Work question

[johnny on the spot]

Had to take a couple of sick days lately, including one Sunday. Genuine illness, doctors and everything.

Tried to call it in on Sunday morning but couldn't get an answer or message through to anyone. Left an answerphone message with the HR dept, but they're not open at weekends. I don't want to let anyone down, but I'm getting worried that I'll cop grief for simply not turning up. I keep trying the main switchdesk about 10 times, nothing.

A little pissed off and sick as a dog, I email my manager and the HR lot apologising for the absence but protesting about no facilities being in place to call in the sickness. I was polite but direct and showed it to Mrs Jots before sending it. I've now been asked to report for a meeting regarding this 'inappropriate' email. I honestly can't see what I've done wrong here. I've apologised verbally for any offence inadvertently caused but I seem to have rubbed someone up the wrong way. One for the union, or should I just take it on the chin?

Cheers

 

[tmouseman]

Had to take a couple of sick days lately, including one Sunday. Genuine illness, doctors and everything.

Tried to call it in on Sunday morning but couldn't get an answer or message through to anyone. Left an answerphone message with the HR dept, but they're not open at weekends. I don't want to let anyone down, but I'm getting worried that I'll cop grief for simply not turning up. I keep trying the main switchdesk about 10 times, nothing.

A little pissed off and sick as a dog, I email my manager and the HR lot apologising for the absence but protesting about no facilities being in place to call in the sickness. I was polite but direct and showed it to Mrs Jots before sending it. I've now been asked to report for a meeting regarding this 'inappropriate' email. I honestly can't see what I've done wrong here. I've apologised verbally for any offence inadvertently caused but I seem to have rubbed someone up the wrong way. One for the union, or should I just take it on the chin?

Cheers

If you have a union then use it everytime.
It is what you pay for.
From experience the meeting will be far less agressive if you have a union rep with you.

 

[Feed-The-Goat]

union mate, they will have your msg on the answerphone and your email is just to apologise and to state they wasnt the correct facilities in place for recording sickness.

nothing wrong with that at all.

the union with eat them for breakfast as you followed company procedures for calling in sick.

 

[elmarto88]

In my opinion mate as long there is some kind of paper/evidence trail that you have rung in to log a sickness then i don't see where they can punish you there. In relation to the e-mail i couldn't say without knowing the contents however if it is as you said and it was polite but direct there should not be an issue. Have you looked at your sickness procedure?

 

[sdm]

Drop a log on the md's desk whilst singing bluemoon and tell him to stick his job up his arse.
















Use the union mate,it's what they are there for.

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

union mate, they will have your msg on the answerphone and your email is just to apologise and to state they wasnt the correct facilities in place for recording sickness.

nothing wrong with that at all.

the union with eat them for breakfast as you followed company procedures for calling in sick.

On the money.
You have done everything possible to notify them of your illness and absence,and have simply highlighted shortcomings in their system.
Take a union rep in with you - theres no way on earth that they can make this a disciplinary issue.
In fact I would argue that you are the one who is owed an apology.
HR are probably just pissed with you for highlighting their faults,which they have probably received an arse-kicking for.
Not something to lose sleep over.

 

[es1]

ah thats why you were not around yesterday!

hope you're feeling better soon mate, and if they are giving you grief for being ill and not showing up then take it up with someone...its not on!

 

[johnny on the spot]

Cheers everyone. It's a bit of an odd one. They've admitted that they've got the HR answerphone message but seem pissed off with the email, which I have to admit was largely of a direct nature but contained no inappropriate language whatsoever. I was frustrated with the situation and that comes over clearly. I've got a back to work meeting anyway tomorrow, so we'll see if it comes up. Surely there's a bad policy issue tp be answered if I can't get through to log an absence with proper notice?

 

[crizack]

listen mate, you e-mailed them and phoned them before you were due in. it's the fact that you have noticed a fault, half the ass lickers will be hoping/waiting for you to step out of line/turn up late. most jobs have limits on the amount of self cert sick days per annum, usually 1 day per month = 12. if you have a doctors note then theres nothing they can do. if they try and give you a warning for the e-mail, they can't. any warnings HAVE to be given on the day of matter. if you have swore in the e-mail or labelled a fault with a certain employee, they can take disciplinary action whenever, if you have not swore, or named names, you are fine.