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Old 20-12-2016, 01:13
Les Corker
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I booked some flexi time off work and left 3 hours early today...... I was going to tell my manager but I thought it would too much hassle because I don't even like speaking to the guy because he's moody and awkward to talk to...... Over 500 people work there so my job isn't vital ..... Could he get me into disciplinary though for not telling him ..... Maybe he didn;t notice and will have forgotton when i'm back on Friday after my days off...
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Old 20-12-2016, 01:22
Chris Frost
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That kind of depends on the processes in place within your works and whether you took additional time that you're not entitled to. Did you leave 3 hours earlier than you were supposed to based on the flexitime you already book, or was this the correct leaving time according to what your booking was made for?

Does your manager have to be informed every day you leave work, or is it just a requirement if you're using flexitime, or is it simply a courtesy?
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Old 20-12-2016, 01:35
Les Corker
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That kind of depends on the processes in place within your works and whether you took additional time that you're not entitled to. Did you leave 3 hours earlier than you were supposed to based on the flexitime you already book, or was this the correct leaving time according to what your booking was made for?

Does your manager have to be informed every day you leave work, or is it just a requirement if you're using flexitime, or is it simply a courtesy?

Yes I checked on my clocking in box and it told me how many hours flexi time I still had left so I just punched in 3 hours at 2.00..... So I'm entitled to it
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Old 20-12-2016, 01:48
Chris Frost
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Well then unless there's some information you haven't yet told us I'd say that you're working to the principles of flexitime, so I don't see an issue.

It's interesting though that you're concerned enough about this to make a post on a public forum. That would suggest there's some guilt about what you've done (not saying it's right or wrong, just that it's your motivation) so what do you feel you've done wrong here? I know you've said you left without informing your supervisor; and you still haven't answered that part of my first post question, so I ask again... Is it in the company rules that you should you have informed your supervisor, or is it simply a courtesy that all the employees follow?
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Old 20-12-2016, 01:55
Les Corker
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Well then unless there's some information you haven't yet told us I'd say that you're working to the principles of flexitime, so I don't see an issue.

It's interesting though that you're concerned enough about this to make a post on a public forum. That would suggest there's some guilt about what you've done (not saying it's right or wrong, just that it's your motivation) so what do you feel you've done wrong here? I know you've said you left without informing your supervisor; and you still haven't answered that part of my first post question, so I ask again... Is it in the company rules that you should you have informed your supervisor, or is it simply a courtesy that all the employees follow?
I think it's just common courtesy to tell them ..... I don't find the guy approachable though.... So that's why I just left
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Old 20-12-2016, 02:03
Chris Frost
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Well then I think you've answered your own question.
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Old 20-12-2016, 04:08
srpsrp
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When I was lucky enough to work flexi time many years ago, we had core hours we had to be at our desks. Outside those times we could come and go as we pleased more or less. Ahh those were the days, it was a 35 hour week too ! I think you could save up hours have whole or half days off by arrangement. I'd check the rules if I were you. It's possible that they are deliberately being vague about the rules in order to try and coax people into doing free hours ?

Today flexi hours is more likely to refer to a 0 hour contract where you have to be 'flexible' to work when ever you are required to.
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Old 20-12-2016, 04:56
Lushness
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Personally if I was going to leave work early I would let my manager know. I appreciate that you don't like him but as you say it's curtesy and professional. It doesn't matter if you don't feel your job is vital it's the principle.

The most he will do hopefully is just ask where you got off to and ask permission first.

The more I think about it if a staff member did that to me I'd find it quite rude.
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Old 20-12-2016, 07:46
dearmrman
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Personally if I was going to leave work early I would let my manager know. I appreciate that you don't like him but as you say it's curtesy and professional. It doesn't matter if you don't feel your job is vital it's the principle.

The most he will do hopefully is just ask where you got off to and ask permission first.

The more I think about it if a staff member did that to me I'd find it quite rude.
Then again a good manager/supervisor should know what their staff member is entitled to do, so they shouldn't need to ask permission the consent should already be there.
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Old 20-12-2016, 08:09
SaddlerSteve
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Then again a good manager/supervisor should know what their staff member is entitled to do, so they shouldn't need to ask permission the consent should already be there.
It depends on the system in place.
Many workplaces you request leave and then it needs to be authorised by a manager before you can take it.
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Old 20-12-2016, 08:26
rumpleteazer
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A quick e-mail or instant message (if you have that in your office) wouldn't have gone a miss if you really didn't want to spend the whole few seconds it would have taken to go and say "I'm off for the day".
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Old 20-12-2016, 08:27
Lushness
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Then again a good manager/supervisor should know what their staff member is entitled to do, so they shouldn't need to ask permission the consent should already be there.
Well that depends entirely on what the policy says, doesn't it, which I don't believe we are privy to on here.

It's not about good management it's about curtesy, a word which the OP has used himself. It doesn't take 2 minutes to say you're leaving early for the afternoon.

Perhaps the OP's flexitime policy doesn't state that you need to ask permission but the very fact that he has created a thread worrying about being sacked seemingly suggests otherwise.

Maybe next time he'll save himself the headache and anxiety and tell his manager first...
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Old 20-12-2016, 09:41
JulesF
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Then again a good manager/supervisor should know what their staff member is entitled to do, so they shouldn't need to ask permission the consent should already be there.
It's not just about consent. It's about being courteous and professional, as others have said, not sloping off like a surly teenager.

