Teacher missing school

vicwatson

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

Work is left for the children but they have that done by 1.30 and read for 1.5 hours till home time

afkasurfjunkie

Teachers get sick. They have children and families that get sick. It happens. There used to be more sub cover but the dept changed that.

RainyDay

vicwatson wrote: »

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

Work is left for the children but they have that done by 1.30 and read for 1.5 hours till home time

Why would you expect to be told the reason for the absence? That's between the teacher and the principal - no-one else. I know of one parent who went in ranting and raving about the teacher's absence, but when the teacher explained she was in the early stages of cancer treatment, she kinda wished that she had kept her mouth shut.

The splitting up can be disruptive all right, particularly for students who need routine. It could be courses or EPV days or illnesses.
http://www.education.ie/en/Education-Staff/Services/Breaks-Leave/Extra-Personal-Vacation-Days/

byhookorbycrook

vicwatson wrote: »

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

Work is left for the children but they have that done by 1.30 and read for 1.5 hours till home time

If the children are split rather than having a sub and it's due to illness, this is because the DES did away with subs for one day illness so the school has no choice but to split the class, as already stated.

It may also be some type of course - again, the DES will allow a teacher to do a course but won't provide sub cover. Some courses are not offered over the school holidays so it is not possible for a teacher to do them then.

In fairness, you are not entitled to know why a teacher is absent and nor should you be. Teachers generally have exceptionally good reasons to be out- apart from anything else organising work for a class, correcting it and then making up lost time is a nightmare.

theoldbreed

It's absolutely none of your business why the teacher is out. That's between them and principal. It's more hassle than it's worth to miss days so I expect the reason is genuine.

grind gremlin

Teachers are also not allowed to take part of the day off to attend appointments. You are either in school or you are absent. This can be a total pain for teachers as maternity appointments are almost always during the school day. This results in having to take the whole day off (with sub cover). Work is always prepared for any substitute teachers meaning the class are not falling behind. The government no longer provides substitute cover for a whole range of absences.
I can guarantee the teacher took these days for a genuine reason.

shane9689

so what? they missed less than a week spread over 2 months? jesus, theyre people too. God knows why theyre missing and who cares. There are regulations and certain amount of sick days a teacher is allowed to have in a term which is controlled by the department. Unless they start taking off more time than is permitted then its really none of your business.

alroley

It's none of your business?
Teachers get sick. They have lives.

alroley

double post

appfry

A few years ago I was dropping one of the kids to school and I heard a parent giving out yards, going to town on the principal about a teacher who was out for two days. She was really going ballistic and on the high horse putting on a show for all of the other parents dropping kids off. The principal looked around to make sure all the kids were gone into class and then she rared up on the parent with "Hes dead. Is that a good enough reason not to be in." and walked off back in the door of the school.
The parent looked around at all the other parents and we all just walked away from her.
Turned out the guy had died two nights before.
Think before you get on your high horse.

05eaftqbrs9jlh

vicwatson wrote:

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

What county is this? I need to get in there with this school and their high level of absenteeism. That's my livelihood

I totally don't agree with that though. We had a maths teacher for leaving cert for two weeks in fifth year and two weeks before the exam. It's arguably worse when the child is younger because it's harder for them to cope with the adjustment.

evolving_doors

I remember at one parent teacher meeting a parent was giving out about the number of teachers going on maternity leave!
Ya Op it's annoying but the last thing I want to be doing is trying to play catch up after being out. I doubt the teacher is doing it on-purpose.
You should raise the issue of subs (or lack thereof) with your local FG TD.

grind gremlin

I've taken this from an online article: I wonder how many children have had sick days in the classroom in this period, and how many of them were due to illnesses they could have spread.....

Teaching, at the primary level, is a very personal experience. Unlike the secondary and post-secondary years, where instructors stand in relative safety at the front of the class or lecture hall, education in the early grades is something that much more resembles hand-to-hand combat than the Socratic handing down of wisdom.

Study any primary classroom for any length of time and what will you see? Teachers bending down close to their charges, guiding chubby little hands, speaking slowly and emphatically and bringing their own faces sometimes within inches of their students. The board offices refer to this as 'hands-on' learning. The children know it as one-on-one time. Teachers call it 'The Kill Zone'.

