Eight million 'sick' days over pet deaths

Duke of URL wrote:

The group estimates that grieving owners cost UK businesses around £127
million a year in sick pay during the time they take off when their pet
dies. But 79% of people admitted they did not think their boss would be
sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by lying,
usually pretending to be ill.
Chris Price, pet business manager at Direct Line, said: "Losing a pet can be
a very emotional time and can often leave a huge void in many pet owners'
lives. The death of a pet is more difficult to deal with than that of a
relative or family friend as pet owners often find there is a lack of
understanding, sympathy or empathy from family, friends or co-workers."

Well, I understand that sick leave is somewhat different in other
countries, but in most places I've worked, here, we were allowed a
certain number of days in addition to vacation time. They call it "sick
leave" but actually it's intended to be used for any personal business
that must be taken care of during normal business hours. I use mine for
doctor's and dentist's appointments, or when I have to take a cat to the
vet. (Unlike vacation, which we may carry over to the next year if we
don't use it, the unused portion of our sick days are cancelled out at
the end of the year - it's a case of "use it or lose it".)

My old boss used to get kind of wacked out over taking off to make vet's
appointments. But what do they expect you to do? Our vet has even started
closing on Saturdays, and during the week open only 9-6.

Sherry

My old boss used to get kind of wacked out over taking off to make vet's
appointments. But what do they expect you to do? Our vet has even started
closing on Saturdays, and during the week open only 9-6.

Sherry

I talked to the nicest woman at the pet supply store today. I bought a case
of Nutro canned puppy food and she asked what kind of puppy we had. (It is
for the tiny, ancient blind deaf toothless poodle. I finally found
something she can and will eat that is reasonably good for her)

Conversation turned to my "teenage" Siamese girlcat Rosie. And she said
perfectly naturally "my best friend was a female Siamese cat"

My kind of cat person. I'm starting to think crazy cat (and dog) people may
be the next group to come out of the proverbial closet.
Jo

"Duke of URL" wrote in message
...
RUSSELL JACKSON in The Scotsman
GRIEVING pet owners collectively take eight million "sick" days a year to
get over the death of their animals, according to new research.
Just over half of the UK's 14.5 million pet owners said they would need
between two and five days off work to grieve for their pet - while 10%
said
they would need as much as two weeks, according to insurer Direct Line.
Only
one in five pet owners thought they would need more time off work to come
to
terms with the loss of a family member or close friend.
The group estimates that grieving owners cost UK businesses around £127
million a year in sick pay during the time they take off when their pet
dies. But 79% of people admitted they did not think their boss would be
sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by lying,
usually pretending to be ill.
Chris Price, pet business manager at Direct Line, said: "Losing a pet can
be
a very emotional time and can often leave a huge void in many pet owners'
lives. The death of a pet is more difficult to deal with than that of a
relative or family friend as pet owners often find there is a lack of
understanding, sympathy or empathy from family, friends or co-workers."
He said as a result of this Direct Line Pet Insurance had set up a 24-hour
bereavement helpline to help policyholders come to terms with the loss of
their pet. "These callers need a great deal of understanding and
compassion
shown to them and often call back on more than one occasion, even many
weeks
after their loss."

I talked to the nicest woman at the pet supply store today. I bought a case
of Nutro canned puppy food and she asked what kind of puppy we had. (It is
for the tiny, ancient blind deaf toothless poodle. I finally found
something she can and will eat that is reasonably good for her)

Conversation turned to my "teenage" Siamese girlcat Rosie. And she said
perfectly naturally "my best friend was a female Siamese cat"

My kind of cat person. I'm starting to think crazy cat (and dog) people may
be the next group to come out of the proverbial closet.
Jo

"Duke of URL" wrote in message
...
RUSSELL JACKSON in The Scotsman
GRIEVING pet owners collectively take eight million "sick" days a year to
get over the death of their animals, according to new research.
Just over half of the UK's 14.5 million pet owners said they would need
between two and five days off work to grieve for their pet - while 10%
said
they would need as much as two weeks, according to insurer Direct Line.
Only
one in five pet owners thought they would need more time off work to come
to
terms with the loss of a family member or close friend.
The group estimates that grieving owners cost UK businesses around £127
million a year in sick pay during the time they take off when their pet
dies. But 79% of people admitted they did not think their boss would be
sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by lying,
usually pretending to be ill.
Chris Price, pet business manager at Direct Line, said: "Losing a pet can
be
a very emotional time and can often leave a huge void in many pet owners'
lives. The death of a pet is more difficult to deal with than that of a
relative or family friend as pet owners often find there is a lack of
understanding, sympathy or empathy from family, friends or co-workers."
He said as a result of this Direct Line Pet Insurance had set up a 24-hour
bereavement helpline to help policyholders come to terms with the loss of
their pet. "These callers need a great deal of understanding and
compassion
shown to them and often call back on more than one occasion, even many
weeks
after their loss."

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in
message ...


Duke of URL wrote:

The group estimates that grieving owners cost UK businesses around £127
million a year in sick pay during the time they take off when their pet
dies. But 79% of people admitted they did not think their boss would be
sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by lying,
usually pretending to be ill.
Chris Price, pet business manager at Direct Line, said: "Losing a pet
can be
a very emotional time and can often leave a huge void in many pet
owners'
lives. The death of a pet is more difficult to deal with than that of a
relative or family friend as pet owners often find there is a lack of
understanding, sympathy or empathy from family, friends or co-workers."

