To think this isnt fair re holiday entitlement

[twoteens]

I work for a firm where a lot of the staff and partners our a certain faith and need time off due to days that they are not permitted to work, the firm give them two days and increased non faith staff members holidays by two days.
The thing is the department I am in there are only 3 of us and should always be 2 in the department for security reasons. so my one workmate who practises that faith always take their holidays and extra days before and after the days they are not permitted to work. it is known that as they can not work on these days they get priority. That means that various dates through out the year I can not take no matter how early I would have booked and me and the other workmate have to work around these dates each year.
Am I to think that this is not really fair

How many times a year does this happens?

It isn't is it?

But religion trumps all i'm afraid, I suppose non believers just have to put up with it.

Do they cover the office over Christmas/Easter for you?

did you know about this when you took the job on? this is something that if you feel strongly about you need to go back and discuss with the section manager. is there no one else that can cover for you from another section? holidays are given at managements discretion unfortunately so you either have to find a compromise / way round it, suck it up or leave.

Need more information is the firm you work for open 365 days a year.

If so does that mean your coworker works Christmas

Is the bottom line that there are a dozen days known in advance to you when you can't take holiday?

Is there anything special about those days to you?

If it's just a random day to you (and not Christmas) then is it really a problem?

But look on the bright side - you get 2 extra holiday days a year beause of their religious holidays!

But religion trumps all i'm afraid, I suppose non believers just have to put up with it.

Really? I would have thought is decided at the discretion of the company.

The firm closes for xmas, and we do get good holiday entitlement, what has made me think about this is that its my sisters 50th and the plan was for me and my sisters to have a night and day away, but due to when it falls, I don't think I will be able to make it as it falls on and around the faith days, where I might have booked it straight away at the beginning of the year, because it is a day when he is not permited to work I can not take that time off. its just a fact that he will be entitled to those days.

Can the firm not put someone else in to cover so you can have the time off? As it's a one off it may not be a problem.

To be honest unless this was stipulated when they offered you employment I think you are being put at a disadvantage. If it really bothers you I would recommend seeking advice from ACAS or an employment specialist. Depends if you can live with it or not.

Really? I would have thought is decided at the discretion of the company

Companies do have to adhere to laws put in place with regard to religious needs.

www.strath.ac.uk/media/ps/sees/equality/religion_or_belief_in_the_workplace_a_guide_for_employers.pdf

The companies are asked to consider the requests put to them. If it interferes with the busness then they would have a strong case to refuse such requests.

Acas

Employers should give serious thought as to how requests for time off for religious purposes could be accommodated and only decline the request - sensitively - if the business genuinely can't manage it.

This thread is giving me major deja vu. I'm sure the conclusion was "nobody is entitled to any particular holiday unless their contract says so; employers have to consider requests but can refuse for business reasons (which can be relatively flimsy; if you think you are the victim of discrimination then consult HR or your union".

I don't see your point RR...in many cases religious workers rights can usurp those of non faith IF a company allows it.

No one has a legal right to choose which days to take as holiday I'm afraid. Only the right to be paid for holiday and to be able to actually take that time as leave, as opposed to paying holiday without a break in work.

For instance, I know a firm that shuts for 3 weeks over xmas. All their employees have to keep back 15 days leave per year to cover it and therefore cannot choose/negotiate 13 per year themselves.

Basically you have to go along with your employers or find somewhere that suits your needs better.

You have 3 options:

1. don't go to your sister's thing.
2. convert to the faith in question so you can get the time off.
3. pull a Sickie.

Unfortunately its probably one of those things where kicking up a fuss with your employer won't do you any favours.

i would put in for the holiday. I would, if asked, state my case for these days i needed. If he has not booked it, then surely it is first come basis?

YANBU, it's very unfair.

Plenty of people have to work over Christmas and Easter, there no reason why it should be any different for people celebrating other festivals.

Phone in sick if you have not mentioned to anyone I work about wanting that date off. If they have form you can't do it any other
Way

I'm torn on this one to be honest.

I'm tied into school holiday dates for my holidays - if they are turned down, then I will request other school holiday dates, therefore this may be annoying to other people who don't get their requests in as quickly as they aren't as tied to dates.

You don't do so badly out of the arrangement as you get an extra two days holiday at no loss of pay. Do you have school age children or some other arrangement which ties you into certain dates, or are you free to go at any time of the year?

I can see it is annoying about your sisters birthday, but it's just a fact of life and I'm not sure what complaining about it would achieve - it sounds like your sister could be a bit flexible so could you do it the weekend before or after?

Oh and I wouldn't phone in sick because you want a day off - seems like a cheeky thing to do to a company that has made an effort to be fair to people by giving you the extra two days holiday.