Approving personal leave – the case for flexible policies

Most businesses have a policy about the approval of personal leave, even if it’s only a verbal instruction issued by management to employees.    Of course, many businesses operate at the other end of the spectrum with comprehensive and documented policies.

No one would argue that we don’t need rules about notice requirements, payment for time off, forms to be completed, etc.  However, a case I recently came across made me consider whether, in our quest to ensure that we have policies and that everyone is treated equally under them, we are actually damaging employee relations.

This case involved a long standing, administration employee of a regional company, about 4 hours from the capital city.  The employee was well respected, well liked, efficient, hard-working, diligent and honest.  She had accrued over 30 days’ personal leave.

A couple of years ago, the employee had a medical procedure undertaken in the capital city.  Since then, the employee has had to return to the capital city for 3 monthly check-ups.

Because the employee will not be unfit for work on the day of the appointment (and therefore, not entitled to paid personal leave), she is forced to take annual leave on those days.  To make matters worse, the employee must catch a bus to and from the capital city.  As the bus service is limited, the employee must arrive on the day before the appointment, attend the appointment the next day and return home on the bus the following day.  This means she uses 3 annual leave days per appointment, totalling 12 annual leave days per year used for attending pre-scheduled medical appointments.

Unfortunately, in this case the employer did not agree to be flexible by granting her paid personal leave so the employee must be content with (effectively) 8 annual leave days per year.  Ultimately, that will be to the employer’s detriment.  Surely then there is a case for finding a balance between being afraid of not complying strictly with a policy for fear of legal consequences/disharmony in the workplace and allowing and applying sufficient flexibility to ensure that both employee and employer are happy (read “productive”).

After all, the great thing about a policy is that it can, subject to minimum entitlements, be as flexible as necessary to create a win/win situation for both the employer and the employee.

At HR Business Direction we can assist with getting the balance right.  Contact us here.

Melissa Fitzpatrick LLB (Hons); B.Int.Bus; IRSQ
Industrial & Employment Relations Specialist
melissa.fitzpatrick@hrbd.com.au
07 3890 2066
www.hrbd.com.au