hospital appointments in R/M time

[jaf73]

Hello im a local rep and im very inexperinced as ive only been doing it for a few months since our other rep retired.My area rep is great and helps me out when ever i phone him up with a problem which is at least three times a week he must hate seeing my number by now,but with time and help i will get more experienced. So heres my problem, In our office we have many chaps who are under specialist or require long term hospital appointments including myself the problem i seem to be having now with management in our office is agreeing on the getting the time off for the appointments. The main problem is like myself specialist appointments only run until 11.30-12.00 so theres no getting away from having these appointments in R/M time.The process we are going down is offering to come in and prep only ,then off for the appointment,our manager is now insisting on grabbing back the time used for the app eg duty time 05.45-14.20 app 10.30 you owe R/M 3hrs 50 mins duty time.There is two ways they are saying to give them it back either do part of a walk that may be on absence for nothink ( time given back ) or have it off pay which really in this day and age isnt ecomically sound. I have asked for many members in our office to have this on special leave, as i was informed that if you can show your manager that you have tried to get your app out of noraml work hours that this would be the case. To my astonishment i was informed by my manager they do not fall under specail leave so what i want to know is any one else having the same issues in there office and been able to resolve it and whats the offical stance on this as i know my managers a b/s and because im new to the repping will take every advantage on me he can

[mailsort6]

If you come under the DDA or if you are going through a rehabilitation programme you should get time off to attend hospital appointments. However, in my office if you cannot attend hospital appointments outside of works time they are usually reasonable about you attending hospital appoinments within works time.

[Pinky 1]

Hey jaf73, try this thread in Blue Shirts.
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=16561" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hopefully you'll find the answer's to some of your questions there

[stokes11eg]

Hello, If you and your Mates illnesses come under D.D.A time off for appointments comes under the 'reasonable adjustment 'banner.more recently, a couple of people have successfully argued that time to attend hospital appointments
be deemed '''sick leave' that being the case,given that other staff are paid whilst on the sick,they should be paid also,otherwise their treatment is discriminatory.
if the consultants can confirm they only offer appointments during your working hours, and that you are by definition ,ill, or sick, whilst you are attending him, you are in with a shout!
Good luck.