Going sick the day before a week's leave

[POSTMAN]

Just curious though,summer weeks I know of,but what about offices that are lapsing 50 weeks of the year,could/should they get the extra slots 'all' year round?

[Cheetah]

You're very lucky FT if your manager helps you out in that manner...... A guy in our office asked to be accomodated on sat 16th June 2012 6 months in advance, he wanted one day to attend his own wedding, our DOM told him as there was no spare leave on that day, he would need to make other arrangements . He has put it in the unions hands so lets see wher that one goes......

The argument i would use is simple.
If during the summer months your office is lapsing 2 duties for say 3 days a week that is 6 days extra annual leave capacity opened up each week.
That extra capacity should be used by the members as part of phase 3 P&M2007.

• Efficient Summer staffing – each unit will utilise the opportunity offered by reduced traffic volumes to re-arrange responsibilities during the summer period. This will offer employees additional opportunities for leave during the same period.

Royal Mail say as much in their Myths and Facts thing.

flex.jpg

You're 100% right my friend thanks for your help, it even states in BT2010 that lapsing in the summer will allow for extra/more choice leave for employees, however our DOM just refuses to aknowledge that or try to accommodate anyone other than his "Toadies"..... The guy in question has tried to speak to the rep (that is difficult though as sadly only his shoes are dangling from the DOMs A..e), he has took the matter to area and has had no help there either, however I have noticed on the "special Leave" thread the special leave document states he is entitled . If he can produce that document then the union will have to help him surely......
Should it be like this though Fighting with your own union to get their support on matters such as this

[fishtank]

Just curious though,summer weeks I know of,but what about offices that are lapsing 50 weeks of the year,could/should they get the extra slots 'all' year round?

I would love to see the argument they use to lapse 50 weeks of the year in the first place but taking that as a given...of course they should have the extra slots otherwise where is that extra capacity going?
Lapsing produces extra bodies...are those extra bodies standing about with their finger up their arse?
Royal Mail can't make savings from lapsing unless extra leave is generated...unless an office is deliberately understaffed which again falls back to the rep and resource meeting.

[steve1873]

Hi,

I'm invited to a close friends stag do on a Saturday in a couple of months. Surprise surprise, I can't get the day off. Also, people on my section are generally very reluctant to swap their Saturdays. By hook or by crook though, I want to make this gig. The week after this Saturday, I'm already on leave for the week. If I phone in sick first thing, will it go down as one day's absence, or about eight, due to my being on holiday the week following? I'm not on any stage warning, but just thought I'd check it out.

Thanks.

The only way for it to only count as one day's sick would be if you phoned up at a later point that same Saturday, to say you're fit to resume. Which would look absurdly dodgy.

Be warned, though. I know from a contact (an Area rep) of two guys that did a similar thing and the DOM went round their houses to find neither at home. Last I heard, they were both dismissed and were awaiting the result of an appeal

I don't think management can tell you to stay at home if you are off sick, so not sure how that would stand up. They could have been out at doctors, hospital, pharmacy etc. Just being not at home is not grounds for dismissal, surely?

[Pat Ostman]

Hi,

I'm invited to a close friends stag do on a Saturday in a couple of months. Surprise surprise, I can't get the day off. Also, people on my section are generally very reluctant to swap their Saturdays. By hook or by crook though, I want to make this gig. The week after this Saturday, I'm already on leave for the week. If I phone in sick first thing, will it go down as one day's absence, or about eight, due to my being on holiday the week following? I'm not on any stage warning, but just thought I'd check it out.

Thanks.

The only way for it to only count as one day's sick would be if you phoned up at a later point that same Saturday, to say you're fit to resume. Which would look absurdly dodgy.

Be warned, though. I know from a contact (an Area rep) of two guys that did a similar thing and the DOM went round their houses to find neither at home. Last I heard, they were both dismissed and were awaiting the result of an appeal

I don't think management can tell you to stay at home if you are off sick, so not sure how that would stand up. They could have been out at doctors, hospital, pharmacy etc. Just being not at home is not grounds for dismissal, surely?

There would have to be a lot more to that story to make it true, yes.

[Theghost]

Go off sick and have a week,1 week is treated the same as 1 day,Say you pulled your back,Go to the doctors and tell him the same,They cant really do much with pulled back muscles.
You will have a doctors note (Even though a self cert would do) You get to go on your stag do,You still get time off and you also get your holidays back.
Many times i have told my manager that the holiday situation,Or should i say lack of flexibilaty is the main reason people go off sick,Until royal mail reaslise this we will continue to have people going off,I for one will keep doing so and dont give a damn any more,I treat my week off every six months as a holiday,Im on no stage warnings and good luck to all who take advantage of the "system"

[estelle]

see, the issue I have with the post above is that folk do take advantage of the current system - and do so without ever ending up on any sort of stage. I found myself at stage 2, all because I had to have an operation and the recovery time. It sucks, the whole abscence management system just sucks, especially when used incorrectly by both management and staff.

[Pat Ostman]

Ahh but all ghost is after is fairness on both sides. There is none, so people get jaded and start taking everything they can get.

I for one cannot really blame them.

[motherhubbard]

Just curious though,summer weeks I know of,but what about offices that are lapsing 50 weeks of the year,could/should they get the extra slots 'all' year round?

I would love to see the argument they use to lapse 50 weeks of the year in the first place but taking that as a given...of course they should have the extra slots otherwise where is that extra capacity going?

The extra capacity is being used to ensure the USO is kept by sending the spare bodies to understaffed DOs in the sector.

[wandle]

There would have to be a lot more to that story to make it true, yes.

There was, and it is true. You're supposed to be contactable at your usual address, unless you inform RM in writing. Several attempts were made to contact the two individuals, at various times of day and by a visit to their home addresses. I cannot disclose the RM location that these guys worked in, but both were indeed sacked.

[Pat Ostman]

There would have to be a lot more to that story to make it true, yes.

There was, and it is true. You're supposed to be contactable at your usual address, unless you inform RM in writing. Several attempts were made to contact the two individuals, at various times of day and by a visit to their home addresses. I cannot disclose the RM location that these guys worked in, but both were indeed sacked.

Think you can notify them my phone, say your ill at relatives but yes, that could happen.

[arnold cheshire]

just ring in sick and when they ask how long will you be sick just say one day

[masterblaster]

Go sick friday and ring up sat about 10am say you would be available from monday (if you weren't off anyway).