To think my holiday time starts when the clock says

[FairfaxAikman]

And not when my manager says.

I reduced my hours after DS was born and as a result my annual holiday allocation, as calculated by HR, includes one half day, finishing at 12.30 as I start at 8.

When I took the half day in last year’s allowance back in February (we work April to April) the boss above my immediate line manager said he hoped it “wouldn’t be a habit” and I explained the calculation meant it would happen once a year. As it was I didn’t get away until 2 hours after I was supposed to that day due to an urgent project landing on our desks, nor did I get the time back.

DS had his vaccinations yesterday afternoon so I booked the half day from this year’s allowance so I could take him. Immediate line manager knew and approved it.

After I left I got a shitty email from the boss above, again stating he hoped it wouldn’t be a habit and that I had left work unfinished. (I hadn’t, the one joint daily project was short as he had made edit. While I had worked on it exclusively that day it is usually a team effort and my colleague agreed to finish it).

I replied to say why I had the holiday and why I had to leave on time but AIBU to think I shouldn’t have to do the latter. If I’ve booked holiday I am on holiday when the clock says, not when he says.

I didn't mean use lunch break. 8-12 is 4hours. So if you work till 5 that's half, presuming not paid for lunch?

Lakey has it. See your union too

This is why I love doing AL in hours!

Yes... email asking how you are supposed to take the half-day that they have given you

Don't explain it to him - get HR to do that. Ridiculous especially as you can take time off for DCs medical appointments in most companies I know

I'd be booking lots of half days til he gets his head around that being totally OK and stops being a dick

I'd be booking lots of half days til he gets his head around that being totally OK and stops being a dick

I would but the long commute makes that prohibitively expensive.

I went part time and do fixed hours, my annual leave it calculated in hours rather than days now (I don't work the same hours every day) so end up in a situation just like yours, where I have a random half day over. In fact, mine isn't even half a day, it's a random few hours! I have never been questioned over taking it wouldn't be happy if I was. Your annual leave entitlement, whatever it is, is your entitlement and you should be able to take it when you need to (within reason).

Talk to HR and ask them to speak to him to explain. You could also be cheeky and say to him that if he wants to increase your allowance to allow a full day you would be happy with that if he doesn’t understand the concept of half a day holiday hours

Very mean employer. We round leave up to full days for part time employees.