Compassionate Leave

[annavc]

A colleague didn't come into work on Tuesday because his son was rushed to hospital in the middle of night with suspected meningitis. My colleague spent the day at the hospital with his son. Our boss is now saying that the day off classes as annual leave not compassionate leave. Surely this can't be right? Can anyone clarify it for me please.

[kazza12345]

it will depend on what your companies policy is for compassionate leave. Is it a big firm you work for? In my job, compassionate leave is reserved for the funeral of a close family member (i think they specify parent;sibling;child;parent in law)

anything else has to be asked of the boss whether it can be counted as cl

[Fish the Mod]

I am sure Kazza is right. Compassionate is normally after the death of a close member of the family and does not include Uncles and Aunts. I worked for a company for 17 years that had the attitude as yours friends boss. After leaving them, I worked for another company who did not deduct my wages when a similiar thing happened to my son. It really is down to the boss and most are fools.

[THECORBYLOON]

Parents of a child under five have a statutory entitlement to 13 weeks' unpaid leave with a maximum of four weeks in any one year. There is also entitlement to upaid leave to deal with an emergency involving a dependant of any age. This link gives details here, you'll notice the right is to UNPAID leave and it is down to the individual's contract whether the leave can be paid or no.

[Catso]

I don't think there is an right to compassionate paid leave. Unless it's in the employment contract. Such leave would be unpaid, or paid at the discretion of the employer.

[doglady]

I've always thought that parents of young children should be able to ring in sick when their kids are ill. That way, they still get all the pay etc that they would get if they were sick themselves, when they can't come to work because of sickness.

[hjbradshaw]

Have a look at the web page on this on the Government website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employe es/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10026555

It sets things out very clearly and certainly answered some of my questions on the subject, as we are just thrashing this out for our company policies and procedures handbook at the moment!