AIBU to think a junior probationer’s month abroad request is unreasonable?

With your update you’ve been more than fair. Let’s hope they accept your offer. I’d be very careful though in case your colleagues hear about the unpaid leave and want similar treatment.

Is this their first job in the big wide world?!

Is this their first job in the big wide world?!

She is being the ultimate CF. Her gracious offer to work through the vast time zone difference is utterly ridiculous. It would mean that she had to work all through the night when it’s office hours in the UK and sleep all day. Is she going to do this on her month long trip which I’m guessing is the Australia and not travel and socialise? She’s taking you for a fool. And remember she’ll be badly jet lagged and unproductive for four days when she returns. Call her bluff and I reckon she’ll resign.

Unless you were aware of this trip at interview/job offer you do not have to grant it.
Tell them they must take it as leave a mixture of holiday accrued and the rest unpaid, then say probation will be extended. If they're not happy then you must give them their notice.
Also say the unpaid leave is exceptional circumstances too and will not be granted for 'holidays' in future it's really for emergencies/caring etc).
Do not allow them to work abroad unless its for a business reason - this will set a precedent for another trip.

A long time ago when I was 17 I wanted to go to Australia for my 18th birthday as my boyfriend was on a 6 month visa there and I missed him - young love and all that

I got permission from my Manager BEFORE I booked my flights

I’m sorry but if I knew at 17 you had to get permission for a months leave, at 25 they are literally taking the piss

Ex UK HR, either no and if you go you’re contract is terminated or yes but it’s unpaid and probation extended for the same amount of time

If they are going tho their home country, if you allow it this time, it will become a frequent event as there will always be something happening at home. You’ve said they are customer facing so the time difference does not work

I’ve worked for my employer (a global organisation) for 14 years - this would not be permitted even for me without prior approval on the count of a) working outside of my legal domain b) taking more than 2 weeks’ consecutive leave and c) change in shift pattern.

I'd sack them.
I wouldn't want someone so grossly irresponsible (and possibly a liar as well) working for me.

That all sounds very reasonable but bear in mind that this may be an annual occurrence.

This.

yes exactly- or it will build resentment as to why this person gets the special treatment. I've seen it before when management only had the balls to say no to the staff who were not bolshy about it, but caved when faced with someone more assertive. It punishes those who are working honestly and within the rules.

@estrogone you are NOT being unreasonable. I'm shocked the voting isn't 100%.

They definitely won't be able to work full nights after holidaying all day. And what kind of quality of work will they be doing?

Also, will client confidentiality be compromised given they might be depending on local WiFi, or in Internet cafes etc?

But mainly, what kind of person, as a new employee, books a month's holiday without asking first? When they have only accrued 5 days?

Depending on the time and cost of the recruitment process, and how many good candidates you had when you selected this one, I would be considering termination on the grounds that booking a month's holiday without preapproval violates company rules and therefore their probation.

Me too.

This.

I work for a LA and people are allowed to work from abroad in exceptional circumstances, but only in EU countries due to data protection regulations. Exceptional Circumstances might be, for example, going to stay with a very I'll aren't in France, but only if there are no caring responsibilities involved.

TBH I'd probably be inclined to let them resign. If they're taking the piss in their first 3 months probation then it will only get worse. If you refuse to authorise the leave and they go anyway, then that would be gross misconduct.

How is it leave if they still plan on working?!?

As for interrupting probation please take legal advice (laws changing next year) and you don’t want all this to tip into accrued rights.

You are creating precedent here that you choose not to follow policy in this case and all
employees should be allowed to take month long unpaid leave when suits them.

Think about all the consequences- not just the facts you’ve been presented with.

If you were really really generous - unpaid leave and probation extension

I think he’s full CF he didn’t declare this trip when accepting the job, he can’t now say oh it’s booked can I work on my trip. Additionally worth considering (although I wouldn’t consider it would be just no) I know in my job you need dispensation to take a device abroad because there’s security risks if the devise is lost or seized of connected to WiFi abroad opening it to risks.

Unless he’s travelling somewhere you already have offices the data risks alone would be a fat no.

Insane.

No assessment of tax impacts, health and safety while working, will insurance cover this, death in service benefits - do they pay out if working over seas, data security and data transfer agreements with the country with which they work??

End probation now for clear lack of wit.

Absolutely not!! Take it as holiday or unpaid leave . That is taking the utter piss .

I would bite the bullet now and tell them they can’t have the leave at all and stay with the company. Otherwise it creates friction with other employees. You may have other staff members who would also like to take more annual leave unpaid, by sanctioning this you are going to have to be open to future requests which it would be unfair to say no to reliable employees who haven’t demonstrated themselves to be CFs in the first few weeks of employment.

I would struggle to trust this person moving forwards as s/he has been disingenuous about presumably pre booked leave OR has book significant leave without getting time off first AND is presenting an entirely unworkable solution (working overnight) which is in contravention of your WFH policy in any case.

i would say it’s been nice knowing you, enjoy your break, bye.

I think that is more than fair.

I agree, get rid of them now before they pass their probation or (God forbid) are there two years are have employment protections.

Yes, you really can “sack them just for asking”.

Wherever I’ve worked you are not allowed
to take any leave within your probation period and then after that no more than 10 consecutive days and management approval is needed. I’d bin them off. Who knows what they’ll do next. Surely juniors are ten a penny?

As a line manager this is exactly what I would do along with a possible written warning. If they are young this could be an important lesson they remember for their working life.