Hayden’s efforts to get his paternity leave from approved by UI Health would have been comical if they weren’t so frustrating. His wife was due on July 18, and he would be requesting to take his leave from his department in two separate periods to accommodate his family’s schedule. It was a straightforward request, but he wasn’t leaving anything to chance—especially because the manager in charge had a reputation for challenging requests of his coworkers. He filed his paperwork as soon as he was able, 30 days before the baby’s due date.

Right away, he ran into issues. First, the electronic portal to submit his request wouldn’t open. He had to literally fax in his paperwork, which management then lost. Several times. Then, he was notified that his wife would need to prove their pregnancy.

“We were just confused on what was happening,” Hayden said. “Why is it so difficult for us to take the leave? Why are they making it so hard, you know?”

Hayden finally got an answer, and not the open he hoped for. His request had been denied, even though there was nothing in INA’s leave of absence policy that said he couldn’t do what he was requesting.

With mounting frustration, Hayden called on reinforcements—in this case, INA Staff Specialist Attorney Emma Caterine. Together, they put together a game plan.

“Emma is a pitbull,” Hayden said affectionately. “She applied the pressure. I felt like, ‘Ok, there is help. Someone else is seeing this and [Management] can’t hide from it.”

Emma helped Hayden communicate the urgency of the matter with his managers. After weeks of getting the run-around, the pair finally threatened to file a grievance. And—what a surprise—management responded right away.

The approval came in at 6:30 p.m. on a Friday. It wasn’t a moment too soon. Baby Camila arrived just three days later, a week earlier than her due date. With his time off, Hayden was able to breathe easy, knowing he could support his wife during her C-section recovery and nurture the bond with his new daughter.

“It was amazing… to be at home and be the solid foundation [my wife and daughter] needed,” Hayden said.

To be clear, none of this should have happened. Management shouldn’t be able to arbitrarily decide your schedule and time-off requests based on their whims. But when it does happen, it’s a relief to know your union is standing with you, ready to fight back.