Employer nightmare

[shywazz]

Hello everyone....

I have another thread on here, but don't want to mix the two together.. What this problem is is my employer...there have NO policy that entails the subject of fostering children, there do have a policy for guardians, however there state that the two roles are not the same, and that guardians are entitled to extra time of work with pay to attend meetings, training etc etc , yet foster carers are not. This i find very unfair, as us foster carers do a very hard job, the same as a guardian if not more sometimes. I have arranged a meeting for tomorrow, with the company welfare manager to discuss this issue in more detail, ( which i have waited 3 mths for the appointment )
I have many questions noted down to ask the manager, but anything that you guys can throw at me, that your company has in force, in terms of a policy for FC then please shout my way.

The reason all this came to light,is that i requested time off to attend the childrens contact, which i was informed that this had to be taken as a holiday, knowing of another collauge that is a guardain, there informed me that there get paid and don't have to use there holidays for such, after talking more, i discovered that there get 20 days paid leave to attend meetings and training etc etc, hence me been me, i raised the matter with HR whom after 3 mths have agreed to discuss the issues with me. so any input would be great. i'm on line till around 9 pm the meeting is tomorrow. thax in advance, i'll post on here after the meeting with anything that might assist others in there work place. i still find it strange that a huge company like what i work for, doesnt have a policy for foster carers, in terms of leave etc etc untill later chat soon and shout if you do have any info for me, cheers. I'll be up-dating my main thread over the wkend.

[Piglets-House]

You are effectively paid to look after the children as a foster carer so you will not get time off to atten training or contact as that forms part of the job you took on and get paid to do by the LA if you have additional employment on top of your fostering position then it would be holiday or unpaid leave days. As Irene said you have no legal right to have time off as you do not have PR. Also be aware that if you have 2 lots of income one of them you should be paying basic rate tax for.

[Robin D]

However, I think you will find its still worth contacting Fostering network for advice. They will have come up against this many times and may be able to help either with clarification, or with something you can give to your employer.

Robin

Grandparent carer in Suffolk [:)]

[clairespex]

I appealed to my boss's sense of fairness and was given 10 days compassionate leave which I have stored up for meetings or my niece being off school sick etc. as i can only just cover her school holidays with my annual leave.
Piglets House is wrong re paying tax etc. I have a job and receive fostering allowance for my niece. Of course I am paying tax on the job but don't pay tax on the allowance as it is for my niece's upkeep and not for me. I do not get the 'retainer' money which stranger foster carers get as my carers role is not classed as a job.
Hope this helps to fight your corner.

Spex

[Help 1870]

Just a suggestion, but contact your tax credits office to make sure you are getting the full Working tax credit allowance.

Fostering is classed as 'work' for the purpose of calculating WTC, but the earnings are calculated as