to claim the extra leave?

[JumpJockey]

Have been on part time graduated return from ML this year, but earned leave last year at full time rate. It's been very hard to take any time off, since all my meetings etc have been on the two days I've been working. I also earn extra TOIL by doing a late shift (compulsory) which will make another 3 days before the end of the year. What this boils down to is I still have 21 days leave to use before the end of the year.

I'm going back to full time from next Monday, so will officially be entitled to about another 6 days or so. I can carry some over to January, but have a big project launching in the middle of Jan so taking time off will be very hard. I'll be going on ML very shortly thereafter, so will try to use up as much AL as they'll let me before the EDD, but this will probably not amount to much.

SO, do I claim the extra 6 days leave in the full knowledge that I probably won't be able to use it, or do I just leave it and say, I can't take time off anyway so what's the point bothering the HR dept yet again?

And yes, I know I get tons of leave, but do have to work bank holidays if that makes it any less cushy

sounds great!!
But don't understand how you have to "claim" the leave. Surely it's just there.
When are you going to book the time off?

The way the system works is if you change your working hours (as part time to full time, or the other way) you have to let HR know and they amend the computer system to reflect this.

When would I have time off - that's the problem! It's very hard to get any time off as I've got this big project launching that means I'm needed pretty much every day before mid-Jan.

Can you carry some over or take a day a week?

I go back after ml next week and have 7 weeks to take before beginning April.

if you find it difficult to fit in the AL is there an option for you to be paid in lieu of it ?

ahahahaaaaaaa TF that would be lovely but no. I've still not been paid for the three KIT days I did in April and August 2009 and they're suggesting that any I do with the next batch of ML would be unpaid, so asking for pay instead of leave would get a pretty sad response!

I'm having some weeks with a day off as it is, and can carry some to Jan. Will see if I can get them to let me carry beyond Jan into Feb - EDD is 14th so if they'll let me I could use up about 15 days AL before starting ML on the EDD.

I'd just say I've got xxxx amount of leave to take before January , when is a good time for me to take it?

I was about to ask if you can't maybe use it before starting your ML, so you get paid for your first couple of weeks off as hokliday, save your mat for the end of your leave? If that makes sense!

I've aksed if I can carry it over into Feb, usually the rules are it has to be had by January end. I can only really have 5 days in January because of the project launch.

Working part time makes it impossible to take leave - does anyone else find that?! Plus of course everyone assumes that the days you're not at work are somehow holiday anyway.

OK I'm not sure I understand what the issue is here. If you have leave to take, then book it. If they won't let you book it then they have to pay you instead. Surely your employer has no other legal choices.

If they won't let you book it because of business reasons you are legally entitled to carry it over. Put it in writing and ask how they intend to deal with it. Suggest it could be taken after 39 weeks of ML and you get put back on full pay before you return. To do otherwise they risk a discrimination claim due to pregnancy.

Right - have managed to get special permission to carry two weeks leave over into Feb. Now less of a problem, will just tell them I'm booking days off here and there to use up the rest.