To book a couple of hours off?

[IAmSamSamlAm]

I'm going out for my birthday on Friday. Finish work at 6.30. Takes about an hour to get home on the bus. Really want to get my hair blow dried and enjoy my getting ready time (cheesy but I've just turned 25 and I'm a lone parent and not had the chance to go out since last summer).

Asked my manager today if I had any holiday left, she said I had 2.5 hours. I feel like I might have an hour TOIL too. WIBU to ask to take my holiday to finish early?

Doesn't matter that it's short notice as long as there's not two people off (there's nobody off). There wouldn't have to be cover arranged for me or anything.

It seems like an odd thing to ask though. I've never known anyone else too. Is this normal?

Now I'm writing this, I think it's obviously fine as otherwise how would you use those odd few hours. But I have anxiety and could do with some reassurance before asking

I don't get why it would be a problem?

Of course YANBU! Getting ready time is lovely, enjoy it and have a great night!

I would do the same too

You can always ask, but we have to book any annual leave at least two weeks in advance.

I don't get why it would be a problem?

I don't know either! I've only really worked agency work before or full time so you book days off. Or you don't have holiday.

So it just made me feel weird to ask to finish early. I do have pretty severe GAD. But tbh as I wrote the post I realised I probably wasn't BU and this was a completely normal thing to do.

Yay!

DH and DS can take their holiday time in hours, too. Good to finish early, or get to sports day...

You can always ask, but we have to book any annual leave at least two weeks in advance.

I booked Monday off the other Friday and it was fine. So I think I'll be ok in that respect. Nobody's that bothered as long as there's not too many people off. Nobody notices much I don't think.

Take it and enjoy it. It's fine, it's what you're supposed to use it for.

Be lovely if you could take a half day and enjoy a leisurely afternoon?

The only question is when is your new holiday year kicking in? Because if it's not til September, you might regret those hours later in the year if you need time off for your DCs (doctors appointment or something).

But if it starts in March or April, you're fine.

Enjoy your night.

We are given our annual leave in hours.
It works really well for us. I work shifts but not a set rota and some days I may be down for a 10 hour shift and other days I may be in for 5 hours.

Quite a few in our team ask if they can come in an hour or so later or finish earlier and will take it a step annual leave if they don't want to make the time back.

Do it! It’s fine. Enjoy your birthday

New holiday starts in April. I only work 3 days a week (though I go to uni the other 2 but this is a little more negotiable if I have to miss it for unavoidable reasons eg DD's Doctors apps).

thanks guys. Feel a lot braver about asking now. Silly I know.

It sounds perfectly reasonable but if you're worried just start your request by saying something like "I don't know if this is what people usually do here but I wondered.... etc"

I have my annual leave in hours because I work different hours on different days. Love being able to take a couple of hours to finish a bit earlier rather than a half day.

It sounds perfectly reasonable but if you're worried just start your request by saying something like "I don't know if this is what people usually do here but I wondered.... etc"

Yes! Thank you. This is so useful to me.