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Paid leave call for war bereaved Paid leave call for war bereaved
(about 2 hours later)
A Sheffield man whose son was killed in Iraq is campaigning for the families of fallen soldiers to be given the legal right to paid compassionate leave. A Sheffield man whose son was killed in Iraq is campaigning for the families of fallen soldiers to be given the legal right to be paid compassionate leave.
Kingsman Alex Green, 21, of Warrington, Cheshire, died in Basra in 2007.Kingsman Alex Green, 21, of Warrington, Cheshire, died in Basra in 2007.
His father, Bill Stewardson, an NHS hospital porter, was initially given a day's leave to attend the funeral, which was later changed to six days.His father, Bill Stewardson, an NHS hospital porter, was initially given a day's leave to attend the funeral, which was later changed to six days.
The government said there was no legal right to compassionate leave but it expected employers to act sensitively.The government said there was no legal right to compassionate leave but it expected employers to act sensitively.
Dozens of MPs have signed a motion urging the government to legislate.Dozens of MPs have signed a motion urging the government to legislate.
Mr Stewardson, whose son was killed by a sniper during a patrol in January 2007, works at the Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. Mr Stewardson, whose son was killed by a sniper during a patrol, works at the Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.
He said: "I'd struggled to try and work on the Monday and Tuesday.
"Come the Wednesday I couldn't do it, didn't attend, and I got a phone call at home from a senior manager who used these exact words - 'Bill, you can have one day's carer's leave for your son's funeral and we don't have to give you that'."
Both the manager and the trust have apologised to Mr Stewardson Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHSBoth the manager and the trust have apologised to Mr Stewardson Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS
He said he believed 10 days paid leave with management discretion for extensions where necessary would be more appropriate for families whose relatives were killed in action.
He told BBC News: "You've got awkward time scales, you've got repatriations, you've got delays with people coming back - you've got a lot on at the time.
"Why are we having this conversation in 21st century England where you've got to go to court, got to go to parliament and put laws in place so that employers, like the NHS, cannot treat people so inhumanely?"
'No legal right'
A spokesman for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "When Mr Stewardson's son was tragically killed in Iraq, one of our managers did initially advise him that his leave entitlement was one day's compassionate leave.A spokesman for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "When Mr Stewardson's son was tragically killed in Iraq, one of our managers did initially advise him that his leave entitlement was one day's compassionate leave.
"This advice was correct because Mr Stewardson worked on an 'ad hoc' basis called 'bank staff'."This advice was correct because Mr Stewardson worked on an 'ad hoc' basis called 'bank staff'.
"However, as soon as the HR Director was made aware of Mr Stewardson's circumstances he immediately granted a total of six days' paid compassionate leave, which is the same entitlement a full-time employee would receive."However, as soon as the HR Director was made aware of Mr Stewardson's circumstances he immediately granted a total of six days' paid compassionate leave, which is the same entitlement a full-time employee would receive.
"Both the manager and the trust have apologised to Mr Stewardson and we have ensured that should a similar situation arise in the future, managers understand how to respond to each individual case in the most appropriate manner.""Both the manager and the trust have apologised to Mr Stewardson and we have ensured that should a similar situation arise in the future, managers understand how to respond to each individual case in the most appropriate manner."
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "There is no legal right for compassionate leave. We would expect employers to act sensitively and with common sense in such cases.A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "There is no legal right for compassionate leave. We would expect employers to act sensitively and with common sense in such cases.
"Employees do have the right to Time Off for Dependants which allows them to take time off work to deal with unexpected or sudden family emergencies. This could include arranging and attending a funeral.""Employees do have the right to Time Off for Dependants which allows them to take time off work to deal with unexpected or sudden family emergencies. This could include arranging and attending a funeral."