To be unhappy about new annual leave rules

[Mnetname500]

My boss has just put out a memo that we have to give 3 months notice for when we want annual leave. It's always been a month and I was planning on taking a holiday at the end of October but not put in a request yet, now it will be possibly declined.

I looked online and I can only find info on minimum notice required not if they're allowed to make it 3 months. Has anyone got any knowledge in if this is legal?

Until recently I worked in the NHS and in my department every January we had to request our annual leave for the whole year. No exceptions. It was so frustrating.

In my experience, when employers introduce things like this they lose a lot of the goodwill and the 'give and take' that they rely on in order to make their business work. Stuff like this zaps staff of their morale that makes them less inclined to be flexible or go that extra mile.

North Korea

I'm unfortunately not in a union and also I haven't quite been there 2 years. To be honest I am looking for another job for a number of reasons so hopefully this won't affect me soon anyway.

I will put in for the annual leave and see if my boss feels reasonable. I just know a few years back my son had a lot of hospital appointments and I had to take my holiday short notice this was with a different company and they were always so good about it. This manager is well known lately for being quite unreasonable and the morale is at an all time low so I imagine it will be worse now.

Thanks for the advice, looks like this is normal in some places it's just a shock to my system as I've never come across it.

Put in the request. You're in a strong position because decent care staff are (quite rightly) in demand. If it's declined, get a new job for November and leave that one in mid October. Or tell them politely and nicely that you intend to.

Can I take this opportunity to "big up" carers. My late uncle was disabled and an alcoholic, and his carers were amazingly patient and skilled.

God - there are a lot of depressingly shite employers out there.
I am betting that the ones that require a year's notice (NHS) even manage to bugger up the cover, and leave people feeling guilty for taking their entitlement?

Why do staff holidays seem to come as a complete suprise to employers.
You only need ten staff to have someone off every week.

lots of company's ask for all leave at the start of new leave your then allocate, not that unusual

My husband is not allowed August

This is quite a usual restriction in agriculture and tourism.

I understand why you are annoyed but I don't see any reason why this would be illegal.

Why don't you ask for the October holiday now as you are meeting the employer mid-way and giving them two months notice. On thing is for sure, if you don't ask you definitely won't get it.

Here is the Government's advice on the topic -
"The general notice period for taking leave is at least twice as long as the amount of leave a worker wants to take (eg 2 days’ notice for 1 day’s leave), unless the contract says something different."

So by the sounds of it, whatever your employment contract says goes and therefore if the employer amends your contract that it valid, which seems quite strange to me.