In message , at 18:09:34 on Fri, 22 Jul
2011, tim.... remarked:
All very interesting stuff. Thanks. Must be quite a problem for drivers to
see a GP if it's one of those surgeries where you can't get an appointment
(even for non-urgent things) until you try calling the reception at 8am
the same day.

So they go to the doctors on a day when they are on lates.

It may not be possible to wait until a day when they are both "on
lates", and calling at 8am manages to get you an appointment.

I was talking to someone a week or two ago about an employee who got into
trouble because he took a day off at short notice to move house (one of
those occasions where they didn't know the completion date until the last
minute).

The simple solution to this is to NOT get yourself into that position.

Very easy to say, but I'm sure there are people whose jobs are even less
flexible.

If your work commitments are such that you have to have a completion on a
particular set of dates then you "offer" on that basis.

In the worst case, why does someone actually need to be present when a
removals firm is moving you?

Yes, you do. There's more involved than just shifting a bit of
furniture.
--
Roland Perry