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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:
amusedbush · 30/09/2019 16:25

She’s ripping the arse out of it now - one of her kids is an adult! When I was 15 and DB was 9 my parents stopped taking all of their annual leave in the school holidays on the understanding that I would chip in to look after him. She really doesn’t need much in the way of childcare.

Your directors sound decent though, they’ve certainly noticed the work you’re putting in.

Becca19962014 · 30/09/2019 16:29

Been there with an ex manager when I first began work.
The whole lot which makes me wonder if it's the same person.

First they refused to employ me because I became disabled after the interview and they didn't want me being off all the time (easily sorted), second annual leave was a battleground - no holidays during holidays under any circumstances and she'd block book parts of the rest of the year as well "just in case" and would constantly complain about needing to be there for her children so would leave at 2:45 every day and "not make it back" for various made up reasons. Finally I was used to write a comprehensive report on top of my usual work and I was told it was utter shit and thrown in the bin and after complaining to HR having had enough got back to my desk to find a note on it asking me to clear my desk ready for my replacement the next day. I didn't even know they were getting rid of me.

I found a much better job through a contact I'd made working there. I was too devastated and ashamed to do anything about it.

However, years later I found out the comprehensive report was published under her name, won a professional award and she used it to progress in her own career!! I found out after my new manager got sent a copy(!) and asked if I'd written it as they recognised my writing style. I couldn't prove a thing but it took a long time to get over the anger and bitterness - it was exactly what I'd written.

I did learn a lot about work rights after that.

My advice, go to your appointment tomorrow, good luck with that and, if directors don't get something done about her, and they should, look for other work. I wish I'd left as soon as possible when I was doing the job I was doing. It was hell after I'd realised the reality of working with this woman.

TerribleCustomerCervix · 30/09/2019 16:40

Thirding the advice to join a union.

Your manager might not be doing anything illegal, but it’s amazing what can happen when a third party points out the unfairness and potential impact of ridiculous informal agreements which only benefit one manager to the detriment of an entire department.

thatoldpinkumbrella · 30/09/2019 16:44

Why would you want to take annual leave in the school holidays? Everything is three times the price. Hmm

because you want to
because the weather is better
because your partner has his annual leave then
because you want to spend time with your family

just because, you have the exact same right as a parent or a non-parent.

NotGoingToFall · 30/09/2019 16:50

Good luck!
As a manager, I'd give people that have holidays to use a priority over someone who is wanting to take that time off as unpaid leave. Your situation doesn't sound good, I'd start job-hunting just in case.

WarshipWarrior · 30/09/2019 17:04

Sounds like she has pulled the wool over the directors eyes for years!! Good for her (although its wrong) shes only doing what they have allowed her to do! The directors etc are in the wrong too for letting it happen . Sounds like shes been taking credit for others work too without them noticing. I'd be looking elsewhere OP.

RandomMess · 30/09/2019 17:22

I hope your medical appointment goes well ThanksThanks

VanGoghsDog · 30/09/2019 17:27

A union will speak up for you and work to find a more fair procedure. They can make things happen even when the employer has not broken the law but is still being unfair.

Not if they don't have a recognition agreement, the employer doesn't even have to speak to them.

They are helpful, they can accompany during disciplinaries and grievances and take your case to tribunal. But unless they are recognised they won;t do what you have outlined.

I once had a manager who tried to stop me taking single days as annual leave. I was taking a day a month (maybe 9x a year) to do my professional qualification which she had refused to support so I had to use my annual leave - so by doing this she was basically trying to stop me qualifying. I ignored her and booked them anyway, had she actually turned them down on my holiday form I would have asked why and then taken it further. The threat didn't bother me at all.

AllStarBySmashMouth · 30/09/2019 17:33

Been there! It makes me furious. Okay yeah, I don't have kids, don't want them either. That doesn't stop me wanting to spend Christmas with my family, or to take a holiday during the summer when it's not pissing down. It's a shit rule. Challenge it.

Passthecherrycoke · 30/09/2019 17:55

Oh OP WELL DONE! So pleased for you.

Those advising to join a union- I’ve never worked for a company that recognises a union so not sure this advice is suitable for all. People in unions could bring a rep along to their disciplinary meetings but this was only in the context of taking a friend for support. I had to Chuck one out once after she got lippy mind 🤣

brighteyeowl17 · 30/09/2019 17:56

Discrimination! My mum used to work for DWP and they did the same to her. She got HR involved

PinkiOcelot · 30/09/2019 18:10

Good luck tomorrow.
Keep us updated how things are going for you x

Muddlingalongalone · 30/09/2019 18:13

Good luck tomorrow & hopefully they use your time away from the office to speak to her & HR.
It's threads like this that put me off ever wanting to move jobs! that and the potential redundancy package if we restructure

ForalltheSaints · 30/09/2019 18:27

Why would you want to take annual leave in the school holidays? Everything is three times the price

To the earlier poster I would add a few others:
No trains back on Boxing Day if you have family a distance away and do not run a car.
Edinburgh Book Festival and Edinburgh fringe are in August.
For those of non-Christian faiths, some religious events are in school holidays some years.
If you are Scottish you might want to celebrate Hogmanay.
The anniversary of a loved one's death might be during holidays, when you want to remember them.

MsPavlichenko · 30/09/2019 18:36

Another join a union here. Even where there is no recognition agreement they can ( significantly) help individuals.

AntiHop · 30/09/2019 18:38

Well done for standing up for yourself op. Good luck with your appointment.

Starlight456 · 30/09/2019 18:40

Good luck for your appointment ..

Glad you stood up for yourself..

midsomermurderess · 30/09/2019 18:50

If you have a pre-existing contract, it can't be 'modernised' or changed etc, without your agreement.

CatkinToadflax · 30/09/2019 18:50

Hope your appt goes well. Flowers

My mum used to work with someone whose two children were at the same primary school as I was, two years and four years below me. Their mum had it in her contract that she only worked school term time. Absolutely fair enough, but the others in their small team had to cover for her every time she was off and fit their holidays in round her. The years went by and I’d long since graduated from university.....and she was still working term time only and the rest of the team was still covering for her! Confused

BlueJava · 30/09/2019 18:54

Wow! The no leave over summer/Xmas is bad, but trying to stop you from attending an urgent doctor's appointment is unreal! I think you need to find another job - nothing is worth what they are trying to do.

HoneysuckIejasmine · 30/09/2019 19:12

Hope the doctors goes well tomorrow OP.

Becca that's awful, I'm so sorry you were treated that way.

Thelistwizard · 30/09/2019 19:39

Why would you want to take annual leave in the school holidays? Everything is three times the price ha ha, is this actually real ?
It’s because of attitudes like this situations arise.
The op doesn’t need to have a reason, she is entitled to time off , it doesn’t matter if she had kids or not.
there’s no way I would take this lying down

FilledSoda · 30/09/2019 20:33

It's outrageous really .

Isitnearlyweekend · 30/09/2019 20:35

This is totally unacceptable from your employer. It’s probs breaking some kind of employment rules too.

IwantedtobeEmmaPeel · 30/09/2019 20:43

I worked with someone who tried to pull this shit with me. She gave me a list of all her kids’ school holidays so that I would know not to book any holidays on those dates. I just gave her a look and promptly lost the list.