Work trying to bully me into cancelling holiday

[worridmum]

Sorry if this is the wrong place but this section has the most traffic and hoping for someone to help me.

Long story short is a booked my annaul leave in january in line with company policy and it was approved. After the approval I booked an expesive holiday to the USA for 3 weeks to see my parents as my father is in poor health and would like to see him before he deterates futher (long term problem with no possiblity of a cure sadly).

Now the crux of the problem last week my work colleuge is now wanting to start her metinity leave 2 months early than planned and now because our department is small one of us must be in the building for the department to run (I dont want to give too much details here as its very specislt field of work and dont want to out myself) and the meritity cover cannot start 2 months early than planned so my boss is putting large amounts of pressure to cancel my holiday and treating gross misconduct when I refused to cancel it as my manager blunty said when I asked is the company going to compestate for my finacel loss (non-refundable flights / hotel deposits etc) and she basically said tough luck the company WILL NOT pay for the loss of this money (roughly £3000) and I should just absorb this loss and consider it one of those things, which I replied no I am not willing to lose not only my last possible chance of seeing my Father before he passes away but also that amount of money which is a large amount for me.

Which is the reason she is quoting gross misconduct as I am refusing to cancel my holiday with only 2 weeks notice and that I am expected to eat the fiancal loss as well as prescous time with my father and my question is twofold

I am unreasonable to refuse to NOT cancel my holiday no matter that it will causes massive problems for the company and the second are they legally allowed to breech their own policies relating to booked holidays to be able to say my holiday will be treated as unauthrised absance and thus a gross misconduct offence even though I have all the documents saying it was authorised etc and finally if they are allowed to cancel my holiday at such short notice can force them to pay for my lost money so I am not out of pocket (travel insurnce will not pay out as it is not covered by their terms)

I am sorry for the long post and if it is in the wrong area and for any spelling or grammer mistakes as I have dylexia and no spell checker on this device.

Sorry, I haven't read all of this thread but they have treated you terribly Have you looked at your household insurance policy? I have legal protection as part of mine and I get free legal advice on employment issues. If they think that it's a good enough claim they will fund a solicitor.

I hope you're OK

What a bunch of bastards.

Good luck taking them to the cleaners OP.

Great worried mum. Now you enjoy your holiday with you dad. Xxx

another enjoy the hole from here. Royal fuck up from them . OP, when you mentioned your meeting with management included the new owner I sort of envisioned they were going to fuck up big time. Owner in a meeting like that means small company trying it on.

Safe travels.

Hope the process isn't too arduous on your return.

They are SO fucked. Enjoy your holiday!

Have a great hol. And please come back and update us when you win!

Fantastic worried. The bastards, I hope you have a great holiday and take them to the cleaners. They deserve all they get with how they treated you, appealing!

Good on you for backing up e mails.

Good luck!
And enjoy the time with your dad, I wish him the best

YY Minty They have basically shafted themselves.

Enjoy your holiday and seeing your dad. Looking forward to the updates, looks like they've really fucked up!

Have a nice hol!

I've been asked to cancel a holiday before. The company who I worked for at the time offered me some compensation which would have covered my out of pocket expenses and a bit more, but didn't take into account that I would also have to reimburse my sister who was going with me. Beside the point anyway because I told them to get knotted and they backed off.

OP I've heard some stories about bad treatment at work but this beats all of them. I have found that new bosses or takeovers usually bring bad behavior on, but I can't believe that people can be so ignorant of employment law.

I don't what current settlements are in this kind of case? You say you work for a small company - this could wipe them out and the owners deserve it too.

Job well done, worriedmum and mumsnet advisers.

Best wishes for your hols, I hope you can put this to the back of your mind while you're with your dad

Have a lovely holiday too - I'd really love to know the end result of all this. I find it all incredible to be honest.

Do they know they would lose at a tribunal do you think?
It depends if they know about the copies of the emails.

Best wishes to you for your trip.

Have a great trip. I have been reading this thread as it has developed with my eyebrows nearly touching the ceiling; hope you get a nice payout - they sounds like total knobs.

Have been keeping up with this and can't believe how you've been treated. Enjoy your holiday x

I don't believe any company would do this. It's nuts.

Just going to unlurk to wish you a lovely holiday. Really glad you are getting to see your dad. Relax. .you will be all the better to manage it after your break & it will give them time to stew.

I can absolutely believe things like this happen. I would have doubted previously but, going through similar at present, sadly I know it goes on.

Enjoy your holiday. I'm sure you'll get a job with a much nicer company and the payout will pay for some more trips to see your dad.

It's shitty going on holiday with work shit hanging over you. Been there.

I keep popping back to see if the OP's returned from holiday. Hope it was good, and she is able to sort out this horrible treatment easily and satisfactorily.