In the world of classroom germ warfare, this is effectively ground zero. How many teachers have leaned in close to praise, correct or instruct a youngster only to have the little cherub sneeze and/or cough directly into their open mouths at point blank range? And each one of those crusty-nosed darlings has two hands. That's 10 fingers. Ten little digits eagerly spreading their viral payload to everything they touch. There are doorknobs in public schools that could take down an Ebola monkey.

Remarkably, teachers, especially those with years in the system, have developed incredibly robust immune systems. It's statistically miraculous how few of them get really sick in view of what they have sprayed on them on a daily basis. They are scientific and medical anomalies. I've always felt that in the event of a nuclear or chemical attack, only cockroaches and primary school teachers will survive to repopulate the earth.

Big Bag of Chips

Why don't you approach the principal and raise your concerns? Nobody here can tell you why that particular teacher has missed 4 days. Yes, teachers have courses, in-service days. Occasionally teachers get sick (they are people).

If your child is being very disrupted then raise it with the principal and see where you get.

All I know is, every child I've ever known who went through school, myself included, loved the days a teacher would be out! Anything to break the daily routine!! Going to a different class for the day was a bit of fun! Listening to the other teacher, watching what the other class were being taught. It happened occasionally during primary school. I really can't point a finger at any one student who was so disrupted that it had any lasting affect on their school or adult life afterwards.

vicwatson

My oh my,

When I get time to defend my post I will.

Meantime, call off the wolves and calm down please

vicwatson

My oh my,

When I get time to defend my post I will.

Meantime, call off the wolves and calm down please

ShamoBuc

vicwatson wrote: »

My oh my,

When I get time to defend my post I will.

Meantime, call off the wolves and calm down please

You asked a question, I think you got several correct and informative answers.


' call off the wolves and calm down,' - easily offended much ??

evolving_doors

I suppose the parent is taking an interest though, that's a good thing.

D9Male

Last year my son's teacher was out for two weeks after the death of her (20yo) brother. Senior infants class. Before it happened, she had missed maybe 2-3 days (unsure what the reason was).

The parents were up in arms about her absence, which made me really uncomfortable. Parents seemed to completely ignore the fact the poor lady was grieving. Sub teachers were provided, but 3 different subs I think over the fortnight. There was talk of a petition, numerous trips and calls to the principal.

She missed maybe four more days (in 1s and 2s) that year, and the giving out started again.

It really opened my eyes about the other parents.

juneg

D9Male wrote: »

Last year my son's teacher was out for two weeks after the death of her (20yo) brother. Senior infants class. Before it happened, she had missed maybe 2-3 days (unsure what the reason was).

The parents were up in arms about her absence, which made me really uncomfortable. Parents seemed to completely ignore the fact the poor lady was grieving. Sub teachers were provided, but 3 different subs I think over the fortnight. There was talk of a petition, numerous trips and calls to the principal.

She missed maybe four more days (in 1s and 2s) that year, and the giving out started again.

It really opened my eyes about the other parents.

You've got to be kidding, seriously? they complained that she was out for two measly weeks after her 20 yr old brother died? I hope they all get septic boils on their arses :mad::mad::mad:

D9Male

I am not kidding; it was actually two weeks, with an additional week for mid term in between.

A lot of talk about the "disruption" to the boys.

Lisha

D9Male wrote: »

I am not kidding; it was actually two weeks, with an additional week for mid term in between.

A lot of talk about the "disruption" to the boys.

Some parents are idiots. On a human level I would never want anyone to be at work when they are physically or mentally unable. That is surely a definition of cruelty.

Also can the idiot parents not see that the teacher will be a better one for having taken the appropriate time off to grieve and begin the grieving process.

Big Bag of Chips

I'd love to know if children are actually 'disrupted' and to what extent? And is it the job of the parents to teach their children how to deal with unexpected occurrences in their lives? A teacher missing for a few days is hardly likely to affect a "normal" child. Maybe a child with special needs or requirements, might be a bit upset but all the talk of "disruption" seems more to be coming from parents who just like to give out about something rather than the kids. As I said, any child I know loves the novelty of something different.

Disruption happens in life. Better to accept it and deal with it, than to try fight it and to blame others. It gets exhausting.

