parental leave

[fedupandduckedfoff]

Sorry another question! I have started as seperate threads but I perhaps should have put on one.

My childminder is off on holiday for 3 weeks over christmas which is going to be awkward with work as obviously everyone wants time off over the christmas period. We don't actually work christmas day etc but there is an informal rotation of who has christmas eve/ny eve and the days between xmas and ny off.

I broached the subject as soon as the cm told me she would be off for that longer and was told that we would have to see nearer the time. As I was on maternity leave for xmas 2014 that is counted as my year off so I am lowest priority to choose this year. There are 5 of us on the team now and when there were only 3 the rule was only one person to be off so I guess that means 3 could be off.

Is this the kind of thing that I could apply to take parental leave for? I think they are going to be really awkward about me taking holiday. I have tried to compromise on this up till now but they are being very uncompromising in other ways so don't feel so inclined at the moment.

[flowery]

Well you could, certainly. But why do you think they'll be less awkward that way? Surely it makes no difference to them whether you are on holiday or on parental leave- it's the fact that you're not there that is the problem, not what kind of leave it is.

[fedupandduckedfoff]

Well for one thing, I'm not sure I've got enough holiday to take 3 weeks and was going to try and take a few days here and there around everyone else, and cobble together various arrangements to get through it. It would be far easier (for me) to just take it all off albeit unpaid.

I have to apply to take parental leave at least 21 days before I want it, presumably if I applied now they would have to let me know within a certain time frame? As it stands they have just said 'will let you know nearer the time' what holiday I can have which isn't very helpful. Maybe it would also be harder to decline if no-one yet has holiday booked off at that time.

We aren't allowed to take three weeks holiday (max 2 weeks) but I can't see this restriction on parental leave.

[DragonMamma]

My original reply disappeared so here it is again.

You could use parental leave but if it's going to cause significant disruption to the business then they can delay it for up to 6 months, which will be no good to you if you need specific weeks off over Xmas. They would have to give you alternative dates but it's unlikely they will be what you want