Help the community and expand your practice! Find out how.
Already registered? Login here.
Question Details: I am the legal guardian of my grandson, and wanted to pick him up and take him to the doctor after he had injured himself in a fall. My employer forbade me to take time off work - he said he had a huge amount of work for me to get on with and it was needed urgently. In reality, there was no extra rush - I sat in the office until end of day and no real work was forthcoming. I have an ongoing issues like this one with my employer - he doesn't threaten me outright, but I am terrified I will be fired. Would he be allowed to fire or penalise me on this basis?
Filed under Employment Law | 1451 View(s)
Community Law Wellington & Hutt Valley
Your employer must not penalise you for wanting to leave AND they should let you leave. You are entitled to sick leave to look after dependents who need your care. If you have used up all your sick leave, you are still entitled to leave work, you just won't get paid for that day.
(As a practical tip: there is not always a legal need for a medical certificate, but if you are going to the doctor it is usually a good idea to ask for a note just in case.)
It sounds like you need some support to resolve issues with your employer. We suggest you visit your local Community Law Centre (click here to find it: www.communitylaw.org.nz) to talk about options. Click here to read about processes like mediation and personal grievances: www.communitylaw.org.nz.
Answered 9 May 2013. The IMPORTANT NOTICE below is part of this answer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The answer provided above is intended for general informational purposes only and cannot be
considered a substitute for face-to-face legal advice. It should not be relied upon as the sole
basis for taking action in relation to a legal issue. Laws change frequently, and small
variations in the facts, or a fact not provided in the question, can often change a legal
outcome or a lawyer’s conclusion. No liability whatsoever is accepted by the authors or
publishers of the answer, for loss, damage or inconvenience arising in any way from the use of
this site. While each answer has been published by a lawyer with a practising certificate, that
person may not necessarily have experience in the particular area of law involved.
For more information about this website, please review our
Terms of Use.