Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Annual leave request 27-29 December

42 replies

Rafting2022 · 17/11/2023 20:22

This is regarding a request for annual leave on 27, 28 and 29 December (ie the days between Christmas and New Year).

We are a team of 6 people but when the first request came from person 1 in September there were only 3 of us.

Person 1 requested those 3 dates in September and they were accepted without anyone else being asked what their plans were. (Fair enough if it’s first come first served but it would have been nice for them or the manager to check first.)

This then prompted me to ask for the same dates but was told that as person 2 only works Monday - Wednesday I could have the Wednesday off but not the Thursday and Friday as there was no-one else to cover.

No idea what has been agreed with person 3 but they are going away so assume they have also been told yes to all 3 days.

Persons 4 and 5 joined 3 weeks ago and I’ve just found out they have both be granted all 3 days.

Should their joining not have put me back in the pot and given me the option to at least take 1 of the additional days now there are extra staff available to cover?

Would it be reasonable for me to go back to my manager and ask if my initial request for 28 and 29 December could be re-considered now there is additional resource available in the team? As they are new in the team I’m more than happy to be on hand to support - there would be a very small amount of calls/emails to deal with as most of our customers are closed throughout the whole Christmas period.

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 17/11/2023 21:40

I suppose the logic is (as would probably be the logic where I work), that someone who’s been there multiple years is a lot more capable of muddling through and knowing when to escalate for example, than someone only 2 months into the job. At the point you’re that new, you’d almost definitely still need someone “on call” for any issues so from a management perspective it doesn’t make sense to pay 2 people to do 1 role during that period.

I think if it’s a hard rule for your department that someone from the team has to be on for cover, then the fairest way to do it for next year would be giving priority to those who didn’t have a chance this year, and then going forward it needs to be submit all requests by x date and then if there’s clashes then it’s names in a hat. DH’s team at his old work were in the same position where there had to be at least 1 person for cover and they basically used to get asked to rank the days 24th 27th 28th 29th 1-4 to show which they most wanted off, meaning as we had no kids then he never asked for the 24th but would put maybe 28th as his 1, so that way means more people can have at least SOME time off, and then any clashes was names in a hat because at least that way its fair! X

Original poster
Rafting2022 · 17/11/2023 21:43

Thanks everyone.

I certainly don’t want anyone to have to cancel
approved leave at this stage as it would be unfair on them and not their fault.

I will go with the suggestion for handling next year in a fairer way.

OP posts:
NotABeliever · 17/11/2023 21:58

What was your manager's reason for not approving your leave but letting the new hires take it? It sounds really chaotic and very unfair. Where I work we have a Christmas leave policy. We circulate a spreadsheet in September asking what people are planning to do. When everyone has responded we assess if there is enough cover. If there isn't then we try to sort it out informally. If there is, then everyone can submit their annual leave requests and it will be approved.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Employment advice
Original poster
Rafting2022 · 17/11/2023 21:59

NotABeliever · 17/11/2023 21:58

What was your manager's reason for not approving your leave but letting the new hires take it? It sounds really chaotic and very unfair. Where I work we have a Christmas leave policy. We circulate a spreadsheet in September asking what people are planning to do. When everyone has responded we assess if there is enough cover. If there isn't then we try to sort it out informally. If there is, then everyone can submit their annual leave requests and it will be approved.

The new hires hadn’t joined when my request for 2 out of the 3 days was declined.

Chaotic is a good way to describe the management style - we figure most things out amongst ourselves.

OP posts:
NotABeliever · 17/11/2023 22:01

What about person 3? When did they get their annual leave approved? I wouldn't be happy at all!

Original poster
Rafting2022 · 17/11/2023 22:03

Person 3 seems to be a law to themselves and not have to abide by the usual holiday allowance but that’s another story!

OP posts:
Orangeoranges42 · 17/11/2023 22:05

I don’t agree with this first come first serve BS.

Everyone should work as minimum as poss. So either 1 day each or 1 day this year and off next.

don’t leave it until next year because people including you might have found a new job etc

Wanttobeok · 17/11/2023 22:09

Not sure there's much you can do about this year as the others leave has already been approved (still shit though!)

But I think it's best, and maybe you could suggest this, if all requests for Xmas leave are gathered in early November - no requests allowed before that.

Then the managers can look at cover and decide if they can approve the requests. If there's no cover on certain days then names go into a hat

This is how it works where I have been in the past. It sucks as you can't book a holiday away but it's probably the fairest way to do it

Original poster
Rafting2022 · 17/11/2023 22:12

Orangeoranges42 · 17/11/2023 22:05

I don’t agree with this first come first serve BS.

Everyone should work as minimum as poss. So either 1 day each or 1 day this year and off next.

don’t leave it until next year because people including you might have found a new job etc

How would you handle it at this stage?

OP posts:
ErinAoife · 17/11/2023 22:30

My work is doing same first come to ask get despite previously we were taking turn. We used to talk between ourselves what days we wanted to take but since first come basis now my colleagues don't bother discussing when they are off so I stop asking them if it was OK with them if I took such a week since it wasn't reciproque. So imagine their surprise when their holiday got denied because I was off the week they wanted and got why I never told them, why did I not check with them like I always did.

ErinAoife · 17/11/2023 22:33

Fyi, It is not the Christmas week that I am off.

Beryls · 18/11/2023 00:04

First come first served is perfectly fair. As soon as our holidays came out in March I booked that week off in December because I know we have to have 30% staff in. I didn't have any time off in summer at all, I don't need the kids holidays so happy to cover for people with kids in that time, but that's the week I wanted more than any other time.

Get in there early next year OP then you won't have to worry about it.

WellWellSaidTheRockingChair · 18/11/2023 00:15

They can’t carry their holidays forward and are maybe too new to work on their own?

Orangeoranges42 · 18/11/2023 07:01

I’d ask to my manager and explain the situation, they can either choose to be more accommodating towards to you or at least be aware of what’s happened as may have lost track.
i wouldn’t mention to them your going to it but like the others have said when your new holiday allowance starts have no shame and book Christmas off. If anyone questions it I’d be clear about what happened this year and mention that your considering going away.

Spacecowboys · 18/11/2023 07:14

It’s probably a competence issue for the new starters as to why you couldn’t be offered those days despite them being recruited. That would be the case in our team where a new starter wouldn’t be able to cover my role for at least a year and only then certain shifts.

SudokuMania · 18/11/2023 07:24

You said 4 & 5 have to take their holiday days before the year end.
Surely you have to too - and you must have two days left over.
So when are you expected to take them?

Original poster
Rafting2022 · 18/11/2023 07:52

I have 5 days to take and have been told I can carry some forward to next year.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread