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Sometimes, unfortunately, cats get very sick. Sometimes dishwashers go berserk. Sometimes automobiles crash into the trees in our front yards. Things happen sometimes, unexpectedly . . . and those things require our attention, even if we're scheduled to be at work.
For that reason, it's a very good thing to know about something in our contract called "Personal Emergency Time." It provides time off when you're in a pinch. Personal Emergency Time can be deducted from your personal/vacation bank, and provides two days of time (for full-time employees) per year. As with any absence from work, it's important to give your supervisor as much notice as possible. Also, be sure to be clear that you're using Personal Emergency Time. Not all managers will be familiar with the idea, so you may need to share the contract language with them after the crisis has passed. Here's what our contract says:
SHARE members may use up to 2 days (for full time members, pro-rated for part time members) from their earned/vacation bank for personal emergency without prior notice in a calendar year. The members must notify their supervisors with as much notice as possible. These absences do not count toward a member’s absenteeism rate. Designating an absence as a personal emergency day must be approved by the supervisor, and approval will not be unreasonably denied. SHARE members should recognize the difficulty that unscheduled absences create for their department and co-workers, and so use good judgment about using personal emergency days.
If you have questions about this--or anything else in the contract--please contact a SHARE representative.
