sodding furious

[Ezteq]

OK so I have to get the module I am working on done in time so I meet my deadline and can begin studying the exam module in plenty of time...only problem is the tutor for this module is crap at responding to questions so I got a bit behind.

I asked my line manager at work if I could take a week as study leave, to cut a long story short she said yes I can take this week starting from monday off...now I just got off the phone with her and she said her boss isn't happy and I have to owe them the time back and cannot take what I have had as study leave.

Why the fuck do they think it's alright to mess people about like this? I'm pretty sure if a manager says yes you can do something and you do it, they cannot penalise you for doing it, I thought it would be the managers fault?

Anyway theres nothing I expect any of you to do about this...because you can't do anything about it but I have gone from being a happy library assistant in a nice branch library to being moved without being asked and then fucked about like this, I don't want to hate my job but am coming pretty sodding close at this time.

Oh and the cheeky cow said I may have to come in this evening...I didn't wash my air this morning because I had a study day at home, I am in my jimjams (my day jimjams) and have been up since stupid o'clock studying, I was just about to relax in front of the TV with my supper but now I have to sit by the frigging phone just 'in case' they decide they need me!!!

Fuckers!!!!

 

[Ch3tan]

No you don't ez, you requested time off (as holiday I assume?), and they granted it to you. Now if it becomes a dispute it may be your word against their if it is not in writing. But they cannot force you to go in after granting you the time off.

 

[Ch3tan]

Also phone up whatever HR department you have, and log this now while you remember everything fresh.

 

[Ezteq]

there might lie the problem... I requested the time as study leave because I have had to use all my holiday to take my exam in June, I did ask for unpaid leave but the line manager wouldn't hear of it and said she'd sort it all out.



I am so sodding cross I don't know whether to shit or go blind tbh.

 

[fettoken]

Sucks when "those things" happen. Someone is having a bad day and decides to take the piss with you, or w/e they were thinking when treating you like this Ez.

Just bite back, real hard.

 

[Job]

Let's hope the boss isn't a Freddyshouse fan.

 

[Ch3tan]

Ez, it does not matter whether you are entitled to the leave or not, you were granted it. Now they may not be able to give you it paid, but they cannot demand you work this week.

 

[Everz]

What Chet said, you were granted it, so they can't demand you to work that time. Just my advise is to try and not be funny about it to them however.

 

[Ezteq]

yep good advice, I held my temper while on the phone...then came right on here for a bloody good whinge lol, then made a large turkey and cheese toasty and a large glass of sherry, watched Glee and now I am a lot calmer

On the bright side even if I do have to go on on thursday (which is the nxt day I was due to work) I still got 2 solid days study done and my report is really coming on well, I think with what time I have remaning (to meet the deadline, not like time remaining to live) I can do eeet!!!

 

[Jupitus]

TBH, it sounds to me like your line manager was trying to be nice and flexible and thought it would be ok but was then told it wasn't by their manager in turn. If so, their boss is a git, but your line manager isn't so bad.

 

[Ezteq]

yes Jups I think that is the case and I'm glad I didn't go into full gobshite git mode on the phone with her...I'm just pretty embarrassed about what to do when I go back to work, I mean I can't but help worrying that I might be in trouble and that the big boss will send her army of winged monkeys after me...


...and my little dog too

 

[Fafnir]

Ez I just talked with your line manager and she´s fired provided you supply more picz plzz...

 

[Ezteq]

 

[ford prefect]

Sadly, if work doesn't have an official Study Leave policy, you probably don't have a leg to stand on. Personally I would go see your line manager's boss, explain the situation and politely ask him/her if you can have a written explanation as to why your study leave has been revoked.

You said you offered originally to take it as unpaid leave, so it that is still cool, there may also be room for negotiation there.

Policy not withstanding, it is unacceptable to agree to leave, and then revoke it after the fact. You just need to get that message across.

 

[Tuthmes]

 

[Tuthmes]

yes Jups I think that is the case and I'm glad I didn't go into full gobshite git mode on the phone with her...I'm just pretty embarrassed about what to do when I go back to work, I mean I can't but help worrying that I might be in trouble and that the big boss will send her army of winged monkeys after me...


...and my little dog too

On a more serious note btw, I would just go staight to the boss and ask him. If he replies with; "well maybe the manager found it ok, i sure as hell didnt.", I would ask him why the hell he has a manager in the first place. To which i'd add; "Ok, from now on everytime i got a problem or want something ill go see you instead of my manager then."

 

[Ezteq]

Well, to keep you posted...


I called HR and spoke to a rep there who said it should be no problem just to take it as unpaid that way everyone comes out undamaged and that my bosses should have no problem with this.

I called my line manager to propose the unpaid again saying that that was what I originally wanted anyhoo and it is not possible for me to 'give the time back' due to other commitments and if I knew that was the deal I'd never have taken it (very nicely) and was told it would not be acceptable, I would need to pay the time back and there were other implications I couldn't be told about in play...

So I said that when I spoke to HR they said that this would not be an issue and was met with a 'when did you speak to them???'. Am going to try ringing HR back and ask what to do now because the thing that wouldn't be an issue is infact, an issue.

Why do people make it so complicated, I mean they couldn't just go 'OK so it was a giant misunderstanding, you take it as unpaid like you originally asked and no harm no foul' because that would be too simple and leave us with a happy result.

It seems that every single thing with my company has to be worked to screw the underlings, I mean when I was told they were transferring me from the workplace i LOVED I could have kicked off but I made it nice and simple, when I started at my new place I hated it and I could have made it difficult again but I just got on with it, I still don't like it but I can focus on the bits I do like but this latest episode just reminds me how much the mangement are like pitbulls, one minute they are nice and the next they decide to bite you in the arse.

 

[Ch3tan]

You manager is an idiot, they have tried to wrangle work out of you for free, and not thought you would go to HR. You've scared them with the mention of HR. Call HR back and ask for a reference number of some sort so you know the call is logged.

 

[Vasconcelos]

Somehow I understand your boss intentions. Gonna play a little devils advocate and say that every1 have a boss above him/her. I guess she was just asked by her boss where were you, and he didnt like the response and order her to fix it, thus you got "the call".

Managing teams isnt easy, specially for the intermediate managers

 

[Ezteq]

oh no my line manager (the one who said I could take leave) was just being kind and made a mistake by assuming that her boss (the big boss) would see no problem as she did. I think the big boss gacve line manager a real roasting and now is trying to make an example out of me so no one else will dare ask for the same.

I think the way they are doing it is wrong and they know that which is why I got the freaked responce when I mentioned about HR.

I will have to call him back tomorrow, it seems they have all finished for the day Oo

I know management is not easy (which is why I wouldn't want to do it) but I do think that if they make a mistake they should not make demands about things when it is too late to leave an option for the person affected (asking me to pay the time back, as I said 1. I can't do it because I don't have the time which is why I asked for leave in the first place and 2. asking me retrospectively when I have already taken it and cannot undo it is just unreasonable)

 

[Vasconcelos]

oh no my line manager (the one who said I could take leave) was just being kind and made a mistake by assuming that her boss (the big boss) would see no problem as she did. I think the big boss gacve line manager a real roasting and now is trying to make an example out of me so no one else will dare ask for the same.

I think the way they are doing it is wrong and they know that which is why I got the freaked responce when I mentioned about HR.

I will have to call him back tomorrow, it seems they have all finished for the day Oo

I know management is not easy (which is why I wouldn't want to do it) but I do think that if they make a mistake they should not make demands about things when it is too late to leave an option for the person affected (asking me to pay the time back, as I said 1. I can't do it because I don't have the time which is why I asked for leave in the first place and 2. asking me retrospectively when I have already taken it and cannot undo it is just unreasonable)

Indeed. Whatever the mistake they did with a lack of communication btwn managers and/or missunderstood responsabilities, tehy must fix it in a way you dont end being the scapegoat

 

[Ch3tan]

HR people are there to protect the interests of the company from possible legal action - remember that. When you phone them next, make sure you talk about how it's made you feel, and that you are not happy. They will contact your manager (the big boss) and most likely tell him to drop it and apologise to you.

 

[Ezteq]

well after further discussion and consideration the best possible outcome for all of us is for me to pay back the time which I am happy to do after my exams in June and with existing TOIL I have collected. Have a horrible feeling that they want it back on their terms though and I simply cannot back down on that point because it would put my study in peril and that's unacceptable.

 

[Ch3tan]

Erm no it is not Ez, why are you agreeing to pay the time back at all? They gave you unpaid leave, they could have given someone else the shifts as it cost them nothing.

 

[Ezteq]

because they have a reputation for being vindictive and I need my job, I also need my working environment not to be a living hell so I don't mind taking it up the arse a bit as long as I get to lubricate it first

 

[Ch3tan]

Hmm, I think you've given up too much ground. HR were behind you as well, so your managers need to learn there are rules and procedures they have to adhere to as well.

 

[Ezteq]

yeah but these women put my boss into councilling because she didn't play ball they began a reign of terror on her and tbh I really cba with any library mafioso shenannigins.

When I graduate I'll leave and go on to better things...I bloody hope lol!