I'm glad I'm self-employed and not managing any more. It seems more and more people are just plain rude and entitled, doing the minimum half-arsed job possible.
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Old 20-12-2016, 09:44
Joel's dad
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I didn't feel I could approach my
Last employer so I just emailed them whenever I needed anything
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Old 20-12-2016, 10:07
mimik1uk
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depends if the time you left was outwith your core hours or not

if you want time off and its within whatever your core hours were then you need permission

where i used to work our core hours were 9.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 3.30pm. if i wanted to just take the afternoon off and not work between 2pm and 3.30pm i needed my bosses permission even if i had flexi credit built up
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Old 20-12-2016, 10:08
Thamwet
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It's not just about consent. It's about being courteous and professional, as others have said, not sloping off like a surly teenager.

I'm glad I'm self-employed and not managing any more. It seems more and more people are just plain rude and entitled, doing the minimum half-arsed job possible.

Perhaps if more employers treated their staff fairly, there would be more incentive for people to work hard.
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Old 20-12-2016, 10:47
The_Moth
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It does depend on the system in place but most flex-time systems work on the concept of core attendance. For example, core hours of 09.30 until 12.30 and 14.00 until 16.00 with the ability to flex attendance outside that.

In my experience as a user and a manager of flex time it would be an absolute requirement to get specific permission from my manager to use flex hours to take core time off.

I would also expect that as a courtesy, I would, if possible, seek agreement from my manager if I intended to alter my normal attendance time e.g. if I normally start at 08.30 but was not going to be in until 09.30 tomorrow or normally worked until 17.00 but wanted to leave at 16.00.

In my experience, the problem with flex time is that many employees think that flexible attendance should only work in their favour.
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Old 20-12-2016, 10:47
Andrue
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I think it's just common courtesy to tell them ..... I don't find the guy approachable though.... So that's why I just left
So you have difficulty communicating and decided to be discourteous. You won't be in line for employee of the month that's for sure
Then again a good manager/supervisor should know what their staff member is entitled to do, so they shouldn't need to ask permission the consent should already be there.
But they should still be informed about it.

Just leaving your post without saying anything is rude and inconsiderate.
Perhaps if more employers treated their staff fairly, there would be more incentive for people to work hard.
Employers have always treated me fairly and with respect. That's because I do the same for them. I would never just walk off a job without at least telling them. Respect goes both ways and as far as I'm concerned the OP has just failed.

@ the OP: If you are genuinely concerned I would make sure that the first thing you do when you next get to work is approach the manager and apologise for not telling to them. Feel free to excuse it as 'it slipped my mind' and approach it as a minor thing but be ready to show understanding for their position.
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Old 20-12-2016, 12:29
grumpyscot
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To get back to your original question "Could I get sacked?", the answer is, unlikely. The ocmpany may, however, wish to give you a verbal warning if it is the first offence. However, if you've been given warnings before (at least one verbal and two written) then they might consider sacking you - but again unlikely especially if the rules are not specific.

e.g. in our company, we had to attend core time (9:30 - 16:00), but could otherwise come and go as we pleased. Having said that, company time only started at 8am and finished at 6pm. Any time outside that period was overtime and had to be pre-authorised. If you wanted to accrue your TOIL time, then you needed authorisation if the time away would include core time. i.e., to go away 3 hours early could not be possible, without authorsation, as you would be leaving in core time. Leave within that core and you would be subject to disciplinary.
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Old 20-12-2016, 14:49
Rorschach
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In my experience, the problem with flex time is that many employees think that flexible attendance should only work in their favour.
Back when I worked for a local authority that operated flexi-time my manager oversaw two offices in different parts of the county. In one office everyone wanted to start and leave as early as possible whilst at the other all staff wanted to come in later and leave later.

She was always having to juggle denying the right to a few people at a time just to ensure the offices were manned. 😄
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Old 20-12-2016, 17:16
InMyArms
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I know nothing about flexi time. If it turns out that what you did is not allowed and it does look like you may be fired I would come up with some kind of emergency that you had to leave for.
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Old 20-12-2016, 18:39
Zeropoint1
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Out of interest wouldn't it be a fire health & safety requirement to let the manager know you've gone early?

I believe the op said they clocked out, but in the event of a fire or evacuation I'd personally want to know who was there and not have to find out where somebody was.
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Old 21-12-2016, 04:15
Jennifer_F
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When I was lucky enough to work flexi time many years ago, we had core hours we had to be at our desks. Outside those times we could come and go as we pleased more or less. Ahh those were the days, it was a 35 hour week too ! I think you could save up hours have whole or half days off by arrangement. I'd check the rules if I were you. It's possible that they are deliberately being vague about the rules in order to try and coax people into doing free hours ?

Today flexi hours is more likely to refer to a 0 hour contract where you have to be 'flexible' to work when ever you are required to.
Same here. Our core times were 10.00am - 4.00pm when we had to be in work. Outside of those times, you were free to do as you wished and didn't need to ask or need permission to be in later or go early, provided you had the time in hand, or was planning on making the time up that week.
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Old 03-01-2017, 13:35
gers09
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When I was lucky enough to work flexi time many years ago, we had core hours we had to be at our desks. Outside those times we could come and go as we pleased more or less. Ahh those were the days, it was a 35 hour week too ! I think you could save up hours have whole or half days off by arrangement. I'd check the rules if I were you. It's possible that they are deliberately being vague about the rules in order to try and coax people into doing free hours ?

Today flexi hours is more likely to refer to a 0 hour contract where you have to be 'flexible' to work when ever you are required to.
I'm lucky enough to still have something similar. I work for a company where the core hours are 10am-2pm. I can come and go as I please outside of these hours as long as I meet the 37 hour per week requirement (measured at the end of every 3 month window). I can also take up to 12 days off per year using 'banked' hours.
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