Moonbeam

I think it depends on the situation .Teachers are also parents ,daughters ,sisters,sons etc we all need to occasional day off but saying that we have a teacher in our school whom regularly misses days and often has JI .
I understand that there has to be a reason for it and the kids have assigned classes to go to ,the same every time .
It isn't fair on the little ones .

overmantle

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

Why don't you approach the principal and raise your concerns? Nobody here can tell you why that particular teacher has missed 4 days. Yes, teachers have courses, in-service days. Occasionally teachers get sick (they are people).

If your child is being very disrupted then raise it with the principal and see where you get.

All I know is, every child I've ever known who went through school, myself included, loved the days a teacher would be out! Anything to break the daily routine!! Going to a different class for the day was a bit of fun! Listening to the other teacher, watching what the other class were being taught. It happened occasionally during primary school. I really can't point a finger at any one student who was so disrupted that it had any lasting affect on their school or adult life afterwards.

If the OP has concerns about her child, then it's a reasonable suggestion to advise her to speak to the principal. Asking the principal the reason for the teacher's short term absence, however, is not on.

The principal is in a unique position where she / he must consider the bigger picture. He / she must see what is best for the children but also respect the privacy of staff members and their reasons for being absent.

It could be a course that is being attended, to support a pupil in the class with special needs like ASD. It could be that the teacher is in the early stages of pregnancy. It could be that the teacher has miscarried. It could be that the teacher has an illness. It could be that the teacher has had a family wedding. It could be that the teacher had a family bereavement. It could be that the teacher has to attend medical tests. It could be that the teacher has a child or parent who is seriously ill. Whatever the reason, it's private and it's unrealistic to even ask the principal and expect the principal to be able to give an answer.

Some parents can become very unrealistic on this subject. I've heard parents giving stick to the principal, on the occasion of a teacher's absence. I've also heard a principal being castigated for putting a different sub on two different occasions, for the same teacher (forgetting that the same sub was probably not available, as unfortunately, substitute teachers cannot afford the luxury of waiting around to sub in one school, on the off chance that the same teacher might be sick again).

I've even heard of cases where a parent threatened the principal, 'If that teacher is out again, I'll......'(as if the principal has any say over who is going to get sick, when they are going to be sick and for how long they will remain sick). Scary and crazy stuff.

heldel00

This is a nonsense discussion.
Ownership people feel they have over teachers is ridiculous.
OP giving out that child is left reading for 1.5 hours, do you expect the teacher to organise individual work for all the children in her class?!

pooch90

So far this year I've missed 5 days-1 for a pregnancy scan, three EPV days and one sick day-pregnancy related. I have 5 EPV days to take in total between now and start of Mat leave at Xmas. I booked, paid for and completed the courses before I knew I was pregnant and will be taking all my entitled days. I'm sorry if parents have an issue with this.

In the private sector, would they dare complain about entitled days off?
Seriously, lose the chip on your shoulder and be aware that the teacher's life doesn't revolve around your little darling and they may have something a whole lot bigger and more important happening in their lives.

Big Bag of Chips

Moonbeam wrote: »

It isn't fair on the little ones .

But is it?

Honestly, from personal experience and from my own children I don't see any of them too bothered when a teacher is out. If anything they're delighted because is usually means no homework!

I honestly don't see how it can be unfair or disruptive to them. Surely missing an odd day here or there of primary school isn't going to have any lasting affects. Even in college lectures can often be cancelled for whatever reason. Kids can miss days through illness themselves, or family functions, or holidays so a teacher isn't really much different (apart from the holidays bit!)

I think some parents like to find issue with everything and go on the defense of their child, when the reality for the child is "Wahoo! Miss is out"!!

cajonlardo

theoldbreed wrote: »

It's absolutely none of your business why the teacher is out. That's between them and principal. It's more hassle than it's worth to miss days so I expect the reason is genuine.

If a teacher left their car in with a mechanic and he went missing they'd ask the reason.

If a teacher had a builder doing work in their house and he disappeared mid job they'd ask the reason.

If you left your dry cleaning in and went back to find the shop closed without any explanation you'd want to know why.

Teachers are paid employees and whoever is paying them are entitled to ask questions - we do live in a free country.

Apt username given your reply btw.

