Interviews and Employees Rights

[Pheebs]

Hello!

As some of you know I have meetings/interviews coming up in October with regards to my card designs.

Does anyone know whether Employers have to legally allow you to attend these interviews or not?

Basically, my work looks like they could get poopy on it (which I think is quite rude considering I am currently doing a job not in my job evaluation and according to the Unison am under paid by £500pm because of this).

I'm 99% certain they have to let you go.

Annoyingly CAB (citz advice bureau) and my Unions office are closed at the moment (slackers)... am gonna be having a meeting with the head tomorrow about it so wanted to be armed and ready.

Looked on webbys and things and haven't managed to find anything yet! Anyone know where I can look / know the answer to this?

Fankoo people!

Pheebs xxx

[phykell]

Originally Posted by Pheebs

Hello!

As some of you know I have meetings/interviews coming up in October with regards to my card designs.

Does anyone know whether Employers have to legally allow you to attend these interviews or not?

Basically, my work looks like they could get poopy on it (which I think is quite rude considering I am currently doing a job not in my job evaluation and according to the Unison am under paid by £500pm because of this).

I'm 99% certain they have to let you go.

Annoyingly CAB (citz advice bureau) and my Unions office are closed at the moment (slackers)... am gonna be having a meeting with the head tomorrow about it so wanted to be armed and ready.

Looked on webbys and things and haven't managed to find anything yet! Anyone know where I can look / know the answer to this?

Fankoo people!

Pheebs xxx

I don't know much about your situation but I highly doubt your employer is obliged to let you attend interviews at other organisations in work time. Whatever you choose to do with your free time and your holiday is entirely up to you of course.

I think most prospective employers would respect a candidate's request for an interview outside normal office hours if that's any help? Typically, you could say that you're currently very busy finishing off your current project so you don't want to leave them in the lurch hence you would prefer if they could be flexible about your interview.

Incidentally, I feel your pain - I'm currently waiting for a guy from the US to ring me for a technical interview. He's cancelled twice already and he's now 10 minutes late for the third attempt! I'm not impressed :/

[Burble]

I'm pretty confident that they don't have to give you time off for an interview unless your contract of employment specifically states that they do. We had someone here who wanted time off for an interview but after getting legal advise we were told that we didn't need to.

The solicitor we used pointed us to this site - http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/a..._off_to_attend

[Pheebs]

Thing is... I have no holiday time being a teaching assistant - I have to work in term time (when, incidently, my interviews are for)

Bar -stewards. They know this is important - they know it _could_ set me up for life.

I will be fuming if they don't let me the time off (obviously I would have pay deducted.) They're mucking me around as it is with pay and things... and they've already said to me they wouldn't have to get anyone in to cover so they don't lose anything.

Grrrrrrr.

/me is ready to go in for a fight and a half tomorrow

[Piggymon]

Can't you pull a sicky or have you already mentioned the up-coming meetings ?

[Mark]

I agree with Burble on this. Unless it's in your contract, or the norm for your employment, there is no obligation. If you're a member of a union then they are the best people to ask.

[Zirax]

Originally Posted by Piggymon

Can't you pull a sicky or have you already mentioned the up-coming meetings ?

I would have kept very very quiet about this or any potential interview. In your situation I would personally either pull a sickie or go AWOL. I know you are trying to go by the book. But as my mum has recently discovered, there is the book way, and then there is the way to do it. I would tell your school that the card company has found someone else (and be pissed off), then on the appropriate day pull a sickie.

On the day don't answer your phone and have all points of family contact briefed on what to say if person X rings. Yes this is dishonest, but meh.

[Burble]

I wouldn't advise going AWOL, unauthorised absence can play havoc with references.

[Zirax]

Originally Posted by Burble

I wouldn't advise going AWOL, unauthorised absence can play havoc with references.

Agreed its all if you can get away with it. My work would never have a damn clue, but I'm not sure what Pheebs does as to whether they would notice.

Another thing, I keep saying personally DAMMIT! Where the hell has this come from? I imagine that its even more annoying for people reading it all the time

[phykell]

Can they at least allow you to leave work early? Surely your prospective employer would be able to see you just after normal working hours if you explain the situation that your current employer can't provide cover for you otherwise.