Colleague and annual leave

[Florelei]

It’s getting to that time of year again. I have a colleague who I actually get on well with - we are good as a team and work well together. Our strengths compliment each other in a good way.

However, we have the same problem every year. Every year before I can get a look in they request holiday for all of the best dates. Every year I ask if we can sit down and agree a fair split of the holidays around Easter, bank holidays and Christmas and each year nothing changes. This invariably means that she’s always got more holidays left than me at the end of the year and can take at least a week off which I then have to cover. The week is nearly always taken at our busy period.

It’s happened again this year. My manager is asking me if I have objections to all these holiday requests from her for all of the best dates. I don’t want to appear unprofessional but I’m fed up of this.

Should I object and out my own counter dates in and let my manager decide?

I spoke to colleague yesterday and said i thought we’d agreed that we would talk about the best dates and perhaps take a week off each at Easter. She told me she didn’t think she needed to discuss this with me because ‘it’s standard stuff’.

She also said that she never knows when I am off as I don’t tell her - which is not true - it just goes in one ear and out of the other.

I’m at a loss as to how to deal with this! Please help me.

@olympicsrock

Your manager has noticed and is offering the solution. Get off your arse and out some dates in too. The manager can split them....

Another vote for this

Asking to use your legally mandated annual leave at a time that suits you isn't in any way unprofessional as long as you ask in a timely way.

I think tell your manager what you'd want if it were up to you and let them sort it out.

I think you shouldn't talk to the colleague about it any more either - it's not for the two of you to sort out IMO. It's for the boss to manage

For the love of god Yes and take your holiday requests to the meeting too!

Ask for all the days you want around Easter christmas 2021 half terms etc. And say a compromise must be reached

She shouldn't be allowed to take up all the holiday like that. In work we have to take turns.
If we had it the year before we don't get it the next year. Seems a bit unfair what your work place is allowing.

Normally I'm in the 'first come, first served' camp because there was nothing stopping you requesting the same dated before her. However, as you boss has raised this take that opportunity and make it fairer.

Lots of companies make sure staff alternative key weeks such as Easter and Christmas and have a few busy weeks protected when no one is off. I think your boss may have to introduce something like that.

YEs talk to your manager - however if she's had a chance to get her dates in so have you ....
and you know this is an issue to you so not doing anything about it then moaning/being resentful about it is really martyrish

its not her fault she ends up with more holiday than you (not sure I understand how she has more leave? has she been there longer..)

its obviously something she thinks about and plans for - she doesnt have to consult wth you - you're not her boss....in my work there is an automated leave system so it is first come first served which is not great for non planners but everyone knows-
If its a manual leave system maybe suggest to your boss you have a leave planning day/deadline and they can then balance it out

She was saying that she has plans for those two weeks at Easter

She shouldn't be making plans until her holidays are approved.

Just speak up and say what you would like - say you would like the 2 weeks at easter too, but how about you take 1 week each, or you'll give up easter if you can have October half term etc.

I don't understand how she's getting in first? Why can't you just put your requests in before her? And yes, definitely say to your boss that you're unhappy and here are the dates you'd like. Tell him that she is unwilling to compromise.

She probably has more leave because if she's booking the weeks with a bank holiday then she's only using up 4 days holiday instead of 5.

You have the solution handed to you on a plate. You talk with your manager about the leave allocation as the manager suggested.

Every year you wait until she's requested her leave before you get round to it? Why?

It's not her responsibility to make sure you apply for your leave. Your manager has the task of granting leave requests so stop leaving it until the end of the year and get your requests in.

She can't be saying i have plans there i need, even in a normal non pandemic year. Every company says you ask first and plan after. Not plan first and then demand. Not how it works. And it should not be a case of getting in first, it should just be done fairly, year on year taking into account who had what last year

I don’t understand how she’s getting in before you every year? Surely if you know it’s a problem you make sure you have your requests in the minute holiday booking is open? I think you’re being a martyr about it

In most companies it's "first come, first served" is it not?
Not necessarily.
Nearly everyone in my team wants last week of May off. We can only have two off. The manager looks at whose had previous years off and makes it fair so that everyone, in theory, gets a turn.

I can’t bloody stand people like this. I’ve worked with plenty. The second the leave year opens for booking, there they are, like coiled springs, with their little spreadsheets, grabbing the dates they want a year in advance. Including the bank holiday weeks, because it’s very important that their time, and theirs alone, should be maximised.

I note that there are a few of them on this thread, telling the OP that it’s her own fault for not being more organised.

Not everybody wants to, or is in a position to, precisely plan all their annual leave for the next twelve months. I’m with PPs who suggest taking the opportunity to let your manager sort it out, because your selfish colleague isn’t going to compromise alone.

A PP said this:

Don’t feel bad because she certainly doesn’t.

Couldn’t agree more!

I think I just need to pull myself together and make a stand. I don’t actually have plans at Easter so she can have the two weeks. However, I’ve put in holiday requests for every other bank holiday week this year. I think this is a fair enough compromise.

It’s not actually first come first served re holidays. We are a very small team so we are told to agree our holidays. I’ve definitely been too accommodating in the past.

Also, the holiday booking system is pretty bad at our place - it opens at a different time each year for the next year leave and nobody tells you when the calendar is open.

Thanks everyone.

What’s the actual policy/system for putting your leave in? Can’t you just follow that and if there’s clashes it’s for your manager to decide? I have to say, if a colleague asked me to ‘sit down and discuss’ my leave plans I’d probably smile and wave while submitting my leave requests as normal too.

Yes, it's for your manager to ensure it's fair.

I’m at a loss as to how to deal with this!

Umm your manager has asked you directly what you think about this - stand up for yourself and be honest. Who cares if you upset your colleague, they have been selfish towards you for years and haven't cared about upsetting you!

If nobody tells you when the calendar is one how is she always getting in first?

You need to woman up, the manager is giving you the heads up that she thinks it might be unfair, this is your chance to sort it out.

Cross post - clearly your colleague knows more than you about when the booking system becomes available and that’s what I’d be saying to the manager is unacceptable.

Also, I don’t think assuming that someone who has agreed to discuss holidays and allocate them fairly will actually do so makes me a martyr.

Perhaps I am too ready to think the best of people. I wouldn’t do that to someone else.

Also, the manager asking you if you have any objections after your colleague has used the opaque system to her advantage is not good management. If she does think it’s unfair, and it sounds like it is, she should address it directly and implement a change to the system, not rely on you rocking the boat.

The only way to tackle is to decide when you want your holiday and put it in earlier / at the same time.

I can see it’s annoying bec

Because you’re obviously not someone who likes to plan in advance.

But if you haven’t booked it, the time is available for her to book. You can’t expect her to avoid dates in case you might want them, she’s not a mind reader.