HR advice please

[mistyblue]

Hi all,

Had 9 days in total when I mc'd off work. Supplied a note to work which said why I was off. I had a return to work interview when I went back. Been back 6 weeks and today was hit with the bombshell I have to have a management of attendance interview as I had more time off than allowed.

My first point is that the company policy is to discount absences on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity if they see fit. My letter says I was off with female health issues. My fit note from GP uses the word miscarriage, so that's bollocks for starters. All my correspondence with HR uses the word miscarriage too.

Secondly, it has taken. 6 weeks for them to call this meeting. As if the last couple of months haven't been distressing enough, they're now bringing it up again.

They claim this meeting is to see what support they can offer. I have already said I don't need their support at return to work interview and will work through this in my own way and own time.

I have an otherwise excellent attendance record. I haven't asked for any special dispensation or treatment since going back. Nor have I asked for a phased return etc.

Does anyone have any advice? I am sooooo angry at the moment, but I know that won't get me anywhere. Is there anything I can say?

I'm really worried that this is a disciplinary by the back door. Jobs are going all over our place at the moment and they are looking for excuses. I know they can't discriminate against me but is there something I can quote that says that? Thanks in advance x x x

 

[Muguboo]

Aww it sucks that they're raising this all again.
Is there someone at work who you trust who can attend your meeting with you as an observer to make sure they don't try anything?
Write everything down that you have said here. Be ready to quote page etc for the company policy on discounting such absence. I would point out that you have not asked for further support and are (presumably) doing your job just as well as before, so you do not appreciate them choosing to bring it up again under these circumstances
And keep fx - maybe they are just making sure you're okay and that you have any support that you need

 

[scn]

I am a manager and it's policy to call this sort of meeting when the absence 'trigger' points have been reached. As a manager, I can use my discretion as to whether I refer a member of staff or not, but it may not be the case with your company, I hope not because you don't deserve to be there.
Please don't worry about it, they are telling you the truth ...... it's for support as well as disciplinary when the case calls for it. In your case, there are absolutely no grounds for disciplinary so I imagine they will do what we would do, ask if there is anything they can support/help you with and that they would expect your attendance to improve.
If the letter they have sent you is anything like our HR send, then I can understand why you are angry and upset about it, but they send the same standard letter to everyone regardless of the circumstances of the absence, it doesn't nessecarily mean you are 'in trouble'.
Hope everything goes ok for you xx

 

[mistyblue]

Thank you both. Just so shocked. I can't believe it has taken so long to be dealt with. I will raise that with them. If this is a valid meeting, it should have been dealt with earlier. I will take someone with me, in case it upsets me. I just really don't want to have to explain it all again to a complete stranger from HR. It's humiliating

 

[nicejuicypear]

Scn, pregnancy related absences cannot be used to start disciplinary action, which is what a meeting to discuss too much absence is. You cannot use pregnancy related absence as a trigger point as it is against the equality act.

Mistyblue, so sorry to hear they are putting you through this. I advise you to contact your union if you have one. If not, take someone into the meeting with you, a colleague you trust. They can make notes for you and be your witness if necessary. This might seem heavy handed but if the meeting turns badly you will be in a much better position. Also, there's information online about pregnancy related absence, have a Google and print some stuff off to back yourself up. I don't have the links on my phone but search 'pregnancy related absence miscarriage' and you should find some info.

Hopefully it is a misguided attempt to help you, but even then I would point out that your return to work interview sufficed and you explicitly said you didn't need extra help. Definitely make the point that they are raking up an upsetting issue for you unnecessarily.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

 

[scn]

Scn, pregnancy related absences cannot be used to start disciplinary action, which is what a meeting to discuss too much absence is. You cannot use pregnancy related absence as a trigger point as it is against the equality act.

Yes, I'm well aware of that. I did say there were no grounds for disciplinary action and not all absence meetings are to start disciplinary action ..... not in my organisation anyway.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Scn, pregnancy related absences cannot be used to start disciplinary action, which is what a meeting to discuss too much absence is. You cannot use pregnancy related absence as a trigger point as it is against the equality act.

Yes, I'm well aware of that. I did say there were no grounds for disciplinary action and not all absence meetings are to start disciplinary action ..... not in my organisation anyway.

But a miscarriage absence shouldn't be triggering any kind of absence meeting, how the absence might affect work was dealt with in the return to work meeting.

Mistyblue hasn't had more time off than she's allowed, because pregnancy leave can't be counted within that time, therefore she's still under her absence allowance, therefore an absence management meeting should not be required.

 

[mistyblue]

Thanks all. I took my union rep with me. HR held the meeting today with me. They said all absences over a certain period will trigger a meeting, but they agreed that it was not a trigger point and the process has been halted and the absence discounted. I expressed that I found it distressing that they felt they held the meeting at all, but even if this is policy, the meeting should still have taken place the week I went back not nearly seven weeks later. They just said they had staffing issues! Still, it's over with now. I'm just sorry anyone has to go through this at all x x

 

[Muguboo]

I'm pleased it ended up ok x just a shame you were messed around in the first place x

 

[nicejuicypear]

Glad it worked out okay in the end. Horrible that you had to go through the worry and the raking up of everything. I hope they take on board what you said about timing, if they ever have another woman in the company in the same situation.