compassionate leave

biddy21

I had a bereavement in my immediate family recently, but wasnt paid for the three days off for the funeral. When i asked the employer why I wasnt paid, it was said that I might not be entitled to it because I was off on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, that the weekend might count as part of the three days? Even though where i work is not even open at the weekend. Has anyone ever heard of this, or could this be right? Thanks for any info!

blindsider

biddy21 wrote: »

I had a bereavement in my immediate family recently, but wasnt paid for the three days off for the funeral. When i asked the employer why I wasnt paid, it was said that I might not be entitled to it because I was off on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, that the weekend might count as part of the three days? Even though where i work is not even open at the weekend. Has anyone ever heard of this, or could this be right? Thanks for any info!

Firstly, condolences.

Can't see how this might be right TBH. Week-ends are your own business - they don't count as holidays......

Did your line manager ok the leave? Did you qualify for the CP? (Awful question I know - but some employers are inordinately hard-assed about it.) Usually, your contract etc will specify the requirements for compassionate leave, and they're pretty strict e.g. in-laws and grandparents usually don't count - or if they do, it's for a day.

I'd ask him/her or HR for confirmation - and hope that it was just an error.

biddy21

Thats what i thought, it was my dad who passed away and there is nothing in my contract re any sort of leave

InReality

I'd say whoever said in your company that was confusing it with another type of leave. If HR or whoever deals with it could get rules confused.
Sorry for your loss.

Nody

Does your company have any policy about compassionate leave? Because you don't have any such rights by law so anything they would pay is depending on how their policy is worded.

Mrs OBumble

biddy21 wrote: »

Thats what i thought, it was my dad who passed away and there is nothing in my contract re any sort of leave

OP, sorry for your loss.

Unfortunately if there's nothing in your contract, then you've no entitlement.

Pretty gutless of your manager not to clarify this with you: even if they are embarrassed about the company's policy, they could at least have told you the truth.

The best approach, if you want to be paid for the, is to ask if you can use annual leave days instead.


Ref: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/types_of_leave_from_work.html



(If you think this is harsh ... I agree. Approach your TD if you feel passionate enough to lobby to get it changed.)

Gongoozler

My last place of work used to have this policy regarding sick leave - if it was over the weekend the weekend counted in days.

If your policy or contract doesn't state anything about compassionate leave, or this, then you've nothing to fall back on, as far as I know.

Tarzana

OP, when my gran died a few years back, I found out the company policy on it, as my contract didn't specifically specify. I got a bit fat nada of compassionate leave so used some of my annual leave. In that company, a few days were given for a parent. Every company differs though. That said, the advice you get sounds odd. Only Saturday and Sunday are counted as weekend days.

The_Conductor

If its public sector- the instruction to HR is that in any leave period (regardless of the type of leave)- the first Saturday and Sunday of the leave period is counted. Aka- if you are out sick on either a Friday or a Monday- or have study leave, compassionate leave, sick leave, term time or any other kind of leave- commencing on a Friday or a Monday- the first Saturday and Sunday encountered, are counted.

For example- you are sick on Monday and unable to attend work. It doesn't matter whether its certified sick leave with a doctors note, whether you're in hospital A&E or whatever- the last day you were present was Friday, QED, its 3 days sick leave.

Employers find it minimises unscheduled absences. Employees abhor the practice. Unfortunately- its now in public sector, and the private sector are mimicing it, as it massively improves absence records. The downside- people who have had recent losses, or people genuinely ill- feel obliged to attend, and are unproductive, unable to properly care for themselves- and often, in cases like flu etc- spread it around the office.

Its not fair- but its rapidly becoming normal practice.

InReality

The_Conductor wrote: »

If its public sector- the instruction to HR is that in any leave period (regardless of the type of leave)- the first Saturday and Sunday of the leave period is counted. Aka- if you are out sick on either a Friday or a Monday- or have study leave, compassionate leave, sick leave, term time or any other kind of leave- commencing on a Friday or a Monday- the first Saturday and Sunday encountered, are counted.

For example- you are sick on Monday and unable to attend work. It doesn't matter whether its certified sick leave with a doctors note, whether you're in hospital A&E or whatever- the last day you were present was Friday, QED, its 3 days sick leave.

Employers find it minimises unscheduled absences. Employees abhor the practice. Unfortunately- its now in public sector, and the private sector are mimicing it, as it massively improves absence records. The downside- people who have had recent losses, or people genuinely ill- feel obliged to attend, and are unproductive, unable to properly care for themselves- and often, in cases like flu etc- spread it around the office.

Its not fair- but its rapidly becoming normal practice.

I think its just for sick leave. Have you any link for this ?

cee_jay

In the civil service, Saturday & Sunday are only counted towards the total sick days absent when you are sick on both Friday and Monday of the same weekend. If you are just out on Monday, that is one day absent.
The circular for the civil service on Bereavement Leave specifically state an employee is entitled to special leave with pay up to a limit of X working days (see here: http://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/finance/2009/22.pdf).

Stheno

Gongoozler wrote: »

My last place of work used to have this policy regarding sick leave - if it was over the weekend the weekend counted in days.

If your policy or contract doesn't state anything about compassionate leave, or this, then you've nothing to fall back on, as far as I know.

Yeah I had this too in a place I worked in, I think what has happened here is that the company are counting someone suffering a bereavement as having three days compassionate leave, and including the Saturday/Sunday as two of those days.

biddy21

i only had a temp contract when i started 7 yrs ago, then there was a few different managers and the original temp contract cant be found, how do i stand now?

Stheno

Compassionate leave tends not to be covered in contracts, it's not a legal issue, so it's down to company policy.