RainyDay

cajonlardo wrote: »

If a teacher left their car in with a mechanic and he went missing they'd ask the reason.

If a teacher had a builder doing work in their house and he disappeared mid job they'd ask the reason.

If you left your dry cleaning in and went back to find the shop closed without any explanation you'd want to know why.

Teachers are paid employees and whoever is paying them are entitled to ask questions - we do live in a free country.
.

You're 100% right - whoever is paying them absolutely IS entitled to ask them questions.

That's the Principal, the Board of Management and the Department of Education - not the parents.

Your analogy is completely wrong. If the service is slow in a restaurant, do you go up to the manager and ask her WHY your favourite waitress isn't there?

theoldbreed

cajonlardo wrote: »

If a teacher left their car in with a mechanic and he went missing they'd ask the reason.

If a teacher had a builder doing work in their house and he disappeared mid job they'd ask the reason.

If you left your dry cleaning in and went back to find the shop closed without any explanation you'd want to know why.

Teachers are paid employees and whoever is paying them are entitled to ask questions - we do live in a free country.

Apt username given your reply btw.

Keep your silly remarks about my username to yourself. It's of no relevance.

The examples you gave are not the same thing in any way and you know it. Parents do not have ownership over teachers despite what they may think. If a parent has genuine concerns instead of just being ridiculous then approach the principal. A few days is nothing. Either way parents still have NO right to know the personal reasons as to why a teacher is absent and the absolute sense of entitlement is embarrassing. The teacher doesn't work for the OP. She/He needs to mind their own business.

cajonlardo

RainyDay wrote: »

You're 100% right - whoever is paying them absolutely IS entitled to ask them questions.

That's the Principal, the Board of Management and the Department of Education - not the parents.

You can mince words all day but you cannot deny that taxpayers pay teachers.

RainyDay wrote: »

Your analogy is completely wrong. If the service is slow in a restaurant, do you go up to the manager and ask her WHY your favourite waitress isn't there?

No, I wouldn't ask about a waitress/waiter/ meal in a restaurant. I would have thought you would have understood a child's education is a different matter entirely.

theoldbreed wrote: »

Keep your silly remarks about my username to yourself. It's of no relevance..

I will keep my remarks to myself if I am in breach this forums charter.

Until then please keep your backseat modding to yourself and address the points in hand and we'll all decide for ourselves who is being silly or irrelevant.

theoldbreed wrote: »

The examples you gave are not the same thing in any way and you know it.

Do you deny that you'd question the mechanic, builder or other service provider? If not, then why do you imagine the O.P is not entitled to ask the their own question over a matter of higher importance?

theoldbreed wrote: »

Parents do not have ownership over teachers despite what they may think.

Where is this "ownership" stuff coming from? O.P made no claim to "ownership" nor did I.

Why are some teachers so defensive when asked a simple question?

theoldbreed wrote: »

If a parent has genuine concerns instead of just being ridiculous then approach the principal. A few days is nothing. Either way parents still have NO right to know the personal reasons as to why a teacher is absent and the absolute sense of entitlement is embarrassing. The teacher doesn't work for the OP. She/He needs to mind their own business.

Why do teachers imagine THEY may question the absence of someone THEY pay to provide a service yet they may not be questioned in the same manner? Perhaps it is the very self entitlement you mention?

endacl

I was out for three days last week. None of your business why. I don't care if you care.

looksee

So you go to the garage and the boss says, sorry your car is not ready yet, one of my mechanics is out. Do you demand to know why he is out, and whether it was a good reason, and how much time off he has had recently? The reply you would get is, I told you, he is out and I am sorry it has delayed your car repair, but I am doing my best to catch up.

cajonlardo

looksee wrote: »

So you go to the garage and the boss says, sorry your car is not ready yet, one of my mechanics is out. Do you demand to know why he is out, and whether it was a good reason, and how much time off he has had recently? The reply you would get is, I told you, he is out and I am sorry it has delayed your car repair, but I am doing my best to catch up.

Thanks for your reasoned reply.

I don't have any problem with your line of logic.

My main point was that for reasons of their own several people posted that O.P had no business asking a simple civil question - some of them did so a bit too forcefully for my personal liking. Several gave reasoned arguments without the heavy handedness and I've no issue with those opinions.

