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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU? Working during annual holiday

133 replies

Oaktree1952 · 26/07/2026 22:19

Im a teacher and I’ve been contacted by three parents by email and “caught just to say” in town. I get teachers get really long holidays. I get the expectation that we plan and prepare the classroom during holidays. But should I be replying to parents or not. Do other £40k jobs respond to clients or other members of staff during their annual leave?

OP posts:
calflions · 26/07/2026 22:32

it's not 40k if you pro rata'd it though is it? It would be 53k if you earned at the same rate but without the holidays. I'm not saying you shouldn't get holidays! Teachers need every bloody minute of them.

But yeah, sorry, in an office job at 53k you should probably not be disturbed on your 2 week annual leave but sometimes you are, a bit. It's no biggie.

Changeisstillpossible · 26/07/2026 22:31

With the emails- don't you have a work email that's separate from your personal email?

I work in a profession (not teaching) and don't check my work email when I'm on annual leave.

Bumping into people outside of work just needs a polite response that I'm not at work at present, please contact me when I return.

RVectensian · 26/07/2026 22:30

backformoreofthesame · 26/07/2026 22:27

Well yes many professional jobs do expect people to be responsive - it’s not just teaching

Yes quite, it is a hugely common expectation. Doesn't make it right, of course.

Duchoftheterrace · 26/07/2026 22:30

backformoreofthesame · 26/07/2026 22:27

Well yes many professional jobs do expect people to be responsive - it’s not just teaching

Sure some jobs expect (unreasonably) that their staff are responsive when they are on holiday. That doesn't mean responsive to a whole group of customers of the business, it would be to colleagues and managers.

Besidemyselfwithworry · 26/07/2026 22:29

I don’t have my work emails on my phone and when I’m not working I’m not working

this includes my day off in the week as I compress my hours, weekends and any annual leave

I wouldn’t be replying to any emails at all harder If they catch you in town but I’d just say I’m sorry I’m not at work but if you email the office someone will pick this up -
job done.

Duchoftheterrace · 26/07/2026 22:28

Can you put a standard response message on your email saying that emails will be dealt with at the start of term? What's your school policy on this? It's good practice for them to have something to give staff some guidelines.

backformoreofthesame · 26/07/2026 22:27

Well yes many professional jobs do expect people to be responsive - it’s not just teaching

PermanentlyExhaustedPigeonZZZ · 26/07/2026 22:25

No, if it's safeguarding forward it onto the DSL, otherwise add an auto response stating you'll be responding to emails on your inset day before sept start.

I'm assuming it's things that can wait.