to think that DH should be able to take his holiday when it's suits us and not his employer?

[SuperflyTNT]

DH works as a video editor. He's fairly senior in a small company which covers jobs abroad and in Lodnon, but most of the time they all work from home. Aside from the issues that they cut everyone's pay by 10% several years ago, and still haven't reinstated it, and that they regularly expect him to pay for hotels and other expenses up front, paying him back the following month, and for a long period of time weren't even paying him on time, sometimes up to a week and a half late, this last year they were so busy with work that DH ended up taking 3 weeks off in December, as they were too busy for him to take a week off earlier in the autumn. While he is now the only one doing his job, they regularly use freelancers and agency staff where needed, and by law, have to employ crew from the residing country when they work abroad. Despite this, DH often gets asked to manage film crews abroad, and edit, meaning he ends up working into the small hours while on a job, and then into the small hours when he gets back from a job to catch up with the other work. He does soemtimes get a lieu day, but I'm almost certain it never gets paid back fully.
I understand a lot of the job requirements are tough, but in trying to plan a holiday this year (our first in many years), DH keeps saying he'll have to check with work as to whether he can get that week off, or that he's certain they won't allow him to take that particular week off.
AIBU to think that his employer shouldn't be able to dictate when he does or doesn't take holiday? While having him off for most of December has been lovely, he's worked himself ragged this year, and has been getting more illnesses than usual, which he works through (as he works from home). I just feel his work is taking the piss? Or AIBU and this is just the way it goes now? I'm self-employed, so I'm not used to the employer/employee relationship these days.

This is how it works in small companies. If everyone took time off at their own convenience, the business would quickly go bust. Only in large companies can you expect to take time off when you want, and even then you should expect to share good dates with the rest of the team.

You have to look at the whole package sometimes, and doing a job you enjoy, and being able to work from home are two very big pluses.

The 'marking of a 10 yr anniversary ' is very pie in the sky and a bit of a red herring really.

My dh has to book flights / hotels and things up front then claim back too - I have complained about it for years, but just letting you know it's not unique to your dh's company.

That said, he needs to be assertive in saying when he will take his holiday - give them a choice or a date by which they need to object or something.
I agree that very few employees can just take holiday when they want, but there has to be a system for booking your holidays - what do the other employees do?

but often he'll have to pay for his hotel room for up to a week in a city, which is completely not fine imo

I am expected to do the same - book room and transport and claim it back. Has been the case from when I started work after university I was paid £15k and rarely (never) had the money available to pay for it.

I took out a credit card specifically for that purpose. It has been the same pretty much anywhere I've worked and had to travel. Pay for it and then claim back at the end of the month.

I can can usually take holiday when I want but it goes through my boss first. She has occasionally denied requests if others in the team have already booked holiday in a specific timeframe, as she needs some cover. Luckily for the team she doesn't care about Christmas so all of us can book to make that longer as needed.

Wow the claws are out OP.

It must be horribly frustrating for your Dp to have to take all his annual leave in December because they have ran out of time.

He perhaps needs to be firmer... in saying he would like time off in July/August. Yes they can dictate but they can't deny completely.

Unless he's like my dick dp and forgets to book annual leave until it's too late.

I don't think it's unusual to have to check holidays first as some places have busier times or don't want a lot of staff off at the same time but it is unusual imo to have to take it all in December. Not sure why everyone is jumping on the op for asking this?

And to be fair, it does vary from place to place; one of my five weeks is compulsorily taken at Christmas and I get to choose when to take the other four. Plus, I haven't worked on my birthday for over 10 years!

The OP asked a question, she got her answers and accepted them all graciously. What she expected is quite normal in some places, not in others. Still a fair question to ask.

The hotel thing is normal in my industry too btw. I think it's fairly standard.

My colleagues would think I was barmy if I expected acknowledgement for a 10 year anniversary as well.

It's not normal for all holiday requests to be refused though. How much notice is he giving?

If your dh has spent 10 years "not being fussed about his holidays" from his employers point of view he needs to be assertive.
Eg "this year we are planning to go to x. Before booking and paying i need absolute approval that this time is acceptable. I would prefer x weeks but could also do y weeks.
Once it is approved he needs to block out in diary and email confirmation that he has booked it.

DH is in the same industry. Slightly different role and freelance.

I only ever book cheap holidays and, as often as not, end up taking the DC by myself. If he gets a 13-16 week contract and it clashes with what we've booked, he won't turn it down, so hard cheese on the holiday front.

It's what you get for working in a sector where everything is based around (essentially) expensive, time-sensitive, shirt-term projects (shoots).

Finally, we're only a couple of years away from "schools out forever" and the option of booking last minute in term time. I'll be tempted to go permenantly freelance myself at that point.

i might even go mad and buy a canpervan

So the key question is, how old is your youngest?

The upside of booking all the travel yourself is that you get all the air miles and cash back on your credit card. But if employers are slow payers it only works if you have enough of a cash float to cover yourself between your credit card bill coming in and getting paid by your employers (good employers can pay you back before your own credit card becomes due). And if employers are financially shaky then there's always that worry as well.

I work in film and have worked for a similar sounding company- production companies often take the piss like that, but sadly when it comes to holidays it does have to suit the employer. Having said that it's poor management and detrimental to your employees if you can't accommodate their needs some of the time. I second an earlier posters point about reviewing his hours and pay. I'd also look for another job- easier said than done in this competitive industry I know!

Re the travel expenses part can your DH enquire about getting a company credit card? Hotels, flights etc can be booked on that and he doesn't end until out of pocket.

My DH had a previous employee who would more often than not sometimes pay his salary up to 2 weeks late, it was such a PITA. DH had to constantly chase for it! So I feel your pain with the late paying.

how much is a significant salary, that
but we'd have to replace a significant salary to be able to do it with no financial problems

is still under the threshold
His pay used to be considered very good, now it's actually low enough that we're under the threshold for CTC

i would also think about a credit card just for expenses, especially if you get a cashback/airmiles one?