Ask the expert: A tough choice to make

The chance of a lifetime - a study scholarship overseas - comes along, but justifying eight months off work may be difficult. What to do? DR MARIE WILSON, head of management and employment relations at the University of Auckland Business School and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business, offers some helpful ideas.

Q: I have academic qualifications in a field unrelated to my present occupation. I've applied for an open-to-allcomers, all-expenses-paid, eight-month study scholarship overseas related to my degree subject, and as it's a chance of a lifetime I'm desperate to go.

But I'm worried that because it's not directly related to the work I do now, asking for so much leave might go down like a lump of lead with my employer.

I don't want to resign, however, because I love my job here. How might I present this to them so I get some cooperation?


A: Will the enhanced education benefit your employer in the longer term? If not, it might be a hard sell, although if you are good at your job and intend to return to it, a period of unpaid leave might suit your employer and you.

Think through what your employer's concerns are likely to be and prepare a letter that addresses as many of these as possible. Given that it is a competitive scholarship, you might also wait until you see if you've been chosen before working it through with your boss, but start thinking and problem-solving now so that you are ready to make a well-thought-out proposal if you are the scholar chosen.

Q: I was employed by an American company for an accounting post through an employment agency in May, with a probationary period of three months. I had to learn new systems, but within a month and a half felt I could do most things myself.

On August 8, the company found that on June 15 I had not posted some payments which made them lose business worth $30,000.

So the general manager and the financial controller had a meeting with me, and I said my inexperience with the system was the likely cause.

They said that they were going to add more work to my department and that I should pick up within a week and perform to my best and avoid errors. Otherwise they would terminate my services.

I didn't think I would be able to get on top of things that fast so I decided to resign on August 14. They asked me to pack my bags a day later.

Could you please advise me if I did the right thing in resigning? Should I ask if I could rejoin if the post is still vacant a month after my resignation?


A: I'm not a lawyer, but it sounds as though you may need to consult one, or at least the Employment Relations Service. Your employers did the right thing in bringing an error to your attention, explaining the seriousness of it and directing you not to repeat it.

It's difficult to understand how a posting error could result in a permanent loss rather than a temporary one, as creditors and debtors aren't allowed to benefit from your mistake.

They probably weren't correct in saying they were giving you even more work and that if you didn't do it perfectly they would fire you in a week. And the idea of a "probationary period" may not be correct either.

If you quit because of their threatening to fire you, that might be seen as making you feel you were pretty much fired already, which is constructive dismissal.

If things are as you present them, I would contact the Employment Relations Service for advice.