Can I take the day off for England’s World Cup game?
The nation will no doubt be on the edge of their seats tonight as England take on Mexico at the Azteca.
After a spate of touch-and-go matches, with Harry Kane scoring two late goals against the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is no surprise that both the captain and England manager Thomas Tuchel have urged the home fans to continue their support.
El Tri, in particular, has the advantage of being familiar with the Mexico City stadium, with its altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level, and has not yet conceded a goal in this tournament.
However, with the match starting at 1 a.m. on Monday morning and the possibility of the match continuing until 4 a.m. if it goes to penalties, employees who choose to watch the match may not have the opportunity to get much sleep before their alarms go off the next day.
Pubs will be allowed to open later and schools across the country have said they will allow students to start late on Monday so they can watch the game early.
As for those starting work on Monday morning, here’s what we know:
spend the day off
Many people will have taken time off work for important matches, especially those traveling across the pond to support the Three Lions in America.
Those who realized England would be playing late at night after the DR Congo win had much shorter time to take annual leave.
Nicole Humphreys, partner at attorney Mayo Wynne Baxter, said: Guard You do not have the automatic right to be excused for a match at short notice.
“Many employers will have policies setting out how holiday booking should be made. Where there is no policy, employees should generally give advance notice of at least twice the length of leave they are requesting.”
People who use annual leave as soon as possible and manage to get it approved will be better off than those who wait until the last minute.
Those who use Monday without permission may face disciplinary action.
calling when sick
Industry experts had expected an increase in sick calls on Thursday after England played the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 5pm last Wednesday.
Alan Price of BrightHR, which provides HR software and advice and works with 68,000 small businesses in the UK, said his company had seen a five per cent increase in the number of employees taking time off from their systems for the Wednesday game.
Employment rights allow individuals to self-certify their illness without a doctor’s note or medical certificate for up to seven calendar days.
Experts have warned employers not to jump to conclusions about people calling in sick for this match, but companies can investigate if they have doubts.
Joanne Moseley, legal director at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: Guard: “Employers should already have processes in place to deal with staff calling in sick.
“These often start with a return-to-work interview, where they are asked to explain any discrepancies between the reason given for their absence and any observed behavior (for example, photos of them watching football in the pub on social media).”
arrive late
It is at the employer’s discretion whether to allow you to work flexibly on Monday. People who have not previously agreed with their boss that they will be late may be marked as absent without permission.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, who backed England at the World Cup, encouraged employers to be more flexible ahead of the Mexico game.
“World Cup fever has gripped the UK, with millions of workers across the country cheering on the Three Lions,” he said. “The timing of England’s match against Mexico is not ideal for fans. We would therefore urge employers to show some common sense and understanding by allowing their staff to work as flexibly as possible.”
“This might mean letting them start later on Monday or changing their hours,” he added. “I will be cheering on my team, as will workers all over the country. Come on England!”
