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Original poster

Help me word this email- A/L

30 replies

Octopuscrazy · 14/09/2021 23:44

My employer rules are that myself and counterpart are not allowed to be off at the same time. Counterpart has requested leave for whole of Oct half term break and whole of Xmas. Obviously he is entitled to a/l allowance but I can't help but feel like this is a little unfair. How can I say this without coming across as entitled/ unreasonable? I have got some leave approved in September that he did not object to. Please can you help me word a reasonable reply.
Thank you

OP posts:
Palavah · 14/09/2021 23:45

Are you looking to take leave at the same time?

What is your procedure for booking leave - is it 1st come, 1st served?

SleepingStandingUp · 14/09/2021 23:46

Has he had it approved?

Original poster
Octopuscrazy · 14/09/2021 23:48

@SleepingStandingUp

Has he had it approved?
Not yet. He has just sent round an email to the team to say these are my requested dates
OP posts:

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Employment advice
NoSquirrels · 14/09/2021 23:49

Do you want leave at the same time? Will this review e.g. you both have school age children?

If your jobs are directly comparable - I.e. that you are expected to cover his work and vice verse - then you need to raise it with him first and foremost? I’d say.

NoSquirrels · 14/09/2021 23:51

Then can’t you say ‘Thanks for flagging, X - I was hoping to book [x dates]. Can we discuss?’

Original poster
Octopuscrazy · 14/09/2021 23:51

@Palavah

Are you looking to take leave at the same time?

What is your procedure for booking leave - is it 1st come, 1st served?

Well I at least wanted a few days off over Xmas (not the whole period) esp as I am at work on the BH Tuesday. He's requested the week before and week after Xmas. I thought maybe I would take the Thursday and Friday before Xmas weekend.

Im new to the team/job so not sure what the procedure is. I think it might be 1st come

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 14/09/2021 23:51

Something along the lines of Hey Steve, I see you're lookin to book the same school holidays as me - I'm also requesting 20-27th Oct and 17-31 Dec. Perhaps we can discuss how to best split the dates as we can't be off together?

SleepingStandingUp · 14/09/2021 23:52

Who approves leave? Informing the team what you're asking for rather than a manager to approve it seems weird unless he's checking no one else wants the same dates

HeddaGarbled · 14/09/2021 23:52

“Thank you for letting me know about your requested leave dates. I think we need to share leave over half term and Christmas between us. Regards ……”

Original poster
Octopuscrazy · 14/09/2021 23:55

@SleepingStandingUp

Who approves leave? Informing the team what you're asking for rather than a manager to approve it seems weird unless he's checking no one else wants the same dates
Hierarchical structure so team is immediate bosses who approve leave and us (at the bottom lol). Everyone has to be aware who is away. The email was sent to everyone so bosses and me.

We basically do the same job and cross cover each other

OP posts:
Original poster
Octopuscrazy · 14/09/2021 23:57

@HeddaGarbled

“Thank you for letting me know about your requested leave dates. I think we need to share leave over half term and Christmas between us. Regards ……”
I like this. Would it be best to cc everyone? Or just counterpart?
OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 14/09/2021 23:58

Then def along the "hi Steve, looks like we both need dates off over the same period - I need X and Y so is it possible to discuss this before anything is finalised?

I do feel you, DH works in a tiny team and one woman books most of the s hook holidays in Jan. 1st come 1st serve!!

timeisnotaline · 15/09/2021 00:01

Definitely- reply all, thanks for flagging Steve, I was hoping for some time off over xmas and the October school holidays as well, would be good to discuss priority dates.
@boss these are the dates I am keen to request leave for.

Put the dates in as it’s a fraction of his request so highlights you shouldn’t get nothing.

FiveGs · 15/09/2021 00:01

I'd counterpart that message first of all and if it started to get tricky, have a word with line manager about the situation and then loop LM into the exchange if they're in agreement it should be split somehow.

HeddaGarbled · 15/09/2021 00:02

I wouldn’t reply all at this stage - looks a bit pointed. See what response you get from your colleague first.

boatyroo · 15/09/2021 00:04

I would discuss directly with him rather than cc'ing everyone. Hopefully if you chat you can come to an agreement without causing tension by escalating it straight away.
Also think beforehand about what you actually want to book - e.g if you insist on sharing half terms, you could ultimately both never be able to go away for a week at half term.
Maybe just "Hi Steve, I understand we both can't be off at the same time, and I was hoping I might be able to take a couple of days around Christmas too. Could we have a quick chat and see if we can arrange something that works for both of us?"

Original poster
Octopuscrazy · 15/09/2021 00:09

Hi C, I was just looking at your annual leave requests. I can see that you've asked for the October half term and the Xmas holidays. I would also like to have some time off around Xmas. I was hoping to take the 23rd and 24th off. Maybe we can have a chat and find something that works for both of us?

How does this sound? As a private message?

OP posts:
HeddaGarbled · 15/09/2021 00:12

Perfect. Good luck.

Mantlemoose · 15/09/2021 00:12

I thi I that sounds fine. Our job shares are expected to take year about but ultimately first come first served. Are you expected to work overtime to cover his leave?

KeyboardWorriers · 15/09/2021 00:15

I'm a manager and I don't allow.first come first serve for school holidays. Everyone asks by a certain date and then I make sure that the share is fair. Or primarily to deal with selfish people never thinking about team cover.

Stripyhoglets · 15/09/2021 00:17

Message sounds fine. If he refuses to compromise you'll have to take it higher as Xmas leave should be divided fairly - or tbh look for another job.

We all say what we want at Xmas and it gets divided out as long as one person can cover each working day - but there are some people who expect to take 2 plus weeks off anyway every flipping year - as we only need 1 person to cover each day.

Susannahmoody · 15/09/2021 00:18

God how much leave does he have per year?

KingdomScrolls · 15/09/2021 00:20

The team I manage is first come first served, school holidays and Christmas, I tell them how much cover is needed and ask them to sorry out out amongst themselves and I won't approve leave until cover is in place. It usually works fine, if there is the odd day that's over subscribed I am happy for them to come to me and I will try and make alternative provision, or even provide cover myself if I'm in a good mood. Your message is spot on.

BarbaraofSeville · 15/09/2021 04:31

@KeyboardWorriers

I'm a manager and I don't allow.first come first serve for school holidays. Everyone asks by a certain date and then I make sure that the share is fair. Or primarily to deal with selfish people never thinking about team cover.
That's a good plan. Saves people from the sharp elbowed who barge in at 8 am on day 1 of the leave year and bag all the prime weeks for themselves.

OP, despite what has happened in the past, going forward, you need to make it clear that splitting school holiday weeks with your colleague is reciprocal - you cover for each other so neither of you gets to take all of Easter/half term/Christmas each year, you need to split it, either by having one week each at Easter/Christmas etc, or swapping it around, so if one of you has Christmas off one year, the other has it the next.

If he's been able to take the majority of the most popular weeks off in the past, eg if your predecessor didn't want/need to take the school holidays off, he's been lucky. It's not a given when more than him have the same requirements.

CrushedPistachios · 15/09/2021 04:48

Is the 24th a normal working day for your company? You say your in for the bank holiday Tuesday as well so I assume you are fully operational 365 of the year (perhaps Xmas day itself permitting?)

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