UNABLE TO TAKE ANNUAL LEAVE

[crowsfeet57]

I work in a large contact centre. There are very strict rules about the number of people who can be off at one time. Leave is calculated from your start date so mine restarts in mid September. We have already had to book our leave for Summer 2027. I find it really frustrating to have to book so far ahead. I have had to miss out on holidays with adult children or breaks with friends as nobody ever books things things so far ahead.

As my leave renews during the peak holiday season I can't book any extra days before it runs out as it has all been booked eighteen months ahead. Every year I end up losing a few days as we can only carry 5 days over and even then unless I want leave in January or February I can't fit them in.

This year I was admitted to hospital for emergency treatment when I had leave booked so I have that to also try and book in. My employers have given me a list of available dates for the next 7 months but there aren't any whole days or even half days just a couple of hours here and there which gives me nowhere near the amount of time I need to book in order not to lose the leave.

Am I being unreasonable to think they should have enough staff to allow us to take all of our leave?

A few hours here and there? Ridiculous.

I think I'd be looking for another job tbh. I thought my place was bad for AL but that sucks.

https://www.acas.org.uk/checking-holiday-entitlement/asking-for-and-taking-holiday

Fucking ridiculous OP 7 months and a few hours here and there!
I'd contact HR with the above and also be looking for a new job...
An employer cannot refuse to let workers take any holiday at all. By law, an employer must make sure workers can take the amount of holiday they're entitled to during the year.

Leave year should be consistent for all, this is nonsense. You pro-rata for the first part year, not exactly a sum Rachel Riley is the only person able to do.

I think leave years starting in April are the best ones.

The booking in advance is a real pain, but lots of work places have these policies, I work in the NHS & we have the same issue, some dates (aka school holidays, Easter, weeks following Bank Holdays) get booked up quick - you really just have to be quick with booking & plan your holidays around what you book/request.

Them only offering half days & no days together seems unfair, are you part of union or looked in ACAS?

Your hospital treatment would surely be counted as sick leave? I'm not sure why you have to book that in - as you say it's an emergency you couldn't possibly book that one in advance?
When the annual leave window opens to allow people to book - is it a free for all - or is it done based on seniority?

I know booking leave in call centre environments can always be a difficult issue - but you should all have opportunity to book time off - unfortunately that doesn't have to be exactly when it suits you. But it should always be possible to book a reasonable slot - so however many consecutive days that you are entitled to take for example

Have you had a conversation about it

She means she was meant to be on annual leave but was off sick, so got the annual leave back so has that annual leave to try and book off too

I think she means she got the holiday back as she was sick, so has more holiday to use.

What they are doing is illegal.

if it is as clear as they simply don’t allow enough people off at one time, for all the staff to physically fit their holidays in then that’s unlawful. Of course there are sometimes situations where people don’t want to take holiday at a time inconvenient for them and that’s not the same thing at all but it doesn’t sound like you’re describing that

Although op I would add, there’s no need for you to lose days each year is there? It sounds like you’re trying to save a few and then can’t get them in before sept, so why don’t you book them all way in advance? I know it’s a pain but at least you wouldn’t lose them. Really no point in carrying over 5 days holiday either as this just makes it worse as you’ve got even more to try and fit in

You need to talk to your manager and HR. That's not sustainable. You need to also begin looking for another job.