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

Who the hell takes a month long holiday on probation? 😆
Just let them go.
Why would you bother training a temp this early in? When this employee returns from their holiday this will always leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth, especially the deceitful "end kf the day" Friday email that was sent just before you went on a week's leave.
And it will piss off your other employees who may start wondering why they cant just drop everything and jet off for a month too.
Nobody is irreplaceable - its not like your employee is slme kind of specialist surgeon

I'm surprised that you're not just getting rid of them. You can train someone up in your internal process, regulations, IT systems etc but this is about their core values and work ethic, and that's a lot harder to instill. Are they really such a star that it's worth damaging the morale of your existing staff? You may think the details of the arrangement are private, but your probationer may well be talking openly about it all.

Surely the first few months in a new job is when a new employee is at pains to show how competent, motivated and enthusiastic they are? If this is how they are now, what will they be like once they've passed probation?

Some people do work night shifts and function as human beings outside the workplace you know

Available for work 9pm to 5am as OP stated. Sleep 5am to midday or even 1pm. Then have 8 or 9 whole hours to spend as they wish whist abroad, not too dissimilar to what they do at home albeit shifted to another timezone. Perfectly achievable

Not passing the probationary period then! Cheeky sod.

You’re confused. Thats the new AI and robots that can work and party on holiday 24/7. People are still human and need sleep.

The technology is wonderful but I don’t believe it’s changed the basic human need for sleep. I have had team members work from abroad in slightly shifted time zones, I have worked on projects in different time zones, I have worked shifts in anti social hours both in person and remotely.what I have not done is do this simultaneously with a holiday, it’s not feasible.

The upcoming generations don’t need to sleep so can work through the night AND have a holiday?? They must be superhuman!

The workplace has changed and I'm all for the up and coming generations smashing the status quo

I didn't gloss over anything. I gave 2 examples of technology allowing people to connect for work purposes across time zones. I do it for my job on a daily basis and haven't set foot in our offices this year. It's you that is unwilling to accept that this is achievable.

When this junior said they were thinking of doing x was the time to nip it in the bud. You pay them a handsome wage, so no reason to think this wouldn't be affordable for them.

You didn't say explicitly that they could not consider a trip like that because of probation/leave/time zone challenges etc.

I think some self reflection could help you here. You didn't have a policy on working overseas. You didn't say no when it was first mooted. You underestimated the affordability of the trip. You assume the proposed schedule is not achievable. You refuse to accept that the technology we use everyday can facilitate this.

Clearly I’ve hit a nerve 😂

I’m surprised some people are defending the employee. In no circumstance is it reasonable to book a holiday without explicit written approval from your line manager that you have permission to take that time as annual leave. It is also never going to be acceptable to take a month off in your probation period, when you’re meant to be there proving your worth. Coming up with some plan to work through the night in another time zone is ridiculous and shows a lack of understanding of the workplace.

By your own admission, they mentioned it in passing and you didn't nip it in the bud immediately and you dont have a wfh policy they could refer to before making plans.

You sound bitter because of your own lack of foresight here.

Without knowing the ins and outs of this specific role, covid taught us all that nobody needs to be in an office to do a job well. Meetings can take place online. Emails can be composed and scheduled to be sent at appropriate times of day.

Perhaps you would be better off hiring a robot or using AI.

How does their culture mean anything only that they’d like to see their relatives? When you move to a western country you get to know about the culture of that country. I’ve worked with people from different countries and cultures and they didn’t assume they could wfh abroad or take unpaid leave shortly after starting the job. They valued their jobs and respected where they worked.

Yeah I think thats incredibly fair. Allows the employee to show this is a one off misjudgement and they still really want the job yet also allows OP to guard against future dipshittery.

Unpaid leave and restarting probation was going to be my suggestion. I'd start formalising things in writing asap, just in case.
And hope they quit while away.

They also aren’t from Australia. Different culture?

Again bollocks. 25 is not a young age to be in the workplace. If they don’t understand how a workplace works then they deserve to lose a job.

Age has nothing to do with it really. She's just a chancer. I've met them in all age groups.

It’s almost like people have different experiences … weird that 🙄

Bollocks. I’ve got a nearly 25 year old and she is definitely aware of what is acceptable and not in the workplace even though she is just starting her first job (trainee accountant). And my younger daughter who is currently working in hospitality whilst finishing her A levels which she first failed due to mental health issues that started during covid. She also understands how the workplace works. So 💁🏻

They have responded to day that they assumed a passing comment was implicit approval.

Longer term, this person sounds a bit arrogant, and a potentially problematic colleague.