Carers rights in employment.

[charles47]

You're welcome

[Scally]

A written warning will expire after a year or so: he received it presumably because he left his post without formally notifying his employer or requesting permission: its hard to see what else an employer could do in that situation. So no, its not unfair, nor is it a step towards anything as long as he doesnt repeat the mistake.

I changed my career to find part time employment that suited my caring responsibilities four years ago: I'm an employee but I work from home carrying out household interviews and research exactly when I want to on a fee and expenses contract with no job security at all. Its an "assignment " type contract - I get paid by results, similar to an actor, salesman or model. Not self-employed (I pay PAYE and NI) but as near as dammit. We have been working on a cohort study recently following the progress of children as they develop - its fascinating stuff, and I can be interviewing refugees in Glasgow tower blocks one day and businessman in a fancy £1M mansion the next. One recent interview I conducted with a guy who had just been released from prison, he was destitute and near-suicidal. There are some mean streets to tread, but the money can be very good: on a really good day I can earn as much as a shop assistant earns in a week. Mainly I work weekends and evenings: when my wife can provide me with back up (she works full time 9-5)
I did 5,000 miles on business last year: that pays for my car loan and running costs as well as mileage. So there may be no job security, but there are huge advantages in living by your wits if you can cope without a steady income and are a self-starter.

[bowlingbun]

A few years ago when I was doing some research, I contacted ACAS for some information and advice. They were absolutely brilliant. Also, have a look at the house contents insurance, yes, I know this sounds nuts, but if you have "Legal Expenses Insurance" then ring up the company and explain what has happened, there's a good chance they might be able to help. My husband died 6 weeks after he started seeing a doctor for problems, they never realised he'd had one heart attack and was about to have a fatal one - they diagnosed arthritis. The Prudential paid all the legal costs investigating the circumstances of his death, about £10,000 in total.

[charles47]

Scally, I disagree: if the employer is already aware of the situation they should understand that an emergency is an emergency and has to be dealt with first. Anything else is unreasonable.

You don't ask for permission to stop and give someone CPR, do you?

[Huegatort]

In 1993 I injured myself at work, a colleague phoned my Husband at work and he came home right away.
My Husband then had our Son to care for and myself. He took a couple of odd days off work whilst trying to arrange help, explaining our circumstances to his boss . The next time he arrived at work his boss made a cocky remark to my Husband, " is the illness at home catching." His employers were ignorant of Carers and their needs.
My Husband turned up for work at the end of the week and he was given his cards and a train ticket home, with an explanation that he was the last in first out and they no longer had enough work for him!
I can only tell you that this made our lives extremely difficult.
I only hope that people who treat others with indifference under the circumstances are never in the position we found ourselves in.
If Carers rights at work were explained brief and to the point for employees and Carers, maybe these problems would not present themselves and Carers would be treated with far more respect.
Regards

[Scally]

Scally, I disagree: if the employer is already aware of the situation they should understand that an emergency is an emergency and has to be dealt with first. Anything else is unreasonable.
You don't ask for permission to stop and give someone CPR, do you?

It was a written warning, thats no big deal, and entirely justified except in a real life or death situation. It doesnt matter what the excuse is, if there was no prior agreement or protocol in place, it is still being absent without leave and that gets a hard slap. He works in the school maintenance department: so what would have happened if there was a flood or an electrical emergency, or the heating or lighting failed? Its a key job with significant safety implications, isnt it? There is almost always a quick way to ask permission or at least notify someone you are leaving the site: and at least leave them a mobile number in case THEY have an emergency.

Carers do not have carte blanche to ignore normal workplace regulations: they exist for a very good reason.

[charles47]

Sorry, Scally, but the situation discussed a potential life or death situation. And the company stated:

'we all have problems a home but we shouldnt bring them to work with us'

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision in your eyes or mine, the basis was discriminatory. And that makes it a matter that could go to Tribunal: think Sharon Coleman. The ACAS advice assumes that the person concerned is at home dealing with the crisis, rather than being called away. Under normal circumstances you notify first: however, it could have been too late in this instance and calling in as soon as things were under control would not have been unreasonable.

[karen.pemberton]

I recently went for an interview for a job but was turned down for the post. The letter I received stated that I could ring the manger if I wanted any feedback, so I rang and I was told the reason I did not get the job was because I was a carer and that they thought that my caring responsibilities would prevent me from doing the job properly.

Quite frankly I don't want to go to work as some days I am so exhusted I can barely function let alone do a full days work but my financial circumstances dictate that I need a job as my income support and carer's allowance come to just a little over £60 a week which is not enough to live on.

[Scally]

Quite frankly I don't want to go to work as some days I am so exhusted I can barely function let alone do a full days work but my financial circumstances dictate that I need a job as my income support and carer's allowance come to just a little over £60 a week which is not enough to live on.

Hi Karen, yes, I think your situation isnt so unusual. To many employers, that is unacceptable, they need the work to be done to deadline: as I wrote above, my work can be done in my own time and is paid as piecework: I earned well over £100 today in about six hours, thus proving that piecework and self-employment don't have to be poorly paid. And I don't need any formal qualifications for this job either, though it needs good people skills, modest computer literacy, a vehicle and effective admin: rather like a salesman but I dont actually sell anything. On the downside, I have no employment rights at all: my work is by assignment and I get paid by results. It's all a question of finding suitable employment isnt it, and some work can be done at or from home, or in your own time. Millions of us now work from home, and it can be very liberating and fit in very well with a carers lifestyle.