Will I be able to collect in Pennsylvania for being fired for abseentism?

by Anonymous

I was fired for non-pre-scheduled leave. I had no instance which I had no excuse for missing work. March 2 days of this year I was sick and called off got appropriate documentation from doctor. The next occurrence was one day in April when I left work early when medical department told me to go home because I had 103 temperature. Last instance was July 13,14,15 when I had a death in family and I thought bereavement leave was for any member of family. So I handed in obituary and told them who it was and they then let me know that this family member was not eligible to use bereavement leave. So I was charged with 2 more occurrences of this?


Hi Anonymous,

I do not answer whether you will be able to collect or not. I offer possible strategies and or information that might be good things to focus on in order to get benefits.

Attendance point systems still have information that may allow for absences to be assigned different points. Some policies are more reasonable than others and they all should have an expected progressive discipline policy attached to them. Reviewing the employer's policy is where you should begin.

I can tell you that it's doubtful that claiming ignorance of the employer's bereavement policy alone will work for you.

Did you call in to request the leave? What was your relationship to the family member you were bereaving?

Will it be believed that any reasonable person would have required the full three days of leave for a similar relationship?

The list of questions just goes on and on.


This is not a general unemployment question. The answer lies in the details that both the employer and you give to the state.