Football World Cup 2022 - Guidelines for Staff

As you all know by now, The Football World Cup 2022 matches are taking place in Qatar with the first match on Sunday 20^th November 2022 and the final on Sunday 18^th December 2022.

As Qatar is 3 hours ahead of the UK time zone, most of the matches take place during standard work hours. Colleagues who wish to watch or follow the games should consider speaking with their manager at the earliest opportunity to explore the options below as appropriate.

For all employees, please consider progressing applications/requests for annual leave, unpaid leave, flex or TOIL as soon as practicable to avoid disappointment. Please bear in mind that you will need to have hours in credit before requesting flex leave or TOIL. Your manager will need to ensure there is adequate cover for service provision.

Consideration should be given by Managers as to how many employee requests for leave can be accommodated while ensuring that there is adequate cover for service provision and you should encourage early requests for annual leave, flex leave, unpaid leave and TOIL. Managers may find it beneficial to apply a rota system to requests for leave.

For shift workers, you may be able to approach your colleagues to discuss swapping shifts, which you can then discuss and confirm with your manager who should review this. Managers are encouraged, where possible, to allow for employees to swap shifts on a voluntary basis. Please retain records of any shift swapping.

Your manager may be able to accommodate requests for early starts and finishes over and above the Flex Time Scheme arrangements to enable you to watch the matches. If you are not in the Flex Time Scheme it might be possible for you to make up your time in blocks of  ½ hour or hour a day over normal working hours within reason and subject to service demands. You are still required to take a lunch break when working in excess of 6 hours.

Bearing this information in mind, we remind you of the Council’s policy in relation to the Management of Attendance Policy and in particular abuse of the sickness scheme/unauthorised absence