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AIBU?

Work jolly

40 replies

FourthClass · 09/04/2019 20:29

I have booked annual leave next week, taking 4 days of my entitlement.

I learnt today that next Thursday (bank holiday before Good Friday), the boss has paid for everyone to have a 'fun day'. No work will be done, everyone is going to a spa, then afternoon tea and drinking all afternoon, as an annual thank you to staff.

AIBU to feel short changed, and that it's unfair for me to lose a holiday day, while everyone else has a jolly as a paid work day? I can't cancel the holiday now, but I'm not sure whether to bring this up and argue my case for no holiday to be taken off me for this day, or if I'm petty?

OP posts:
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StarTheGirl · 09/04/2019 20:31

Oh that’s terrible luck! Not sure what you can do about it though... I did used to work in HR, but not at a particularly high level! Maybe someone more useful will come along soon WineCakeGin for you - sorry it’s not a spa day Wink.

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OnlyFoolsnMothers · 09/04/2019 20:32

You’re being petty sorry- it’s not a day off work, it’s work providing an activity. I’d be a bit annoyed if there was a lack of notice as it sounds like fun to attend though

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ThreeAnkleBiters · 09/04/2019 20:32

I don't think there's anything you can do - it's just bad luck. YANBU to feel disappointed though!

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TFBundy · 09/04/2019 20:32

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MarthasGinYard · 09/04/2019 20:33

If you don't really need to leave day ask if you can cancel it

If you do then it's just bad luck I guess

What a fab employer

Spa and tea

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youarenotkiddingme · 09/04/2019 20:34

Just ask your boss!

Say you'd obviously like to attend as it's a works thing and you wouldn't have booked day AL if you had known.

Ask how he can rectify it.

Worse case scenario you lose it as AL but get a great paid for day out.

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ForalltheSaints · 09/04/2019 20:36

Bad luck- these things can happen. Though for some I'd view it as a bonus as I am not a fan of work jollys.

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PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 09/04/2019 20:36

The 'fun day' is a work day, it's team building. You are not there, contributing to the team.

It's a suck it up sort of thing

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FadedRed · 09/04/2019 20:36

Nothing to stop you asking.
Personally I’d find the ‘fun day’ excruciating and prefer to work. If the management want to thank staff, then enforced ‘fun’ is not the way to go about it. Give people a gift, a cash bonus or equivalent to those whose benefits/credits would be affected by cash bonus, or extra leave time to do what they want. Not everyone will enjoy a spa and tea and chat with their work colleagues. I’d take a a/l day to avoid this. Miserable git that I am.

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GreytExpectations · 09/04/2019 20:37

That is a shame OP but its just simple bad luck. You cant blame work for this and doing so would be very petty.

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Ariela · 09/04/2019 20:41

When I worked for (large corporate company) any team building days were normal work days, if you' d already booked off as holiday for the day tough luck you missed out on the team day but you didn't gain back a day's holiday

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Bluntness100 · 09/04/2019 20:42

This isn't a day off though, it's a team activity and everyone is intended to attend, it's not come or have a day off. So yes asking for a day's extra vacation isn't on really,

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TheCraicDealer · 09/04/2019 20:43

It's similar to people who book off Xmas Eve and then their workplace announces a half day or something for those who chose to work. You have the benefit of having a lie in, the whole day is your own, and you've been anticipating that since you booked the leave which is one of the best parts of AL. None of that has changed. If work let you keep the day's leave then that creates the opportunity for others to say, "well I don't really want to do the spa day, so I can I skip it and have a free day's leave like FourthClass?". Which completely defeats the point of the excerise.

I would only consider mentioning anything if you genuinely wanted to go to the event, and given it's a thank you they'll probably let you cancel the leave and go if you give them time to amend numbers. Unless they're being dicks. But then dicks don't tend to plan spa days for their staff.

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BasinHaircut · 09/04/2019 20:43

It’s still a work day. Work are still calling the shots. Unless you want to go on the jolly then you take annual leave.

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PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/04/2019 20:44

I'd be grateful I was going to miss it!

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InspectorClouseauMNdivision · 09/04/2019 20:46

"Like, I know I wanted off from work so I can do my stuff, but since you all are not working and having fun for free my stuff can wait"

I don't think that would go down well. Bad luck, that's all, you might have to get over it.

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SuperSara · 09/04/2019 20:46

YABU.

Unless they’ve told other staff they have the choice of joining the spa day or just taking the day off.

Which they definitely won’t have done.

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AmIRightOrAMeringue · 09/04/2019 20:47

If you want a day on the work jolly just ask to cancel your holiday?

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InspectorClouseauMNdivision · 09/04/2019 20:48

Ffs. Misread the post🙄 Lucky I don't have to refund you now....

It's still work. They have to attend. Unless you attend, you should still take annual leave.

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MrsMoastyToasty · 09/04/2019 20:48

Do you really want to see all your colleagues in fluffy bathrobes?....or Dave from accounts having a treatment?....

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Nnnnnineteen · 09/04/2019 20:48

It is a work day. It is a day where your colleagues will be doing team building activities. Join them or don't, but you are not being short changed!

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KnitterOfSocks · 09/04/2019 20:49

I would book annual leave to avoid that particular hell

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Neverender · 09/04/2019 20:50

I'd ask for the day back! They're silly not to mention what happens if you've already got it booked off.

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StarTheGirl · 09/04/2019 20:51

Do you really want to see all your colleagues in fluffy bathrobes?....or Dave from accounts having a treatment?....

Grin it’s a fair point, but it probably depends on your colleagues! Obviously the op’s would be fine in fluffy bathrobes, or she wouldn’t be on here! It would be “AIBU to be so relieved I don’t have to endure the horror of seeing Barry from IT having a head massage” 😂.

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Giddyuppp · 09/04/2019 20:51

If you want to go, retract your annual leave for that day. I'm sure most companies would allow that given the purpose is usually team building and, anyway, you can usually change annual leave (Well you've been able to in every company I've workeď for).

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