Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to be angry an disappointed at co worker

30 replies

Doha · 15/01/2013 20:39

I am a leader of small team of 3 people and we usually get on petty well. However today l noticed that one of the team have put in her entire years holidays without discussing it with me and our other team member.
Not only that but she is off next week (leaves me no time to get cover) and she has taken 1 1/2 weeks of Easter holidays when we all have school aged children.
She left early again today (l only know because l was looking to discuss this with her) and it appears she does this on a regular basis, calling patients to come in ahead of their appointment times so she can skive off early,
I am off tomorrow and l was so angry l sent her an email saying l was not happy and copied the manager into it,
Now l hate confrontation and am stewing over everything, Feeling perhaps l was a bit unreasonable.
Don't think l will sleep tonight

OP posts:

HecateWhoopass · 15/01/2013 20:42

Can she do that? Does annual leave not have to be approved by someone?

Can you raise it as an issue and request a change in procedure?

Salmotrutta · 15/01/2013 20:43

So she has "hogged" all the prime holiday slots without checking if you or your colleague are wanting them.

Cheeky besom - it should be fair and equitable sharing/alternating in this situation.

Plus moving appts to sneak off early? Beyond impudent!

ovaltine · 15/01/2013 20:44

I would if thought that as a team you all check its ok to take holiday and doesn't clash with what anyone else has planned. Surely if you have to arrange cover then you should know when she is off? I manage a small team but always ask them about dates to check it doesn't clash. I don't understand why you wouldn't know if she had booked holiday but then I don't know ur companies policy for this

Fairenuff · 15/01/2013 20:44

What are you procedures for booking holiday?

Salmotrutta · 15/01/2013 20:45

And I agree with Hecate - surely this has to be approved?

HollyBerryBush · 15/01/2013 20:47

First come first served - on the assumption it is approved

You know when school holidays are and when you will find it difficult to get child care.

She has played the system

Original poster

Doha · 15/01/2013 20:47

Maybe l am a soft touch but l am meant to ok the Nurses holidays--but she also helps out the manager (she is a health care assistant) so l assume she spoke to her but that is not proceedure.

OP posts:

ohfunnyhoneyface · 15/01/2013 20:49

What is your policy in leaving early?

Has she broken any rules?

VivaLeBeaver · 15/01/2013 20:51

Well if its not procedure tell her its not been authorised.

I'm in the Nhs and were only allowed two weeks off in school holidays for the whole year. So if you had Easter off you couldn't have any time in summer off.

Though after everyone has booked leave if there's enough space for someone to have more time in the holidays off I suspect it would be allowed.

CloudsAndTrees · 15/01/2013 20:52

Is there an assumption that people will get the holiday they have asked for?

I don't think she's done anything wrong with asking for the holidays, as long as she is aware that they might not be granted and she will be gracious about it if they aren't.

With calling patients in early, does it cause an actual problem? I'd have thought the patients would be fine with it as LNG as they are getting a good standard of care. I think that's the thing that's most important. Is she doing her job well?

McNewPants2013 · 15/01/2013 20:54

in my works it's first come 1st served. If you put your AL mid january you have no chance. Hence i always put mine in 1st january when you can.

ENormaSnob · 15/01/2013 20:58

Yadnbu

I'm nhs too and it's never done on first come basis. Mainly because of piss takers like your colleague. Also we are allowed 3 weeks leave during school holiday per year. Thus enabling everyone to get their fair share.

I would pull her on the shirking off early too tbh.

Trills · 15/01/2013 20:58

I'd say you should be either annoyed at the leave policy that your work has or annoyed at the person who approves the leave.

Trills · 15/01/2013 20:59

Although if you really "won't sleep tonight" because someone else has got all the holiday that they asked for then YABU. That's an unreasonable amount of upsetness, unless there's something that you are not telling us.

MsVestibule · 15/01/2013 21:05

I'm a bit confused by this. If this woman (a nurse?) reports to you, and you approve/decline nurse's holiday requests, then what's the problem? You just don't approve it, surely?

Don't email her, just talk to her about it. Also, point out her contracted hours, and that she is not to inconvenience her patients by asking them to come in early just so she can leave early.

I am a leader of small team of 3 people. Lead then. If you let her take the piss, she will.

WorraLiberty · 15/01/2013 21:08

I must say there doesn't seem to be much leading going on

ENormaSnob · 15/01/2013 21:12

If you are team leader then you need to address this.

She is taking the piss and needs pulling on it.