Aside from that ,
I've worked in public service jobs, private sector employment and self employed and small business. If someone relying on my service asked why I failed to provide that service I would certainly answer them. Tbh, I'd be distrust anyone who had an issue with that.

looksee

School principles are not entitled to know why a teacher is out sick - if they get a doctor's note saying the teacher is sick, then that is the reason. Why would it matter whether the teacher was sick or bereaved or pregnant? That is not your business, all you can check up on is what is going to happen about your child's education.

In the olden days (like 35/40 years ago, which is not really that long, when my own kids were at school) it was a regular thing to send the kids to school only to have them randomly returned by whoever was handy to transport them because 'one of the nuns had died'. Since it was a convent with an old people's (nuns) home attached this was a regular thing. It was inconvenient and rather stupid especially when both parents were working, but I did not notice that my children's actual education suffered particularly.

D9Male

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

I'd love to know if children are actually 'disrupted' and to what extent? And is it the job of the parents to teach their children how to deal with unexpected occurrences in their lives? A teacher missing for a few days is hardly likely to affect a "normal" child. Maybe a child with special needs or requirements, might be a bit upset but all the talk of "disruption" seems more to be coming from parents who just like to give out about something rather than the kids. As I said, any child I know loves the novelty of something different.

Disruption happens in life. Better to accept it and deal with it, than to try fight it and to blame others. It gets exhausting.

I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments in this post. My sons absolutely love it when the teacher is sick. I remember the excitement when the teacher was as láthair. Getting split into groups of 5 and put into another class was the best scenario.

cajonlardo

looksee wrote: »

School principles are not entitled to know why a teacher is out sick - if they get a doctor's note saying the teacher is sick, then that is the reason. Why would it matter whether the teacher was sick or bereaved or pregnant? That is not your business, all you can check up on is what is going to happen about your child's education. .

For a second time I am in agreement with your post.

Not being a smart alec here, but nowhere in O.P's post did they say anything about asking about why a Teacher is sick and neither did I. I understood O.P's question was about absence and the general reasons and whether it was unusual in the example they gave.

Rightwing

There can be any number of reasons why a teacher is out, the legendary 'personal days' being the best of them.

We need more accountability across the PS, no question about that.

evolving_doors

Rightwing wrote: »

There can be any number of reasons why a teacher is out, the legendary 'personal days' being the best of them.

We need more accountability across the PS, no question about that.

Ah yeah, shur we all know folk in the private sector never get sick, have children, have relatives who get sick. Yissr all robots there.

What type of accountability are you talking about... a private security guard with a clipboard outside the classroom, reporting back to our private sector bosses.

Rightwing

Gebgbegb wrote: »

Ah yeah, shur we all know folk in the private sector never get sick, have children, have relatives who get sick. Yissr all robots there.

What type of accountability are you talking about... a private security guard with a clipboard outside the classroom, reporting back to our private sector bosses.

Scrapping 'horse race meeting' days for the councils was the type of accountability I like to see. This type of madness is still endemic across the PS and by no means limited to the teaching profession.

We couldn't get gardai at the doors anyway, because they'd all be retired at 52 or spending too much time complaining and plotting strikes.

Bells21

vicwatson wrote:

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

vicwatson wrote:

Work is left for the children but they have that done by 1.30 and read for 1.5 hours till home time

There are many reasons for a teachers absence. They might be attending a course, they could be sick/bereaved etc or they may have course days which they get in lieu of completing continuous professional development courses. I am a teacher and if I know that I'm not going to be in due to a course/course day I always let my children know in advance that they will be in a different classroom for the day. In terms of work I would always differentiate the work i.e. I'd leave more challenging/extra work for those who I believe would be finished early and I would leave work that I know that each child can complete independently for everyone.
To be honest it's more hassle not being in school, ensuring everyone has enough work that they are able to do or else worrying that a sub would know that a particular child may need extra lunch, help with a particular task or who may find not having their own teacher there a little stressful at first. But the kids never seem to mind, they always have stories about some great activity that the sub did or something interesting that they learned in a different class.
In response to your comment that the teacher was out two days this week after being off all last week, unfortunately we can't timetable our illnesses or bereavements or whatever the case maybe for holiday time.

muttnjeff

As a matter of interest, am I the only one who thinks it's no harm for the child to read for 1.5 hours. How often do they do that at home or at school? What a fabulous opportunity to lose themselves in a good book. Lucky kids!

byhookorbycrook

*Mod Note* keep it civil please, any personal attacks and I'll be telling the elf on the shelf* )Or handing out infractions

RainyDay

cajonlardo wrote: »

Aside from that ,
I've worked in public service jobs, private sector employment and self employed and small business. If someone relying on my service asked why I failed to provide that service I would certainly answer them. Tbh, I'd be distrust anyone who had an issue with that.

I really do hope that you never reached the lofty heights of line manager or employer in any of your past positions, as you seem to have absolutely no concept of the legal requirement to keep employee details confidential.

cajonlardo wrote: »

Not being a smart alec here, but nowhere in O.P's post did they say anything about asking about why a Teacher is sick and neither did I. I understood O.P's question was about absence and the general reasons and whether it was unusual in the example they gave.

Ahem! You seem to have a very short memory. See bolded comments below.

vicwatson wrote: »

So far 2 x single days and 1 x two days in a row. 4 days since September - do teachers do training courses or what's going on? We are never told why. It's very disruptive as children get split up across the rest of the school. Teacher out 2 days this week after being off all last week. I mean.

cajonlardo wrote: »

If a teacher left their car in with a mechanic and he went missing they'd ask the reason.

If a teacher had a builder doing work in their house and he disappeared mid job they'd ask the reason.

If you left your dry cleaning in and went back to find the shop closed without any explanation you'd want to know why.

Teachers are paid employees and whoever is paying them are entitled to ask questions - we do live in a free country.

Apt username given your reply btw.

Rightwing wrote: »

There can be any number of reasons why a
teacher is out, the legendary 'personal days' being the best of them.

Legendary, as in 'doesn't really exist'? There are no 'personal days' for teachers.

Rightwing wrote: »

We couldn't get gardai at the doors anyway, because they'd all be retired at 52 or spending too much time complaining and plotting strikes.

Would you blame them retiring, when they have to put up with your sniping?

arayess

in my experience teachers are a very sickly bunch
my employees miss f-all work

byhookorbycrook

arayess wrote: »

in my experience teachers are a very sickly bunch
my employees miss f-all work

And in my experience teachers will continue to work when they should be at home in bed.

cajonlardo

RainyDay wrote: »

Ahem! You seem to have a very short memory. See bolded comments below.

Read the bits you have bolded.

Where have either of us asked the nature of the illness?

cajonlardo

RainyDay wrote: »

I really do hope that you never reached the lofty heights of line manager or employer in any of your past positions, as you seem to have absolutely no concept of the legal requirement to keep employee details confidential.

Disclosing that an employee is absent due to illness is most definitely not a breach of Data protection.

For example:

You phone your insurance call centre and ask for an agent by name who has been dealing with your piece of business.

Person answering phone says " Sorry that agent is out sick today"

You may want to slow down with your judgement of other people until you check your facts

RainyDay

arayess wrote: »

in my experience teachers are a very sickly bunch
my employees miss f-all work

I can't think of any reason why someone who spends their working day in close proximity with 30 eight year olds with sniffling noses and poor hygiene practices would be sick more often than others, can you?

RainyDay

cajonlardo wrote: »

Read the bits you have bolded.

Where have either of us asked the nature of the illness?

You're changing the goalposts now that I've pointed out your obvious error.

cajonlardo wrote: »

Disclosing that an employee is absent due to illness is most definitely not a breach of Data protection.

For example:

You phone your insurance call centre and ask for an agent by name who has been dealing with your piece of business.

Person answering phone says " Sorry that agent is out sick today"

You may want to slow down with your judgement of other people until you check your facts

Disclosing that anyone is sick, or any other detail about the employee is a breach of data protection. When an employee tells you that they are sick, that is for your use only. It is not up to you to share that information with whoever you choose. There is no reason to give that information to a customer. What difference does it make to the customer whether the employee is on leave or sick or at a wedding? They don't need to know, and you should not be telling them. You probably won't believe me, so go ask somebody who knows a little bit about HR or employment law and see what they tell you.