Time Off Work

Brendan Flowers

Hoping someone here might be able to help me. Basically I need to take some days off work in the middle of July as I have to go to Sweden for a job interview. I dont want my boss to know Im doing interviews for other positions so he cant know where Im going.

Anyways my problem is that there is already a number of people on annual leave during this week. Another colleague already asked for time off but was turned down because we are under staffed that week. Hence I wont be able to take annual leave for the few days. So what could I say I need the time off for to guarantee I get the days? Any ideas/help is much appreciated!

Also just to note, flights and hotel is booked so I cant change the dates. I cant do the interview over the phone as there is a practical part to the interview.

Lux23

How do you think he would react if you were honest with him? If you end up taking the time off sick lets say he may well cop on if you get the job and if he is the vindictive type he may not give you a reference.

Spacedog

just say you need to take the time off for urgent personal reasons. and that you are willing to deduct days from holidays to cover the time.

if you worked hard and ask reference while respectfully giving your notice there should be no bother.

pog it

Brendan Flowers wrote: »

Hoping someone here might be able to help me. Basically I need to take some days off work in the middle of July as I have to go to Sweden for a job interview. I dont want my boss to know Im doing interviews for other positions so he cant know where Im going.

Anyways my problem is that there is already a number of people on annual leave during this week. Another colleague already asked for time off but was turned down because we are under staffed that week. Hence I wont be able to take annual leave for the few days. So what could I say I need the time off for to guarantee I get the days? Any ideas/help is much appreciated!

Also just to note, flights and hotel is booked so I cant change the dates. I cant do the interview over the phone as there is a practical part to the interview.

Properly fake an illness... for example tonsillitus. You can pretend you have a sore throat until one day it is so bad you can't sleep from it, etc. and it has gotten into the final stages. It lasts at least a week and is pretty common.

jackiebaron

Lux23 wrote: »

How do you think he would react if you were honest with him? If you end up taking the time off sick lets say he may well cop on if you get the job and if he is the vindictive type he may not give you a reference.

If he gets the job he doesn't have to tell his current boss. He can just say he's resigning to spend some time with his family or working on his memoirs or some sh!t.

Lux23

jackiebaron wrote: »

If he gets the job he doesn't have to tell his current boss. He can just say he's resigning to spend some time with his family or working on his memoirs or some sh!t.

Which would really screw him up if he did in fact need the reference to get the new job.

LLU

pog it wrote: »

Properly fake an illness... for example tonsillitus. You can pretend you have a sore throat until one day it is so bad you can't sleep from it, etc. and it has gotten into the final stages. It lasts at least a week and is pretty common.

Wouldnt you need a doctors cert for that length of time off?

mw3guc

Spacedog wrote: »

just say you need to take the time off for urgent personal reasons. and that you are willing to deduct days from holidays to cover the time.

if you worked hard and ask reference while respectfully giving your notice there should be no bother.

This would have my vote - no real lying involved. If, in addition, you offer to take some unpaid leave you will be emphasising the urgency of your need and the willingness to meet the employer half way. Perhaps offer to do some overtime in advance or afterwards to relieve strained resources, if that's possible?
You have to bear in mind that it's only an interview - you may not get the job and could need to keep your current employer happy and on side - not just to ensure a hypothetical reference.

pog it

LLU wrote: »

Wouldnt you need a doctors cert for that length of time off?

No the week is the build up included. My brother had it and the unbearable bit lasted around 3 days or so. Some types of it are viral so you can't take any thing for it apart from resting, drinking lots of water, etc.

Anyway it was just an example really, tons of other conditions you can make up.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Do you have any friends among those with the week already booked off. If so would they be willing to cover the week for you. Your boss cannot really object if you can arrange your own cover for the week. You do not state the kind of work. You could offer to be available over the phone/email to address issues if it is a desk job.

If you want to mask the interview well then take a whole week off and make it public knowledge that you are going to Sweden for the week. Then you will not get caught out if you (accidentally) make reference to Sweden in future conversation. The best interview camouflage is the truth with a little omission rather than a lie.

Nonoperational

pog it wrote: »

Properly fake an illness... for example tonsillitus. You can pretend you have a sore throat until one day it is so bad you can't sleep from it, etc. and it has gotten into the final stages. It lasts at least a week and is pretty common.

pog it wrote: »

No the week is the build up included. My brother had it and the unbearable bit lasted around 3 days or so. Some types of it are viral so you can't take any thing for it apart from resting, drinking lots of water, etc.

Anyway it was just an example really, tons of other conditions you can make up.

Wow that is incredible reasoning. No wonder you class yourself as the intellectual minority of society. How old are you? 12?

bbam

I'd say your options are
1. See if someone will cancel their holidays, swap and cover for you..
2. Come clean with the boss and explain why you need the time off, it won't guarantee you'll get it though.
3. Lie, fake illness and just take the time.
4. Lie, fake illness of close family member and take force-majeure.

I absolutely hate options 3 & 4, they are dishonest and force extra workload on those remaining on the job..

The only way of guaranteeing the time off is to LIE. If you don't get the job and it gets back to the boss you were dishonest you're cards will be marked as untrustworthy and unreliable, rightly so too. I don't recommend it at all.

Eoin

You've also posted this in AH where you've had a lot more replies, so I'm closing this one. Please don't cross post in multiple forums.