You should be all over it for the sake of the rest of the team.

McNewPants2013 · 15/01/2013 21:14

strange i am nhs worker and we have a system the 1st 10 gets the day off requested.

MissyMooandherBeaverofSteel · 15/01/2013 21:14

Everywhere I have ever worked has had a 1st come 1st served policy for holidays, I think thats the fairest system or else its a case of whos story of why they need those particular dates beats whos.

I agree with Worra though, there really doesn't seem to be a lot of leading going on.

Andro · 15/01/2013 21:19

Puts on manager's hat...

What is the annual leave policy?
How much notice is required before taking leave?
Do you have any authority with respect to leave?
Has this caused issues before (the leave issue)?
Do you have flexible working or fixed times?
What is the policy on leaving early?
If this is a regular thing, can/should disciplinary action be instigated?

On a parallel matter:

What is the policy on management/leadership training?
Have you attended any/all available courses?
Has this situation made you evaluate the training you have received?
Do you need to pursue any further training to develop confidence in dealing with such matters in future?

Just some of the question I think need to be asked...

Andro · 15/01/2013 21:20

*questions

rubberducky24 · 15/01/2013 21:20

how much holiday are you entitled to? I have always found that Easter is a very popular time for holidays, whether you have kids or not. If she knows the dates she needs for the entire year and requests them, I can't see an issue, she is just more organised than most. Rather than e mail her I would have spoken to her about it, she may have good reason for requesting the dates. Sometimes holiday has to be booked at late notice so I would forgive her for booking next week off, but I agree you need to be more vocal with regards to what procedure you would like people to follow if this has bothered you

NorthernLurker · 15/01/2013 21:22

I'm the manager for a small team of three. Leave is approved subject to the needs of the service which basically means two can be off. Three at a push for a short time (an odd day). I approve their AL but I also need to work mine round it. This is a bit tricky for me because I could effectively say ' no I'm having that' - to any and all requests! I don't. Atm the calendar has my fixed summer dates on and my colleague has given me hers too. There are also some days I may have off but I have said to the colleague that's open for discussion. Our other two team members do not have dcs so it usually works out ok. They know I will no approve leave which means the service isn't covered and they know I will be considerate about my own leave. That said I'm not going to mug myself It is hard to balance but OP - you need to take control. If you are the senior then all leave comes to you for approval. For high demand weeks I suggest you give everybody a deadline to submit a request and ask them to give say 3 priority days or if you look at all the school holidays then ask them for their two priority weeks. That's what I did for Christmas this year and it worked well - partly due to one person being happy to work two days in lieu and take that at another time. I also worked 1/2 of Christmas Eve and all of New Years Eve. Give and take is VITAL. I also think everybody needs to revise their ideas. You may not be able to have full week if others want it - but you can all have 2 1/2 days. That's better than nothing and you should be clear that if needed it will be nothing. The service comes first. Leave is for approval not to be demanded.

Fairenuff · 15/01/2013 21:24

she also helps out the manager (she is a health care assistant) so l assume she spoke to her but that is not proceedure

So, what is the procedure.

Surely she fills out the appropriate paperwork and gives it to the appropriate person? Who is the appropriate person?

Original poster

Doha · 15/01/2013 22:11

Okay
In the past all annual leave is discussed and verbally agreed by Me. There has never been a first come first serve basis as there are only 3 of us and generally we work it out fine. Last year l split my summer holidays to accomodate the other nurse as l wasn't going away anywhere.- no problem There has never been an issue before but this year as she has been given some "management" responsibility she seems to think she can change past proceedure and discuss with the admin manager her annual leave. I emailed her as l do not work on wednesday on training day Thursday and our paths won't cross on Fridays as she starts after and finishes before me. I did say in the email that this needs discussed on Friday and time would have to be found to do it.
I suspected but was not made aware of the patients being asked to come in early until today. That in itself is not a problem but the fact she is then leaving work early is an issue. We work in different parts of the building and there is no clock on or off proceedure.I can't police her every move, however this was a GP who pointed this out so l will have to deal with it.
Bottom line is that our Practice manager is part time so there is nobody to watch what is happening on Mondays and Tuesdays.

As for not sleeping, it's not because of her getting the holidays she wants (because she possibly won't) but more that she should after all the years working together she has tried to change the goals posts. I have not booked holidays this year so personally l don't mind when l get mine but it's more the fact that l have conflict in the workplace for the first time in 8 years

OP posts:

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread