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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No Annual Leave during school holidays

329 replies

Dodoluded · 30/09/2019 11:49

I’ve just been told that because I don’t have a child I can’t take annual leave during school holidays as my line manager needs to take that time off for child care arrangements and one of us need to manage the team (I do this when she is not there).

Basically she’s taking a week off either side of Christmas and has worked one day per week over the summer holiday and taken the rest as unpaid leave.

There are already four months in the year when I am not allowed to take any annual leave due to my workload.

AIBU to not agree to the holidays leave thing? None of this was explained at interview or before my probationary period finished.

They have just refused a leave request for next year as it overlaps with school holidays by four days although she currently has no leave booked for this period.

OP posts:
Rezie · 30/09/2019 14:14

Why would you want to take annual leave in the school holidays?
There is a difference between choosing not to take annual leave during school holidays and being told that youbare not allowed to be off at a certain time only because you don't have kids.

Pollydocket · 30/09/2019 14:17

I think that this is discrimination, positive for her and negative for you.

Absolutely outrageous and i would challenge it on principle alone.

You don’t need Acas, you just need an email to HR, pointing out how flexible you have been and how it is discriminatory. I’d also join the union.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2019 14:17

Scrap what I said and do what you said, go full throttle.

A GP made an appointment for you in 24 hours. GP's dont make emergency appointments for the fun of it. GP's fight hard for those.

TinyTear · 30/09/2019 14:20

wtf? you can't got to a specialist appointment? fuck that... just do it!

BumbleBeee69 · 30/09/2019 14:23

Christ OP, get yourself to that Vag appointment Flowers

woodchuck99 · 30/09/2019 14:24

With your latest update , I think that your line manager is probably trying to get rid of you. Do you have the refusal to give you time off for an emergency appointment in writing. If you did leave, I wonder if you would have a case for constructive dismissal (N.B. I'm not an expert so don't really know),

YoTheGinPussyOfStMawesOnThigh · 30/09/2019 14:28

Book the days off that you can and then oh dear what a shame your transport let you down and you couldn't get back home and to work. Or, how much notice do you have to give? If 4 weeks, then put it in 4 weeks before your holiday. depends how you care about the job.

I did the second once and booked the early part of January off. Colleague had a tantrum because she wanted to have holiday before Christmas (when it was busy) and was refused.

Samosaurus · 30/09/2019 14:30

This is outrageous! Is your line manager so integral to the company that they can't risk losing her, so are penalising you instead? As for your emergency appointment, call in sick - they have left you with no choice. I hope the appointment goes well!

YoTheGinPussyOfStMawesOnThigh · 30/09/2019 14:33

Ye Gods, get in there with male director and give a full presentation on your vagina. Have you time to do a quick
Powerpoint presentation? At the least use a flipchart with diagrams!

Cherrysoup · 30/09/2019 14:36

@JonSlow Discriminating in that an employee is not allowed annual leave during school holidays because he or she doesn't have children is outrageous-you don't agree? Fine, your opinion, but a job where I couldn't have annual leave due to the manager wanting it because she does is not equitable by any stretch of the imagination.

JonSlow · 30/09/2019 14:38

@Cherrysoup I agree it isn’t on, however it is not discrimination. There are a few categories of discrimination, this doesn’t fit into any.

Cherrysoup · 30/09/2019 14:40

OK, it's hugely inequitable, then. Semantics (in my opinion!)

Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/09/2019 14:44

Either HR will back you, you’ll get your holidays and she’ll be a nightmare to work with, or they’ll stick with this
Either way it’ll be shit

This ^^ - and the point that you're stuck between higher management wanting you to do more and this unpleasantness with a more junior manager doesn't help

Just find something better and then tell them exactly why you're leaving (although I do like the idea of telling your manager why you need tomorrow off in extensive and embarrassing detail Wink)

VanGoghsDog · 30/09/2019 14:45

I wonder if you would have a case for constructive dismissal (N.B. I'm not an expert so don't really know),

You can't bring a constructive dismissal claim with under two year's service.

57Varieties · 30/09/2019 14:50

You can't bring a constructive dismissal claim with under two year's service.

You can if you’ve been constructively dismissed for an automatically unfair reason, such as being denied her statutory right to take holiday. Not saying the OP has a claim, as she can take he holidays at other times, just pointing it out.

OP regardless of the legalities this is piss poor employee relations and your boss is an arsehole. So you can get to take your holiday in a window of 20 or so weeks a year out of a whole year? Fuck that. I’d be looking for another job. I’m sure you’ll get something else.

Original poster
Dodoluded · 30/09/2019 14:51

I have been told to go home by the directors. One female one said you can’t be productive at work and take all of tomorrow off for the appointment and do something you like afterwards.

They asked me what she said about the holidays - apparently two of my colleagues have already spoken to them and are writing statements as they’ve heard every conversation and are worried about their own holidays.

The directors were great to be fair. I did not go full throttle just said I had an issue and I didn’t want to disturb them but I had run out of options.

OP posts:
BumbleBeee69 · 30/09/2019 14:53

this is great OP.. Flowers

Bibidy · 30/09/2019 14:54

There is a massive difference between having a company policy where no one can take time off during the busiest periods and an individual being banned from booking holiday to suit another member of staff's preferences. It's just 100% not on.

She sounds like a very selfish manager and I would be looking elsewhere if I were you OP. You can't be dealing with all this.

Original poster
Dodoluded · 30/09/2019 14:55

Also two of the directors want me to write down all of the projects I’ve been working on. There’s one specifically huge external report that I did and they have asked me how much she did of that and to highlight my parts as they are concerned she doesn’t know what she presented to them and one director had picked up on the fact I was talking fluently about it.

OP posts:
lyralalala · 30/09/2019 14:57

Sounds like you might be promoted sooner rather than later...

MulticolourMophead · 30/09/2019 14:57

How old are the DC, if this is a long standing agreement?

If they are teens she's definitely taking the piss.

And good that the directors have given you the time for the appointment.

I wonder if they are now going to be looking more closely st her arrangements?

Original poster
Dodoluded · 30/09/2019 15:01

Children are 18, 16 and 10.

OP posts:
cstaff · 30/09/2019 15:01

It sounds like the directors are on your side OP and they are realising who the valuable employee is to them. Well done and good luck with the holidays.

IsobelRae23 · 30/09/2019 15:02

Vagina trumps work I’m sorry!!!

CokeAndCrispsAndDip · 30/09/2019 15:03

Wow she is a CF. The 18 year old can look after the 10 year old and the 16 year old can look after themselves! Really hope you get this all resolved to your benefit OP