Well, I understand that sick leave is somewhat different in other
countries, but in most places I've worked, here, we were allowed a
certain number of days in addition to vacation time. They call it "sick
leave" but actually it's intended to be used for any personal business
that must be taken care of during normal business hours. I use mine for
doctor's and dentist's appointments, or when I have to take a cat to the
vet. (Unlike vacation, which we may carry over to the next year if we
don't use it, the unused portion of our sick days are cancelled out at
the end of the year - it's a case of "use it or lose it".)


ah, no - doctor's appointments are not "sick leave" - they're
just time off for doctor's appointments. Sometimes you get
time allowed (paid), sometimes you have to make up the time.
(hospital appointments for a registered disability or anti-natal
appointments they *have* to give you off - paid)

Sick leave, in the UK, is variable - by law your employers
*have* to allow you to be sick and if they won't pay you,
you can claim sick pay from the Social Security. Most
employers have a *guideline* as to how many sick days
(or sick periods) you can take off during a year without
your records being scrutinised (and if you have a valid
medical excuse they can't sack you for being sick - unless
it was indicative of health problems that would make
continuing to work for them unreasonable), but to *use*
that allowance as "personal days" would be severely
frowned upon.

On the other hand, most employers I know allow "emergency
leave" - which may be paid or unpaid - for those .... emergencies
such as your house flooding.


--
Jette
"Work for Peace and remain Fiercely Loving" - Jim Byrnes

http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in
message ...


Duke of URL wrote:

The group estimates that grieving owners cost UK businesses around £127
million a year in sick pay during the time they take off when their pet
dies. But 79% of people admitted they did not think their boss would be
sympathetic, and the only way they could get time off work was by lying,
usually pretending to be ill.
Chris Price, pet business manager at Direct Line, said: "Losing a pet
can be
a very emotional time and can often leave a huge void in many pet
owners'
lives. The death of a pet is more difficult to deal with than that of a
relative or family friend as pet owners often find there is a lack of
understanding, sympathy or empathy from family, friends or co-workers."

Well, I understand that sick leave is somewhat different in other
countries, but in most places I've worked, here, we were allowed a
certain number of days in addition to vacation time. They call it "sick
leave" but actually it's intended to be used for any personal business
that must be taken care of during normal business hours. I use mine for
doctor's and dentist's appointments, or when I have to take a cat to the
vet. (Unlike vacation, which we may carry over to the next year if we
don't use it, the unused portion of our sick days are cancelled out at
the end of the year - it's a case of "use it or lose it".)


ah, no - doctor's appointments are not "sick leave" - they're
just time off for doctor's appointments. Sometimes you get
time allowed (paid), sometimes you have to make up the time.
(hospital appointments for a registered disability or anti-natal
appointments they *have* to give you off - paid)

Sick leave, in the UK, is variable - by law your employers
*have* to allow you to be sick and if they won't pay you,
you can claim sick pay from the Social Security. Most
employers have a *guideline* as to how many sick days
(or sick periods) you can take off during a year without
your records being scrutinised (and if you have a valid
medical excuse they can't sack you for being sick - unless
it was indicative of health problems that would make
continuing to work for them unreasonable), but to *use*
that allowance as "personal days" would be severely
frowned upon.

On the other hand, most employers I know allow "emergency
leave" - which may be paid or unpaid - for those .... emergencies
such as your house flooding.


--
Jette
"Work for Peace and remain Fiercely Loving" - Jim Byrnes

http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Sherry wrote:

My old boss used to get kind of wacked out over taking off to make vet's
appointments. But what do they expect you to do? Our vet has even started
closing on Saturdays, and during the week open only 9-6.

Once I decided to abandon my vet in Pasadena (it meant subjecting the
cats to a long, long ride on California freeways), I found one close to
home who is open until seven P.M. on weekdays, until 3 P.M. on Saturday,
and until noon on Sunday - they're even slightly less expensive than the
one in Pasadena. (It's a multiple vet practice, of course.) They seem
very caring - when I had to have Patches put to sleep, even though he
was a new patient when I brought him in a week earlier, they not only
sent a sympathy card, but it had personal notes from everyone in their
office! It's called "Best Friends", but is no relation to the Utah
shelter - I asked. (However, they DO subscribe to the magazine.)


Sherry

Sherry wrote:

My old boss used to get kind of wacked out over taking off to make vet's
appointments. But what do they expect you to do? Our vet has even started
closing on Saturdays, and during the week open only 9-6.

Once I decided to abandon my vet in Pasadena (it meant subjecting the
cats to a long, long ride on California freeways), I found one close to
home who is open until seven P.M. on weekdays, until 3 P.M. on Saturday,
and until noon on Sunday - they're even slightly less expensive than the
one in Pasadena. (It's a multiple vet practice, of course.) They seem
very caring - when I had to have Patches put to sleep, even though he
was a new patient when I brought him in a week earlier, they not only
sent a sympathy card, but it had personal notes from everyone in their
office! It's called "Best Friends", but is no relation to the Utah
shelter - I asked. (However, they DO subscribe to the magazine.)


Sherry

Jo Firey wrote:


My kind of cat person. I'm starting to think crazy cat (and dog) people may
be the next group to come out of the proverbial closet.

Didn't know we were ever IN one!