Thanks for your help. Just listening to mum sounds like it isn't someone who's ill informed, that's the scary thing. This looks serious. Will keep forum updated so it helps others.

Will advise mum. Totally taken back by this as this is a massive company, and with it being a satatuory right.

None. Last time mum needed to do this was over 2 years ago.

Child poorly couldn't go school, so mum had to stay home, so she followed the procedure in her employee handbook. Took one day off, to look after and arrange care for rest of week.

Thanks for the advice, exactly what I told her. She followed company notification procedure, but she's been told it's unauthorised and that if she has another day off in the next 3 months, she will be in a disciplinary, As she will have triggered the absence triggers. But that would mean she was refused the Dependents leave?

Hi, just wanted to check this for a friend. Care of Dependents leave would the employer classify this leave as authorised or unauthorised?. Being a statutory right I would have thought its authorised? Thanks for any help?

It can't go to a employment tribunal has am still in employment and I cant take it to a civil court even though its breach of contract due to not suffering a financial loss. Thats why the company as done this.

Yes have all copies etc. Thats what I cant believe, from the actual disciplinary hearing to the 3rd appeal meeting they say something different in every meeting and its minuted. They know that I cant take this outside so are going to get away with it.

Hi, went to the 3rd appeal meeting, the decision was read from the letter that I was given at the end, I could not comment on any evidence as the decision was already made, was told its "standard management practice" to issue warnings for absence levels even though the policy says different, Was told the the appeal manager had consulted HR speclists in how the policy is applied in practice. They lied, said different in the previous appeal meetings and this would have ended after the first appeal meeting if this was the case. They tried to find something they could back the manager with, they couldnt so planned the meeting so I could not raise any thing as they couldnt really adjoun it for a 3rd time. Just a shame that they get away with this discimination as this was the end of their internal process.

Hi, I had the meeting and the company does not need to follow its own absence policy, as its "standard management practice" to issue warnings for absence over certain %. Will post later as still shocked.

Received a invitation to a 3rd appeal meeting to review investigation findings. 8 weeks after appeal handed in, thought this time they would inform me of decision in letter.

Thanks for taking time out to respond. Yes I have contacted acas and they did say that their appeal process was odd and not following their code but the company didn't have too. That was after the first appeal meeting. If they thought the correct policy had been followed by the manager, they would have just said that in the first meeting. But they wanted to further investigate, which they did. And now after starting the meeting today saying he has investigated proper, he says he needs to do more investigation. When in front of him he has reasons the decision was made by the line manager. I said to him it's an appeal not a re hearing.

Hope you are right but the way it comes across is they will do everything to back the manager even when they know he's not followed policy.

Thanks. Am still at work, am appealing a warning that was given 2 months ago. That I received after I had an operation. Which the company knew about before I had the operation.

Thought would post update has this maybe could help someone else in the future. Had another meeting to discuss the outcome from the original Appel meeting 3 weeks ago, today. The appeal manager started off with that he thinks the line manager has followed the policy then asked my view on his decision when I said they have not followed company policy, and it's clear has I read the policy out. He started to go on about something else that was not related to the disciplinary action. Told him that has no relevance to current matter. Then he goes he has to adjourn. Did for 40 minutes, calls me back in then goes he has to postpone the meeting to look at the advice from occ health. Which was why he rescheduled 3 weeks ago, told him you have that info. What an odd process. So it's going to be 6 weeks this week when I handed in my appeal letter.