time off with sympathy bearing in mind that a stoppage of pay will add to the stress of hospital treatment.
It should be noted that taking someone to hospital for an arranged appointment is not Special Leave A, but should be taken as Unpaid or Annual Leave.