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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Stolen holiday?

95 replies

goldengecko · 20/12/2016 12:09

My office closes at lunchtime on Friday (Christmas Eve) meaning that everyone here will only be working a half day.

I've had Friday (and Thursday) booked off for some time now and it dawned on me yesterday that I'm essentially losing half a day's holiday as I've taken an entire day for what is only a half day of work.

The MD's defence (even though he himself won't be in that day) is that because it's not an "official closure" and just a "goodwill gesture" anyone wanting to take it off needs to take the whole day.

It's not the extra half day that I'm working that bothers me, I'm not THAT petty, it's more the principle. The fact that I turn up on time every day (unlike my colleagues) and always get things done (and on time), I would've hoped would've counted for something.

Instead I feel like I'm being punished for wanting to spend more time with my family over Christmas...

AIBU?

OP posts:

RB68 · 20/12/2016 12:28

Standard practice - sorry

crumpetsforteaa · 20/12/2016 12:29

Yanbu. My company demanded I be reimbursed when they decided to shut at lunch.

alltouchedout · 20/12/2016 12:29

Ah, I've lost a teeny bit of holiday this year as our leave year is changing (from July- July to January- January) and I started work mid year. I get 25 days a year which accrues at 2.083 days a month, so between 1st August and 31st December I should have accrued 10.416 days, but I'm only actually getting 10 days. They have stolen 0.416 days holiday from me! This is something colleagues are quite worked up about but tbh I don't care. It's half a day. Not worth the fuss.

PebbleInTheMoonlight · 20/12/2016 12:31

I've always booked the last day before Christmas off (normally Christmas Eve) even though this is standard practice in my business too. Yes I lose out on half a day hols but I know for certain I'm not working.

If you're in the office it's entirely possible the goodwill gesture of closing early is rescinded for business reasons.

A bit annoying but I guess you can choose what is the better option for your plans.

BolivarAtasco · 20/12/2016 12:32

Most people in my company don't book Christmas Eve off for precisely that reason unless they're on holiday. It's an unofficial early finish.

crumpetsforteaa · 20/12/2016 12:33

At my company you get time off if there's a bank hol on a day you're not working. Isn't this sort of the same thing?

PlumsGalore · 20/12/2016 12:35

I used to book Christmas Eve off to get everything done, then it dawned on me that the reason no one else booked it off was because a) nothing happened, it was dead and b) everyone else was let off at lunchtime.

Now I work Christmas Eve and save a day's leave.

Dulcimena · 20/12/2016 12:38

Hmm where I work it would always have been considered YABU, but the policy changed a few years ago precisely because people were unfairly losing a half day holiday. The shut down is now officially 1.00 on Christmas Eve (or Friday 23rd this year I guess - need to check that). This is not a small company though, I appreciate it may be different elsewhere.

Dulcimena · 20/12/2016 12:39

I meant to say that if you take the morning off, it's only a half day holiday, not the full day. So YANBU.

amusedbush · 20/12/2016 12:41

It's the same at my work on the last day. We are closed completely on the 23rd through to the 4th January (Scotland, extra day at the end) but we'll unofficially finish early on Thursday.

phoenix1973 · 20/12/2016 12:42

Used to happen in my old place. I finished at 2:30 anyhow so although it didn't benefit me as much as the ft people, it did still benefit me a bit. Just one of those things.

Libbylove2015 · 20/12/2016 12:42

Yep sorry YABU. But be thankful you work for a company that does it - if our MD/owner is in the office, she makes us work till 5:30!!

BillSykesDog · 20/12/2016 12:43

I think it's partly a goodwill gesture towards those who've come in and worked that day when nobody wants to. So obviously if you're on holiday that day you don't get it!

SapphireStrange · 20/12/2016 12:44

I think YANBU. It seems really mean!

Did they only just announce this closure? If so, why didn't they give more notice? Or make sure anyone booking that day off knew that it might turn into a half-day in the event of a lunchtime closing?

Everywhere I've worked has found it possible to let staff know about any office closures around holiday periods, presumably precisely to avoid this kind of kerfuffle and people essentially losing holiday.

luckylavender · 20/12/2016 12:44

Always happens at my work. Being sent home early is never guaranteed.

wasonthelist · 20/12/2016 12:45

I'm not THAT petty, I think you are.

scallopsrgreat · 20/12/2016 12:45

Our organisation was going to work half day on the Friday but they've given us that off now as a goodwill gesture. All those that have booked holiday have got that half day back again.

YANBU

RandyMagnum2 · 20/12/2016 12:46

On regular dayshift where I work, Fridays are a half day; but if you want it off you have to use a full days holiday. I think you're being unreasonable as I presume you wouldn't have wanted to go in on the Friday morning anyways.

purpleflower23 · 20/12/2016 12:47

YABU. Totally normal practise. In my last job, I only worked mornings and every one else in my office worked full time (small company). We used to finish at lunchtime on the last day before Christmas so everyone else effectively got a bonus half day off whereas I got nothing as I wouldn't have been working anyway. Just one of those things you have to suck up I'm afraid!

Lorelei76 · 20/12/2016 12:49

it's standard practice but I have no idea why!!

scallopsrgreat · 20/12/2016 12:50

Wow I can't believe how many people think that this is OK and you should just have to "suck it up".

When I was working part time if my day off fell on a bank holiday or the half day off @ Xmas we'd get them back (proportionally) as part of our leave.

Surely that's only fair?

crumpetsforteaa · 20/12/2016 12:52

I agree scallops. We had a half day announced 2 weeks ago and everyone that had booked it off automatically was given it back. If the office is advertised as closed then I don't really see how it's 'unofficial'.

morningtoncrescent62 · 20/12/2016 12:53

I think the word 'stolen' is a bit over the top, as is 'punished'. But I do think your employer's being a bit mean.

My office is also closing at lunchtime on Friday - anyone taking one or more days as AL this week is being allowed to go at lunchtime on their final day, so that everyone benefits equally from the goodwill gesture. IMO it's not much of a gesture of goodwill if you're going to be mean about it - the point of a goodwill gesture is to generate positive feelings and high morale all round, but your employer is doing it in a way that's having just the opposite effect. I think it's a pity that it's left you feeling unvalued, and I can see why you're annoyed. Unfortunately some managers don't have a very good understanding of management!

ParadiseCity · 20/12/2016 12:54

It is normal. And why I work the easy Christmas week days and take off proper stressful time for annual leave.

DeepanKrispanEven · 20/12/2016 12:56

It was the practice at one office I used to work at. I felt it was a bit silly, as people used to turn up on Christmas Eve rather than lost half a day's holiday, but in all honesty relatively little work was done - customers were highly unlikely to make contact, we couldn't get hold of people in other businesses, and people who didn't really want to be there weren't in the mood for work anyway. So I think it's quite a short-sighted policy.

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