Is it that hard for set days off?

[Beth2511]

Going back to work next month after maternity leave. OH works for a huge national pub company and is second in command in his pub. The manager above him does rotas on a wednesday to start on monday. Hes been battling ever since i went on maternity to get set days off. Nearly got a flexible working request accepted until it was pointed out that if pub manager on hol he has to work one of the days for licensing purposes. So because of those 5 weeks a year he cant get his flex working request approved. His pub manager wont agree to set days off with exceptions.

What on earth am i meant to do about returning to work. Arghgggg

Some industries are notoriously bad for flexibility - food/hospitality is the worst offender, unfortunately, along with care work, medicine/nursing and retail.

I think the manager needs to be reasonable though. Surely your DH can be flexible for the five weeks the manager is off?

YABU. It's the hospitality industry and the nature of the beast. Most companies also have a clause about working to the needs of the business.

It's the reason I left after ten years in working in hospitality. Totally impractical for a life with kids.

I do sympathise though DP is a Head Chef his hours suck, and he does his own rota there is just no escaping it in that industry.

Yabu. Food/hospitality has a reputation for being the 'worst offender' , because that's how it is. You can't control when people book or turn up. People can't just have a week off without someone else being able to step in.

Like pp, that's why both me and dh decided to leave the industry. We have done it for years and eventually owned our own restaurant. But even as owners we couldn't get set days off. It just doesn't work that way.

What do you mean what are you meant to do about returning to work? Is your child going to a nursery or a CM?

Yabu surely his working patterns were not a surprise given the industry he works in.

Going to go against the grain here and say YANBU IF your husband is prepared to cover the managers holidays. I work in hospitality as well and have had a flexible working request approved along the same lines with the proviso that I cover holidays, which seems fair. So I don't think he's asking too much. What's their business justification for turning it down? If the only reason is holiday cover and your husband can provide a solution then they can't reasonably turn it down. Has he/will he appeal the decision?