Extra holiday - would you be honest?

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

I probably will be honest because I’m superstitious about these things, but just interested in views

The company I work for has switched to a new holiday booking system as of 1 January. I went to book a holiday yesterday and the system is showing I have my full annual allowance, plus five days carried over. I did indeed carry five days over, but I booked off the first two working days of January (using the old system). This hasn’t been tracked to the new system.

Should I be honest and retroactively book off those two days, or do I enjoy an extra two days off?

I would, and have told them. Not because I'm so virtuous but I'm a shit liar and if i did get asked about it it would be so clear i knew what I'd done. If i wasn't such a shit liar id happily keep the days.

I wouldnt take it. The system will update as I'm sure you arent the only person who this would have happened to.
And then when it updates , you're only going to out yourself as very deceitful. Because how could you not know

I agree to leave it there and see if it gets carried over.
If you want to take them and can risk losing 2 days pay or holiday next year you can always say that you hadn't noticed and assumed that it had been carried over and taken into account you were off those 2! Days.

Would keeping quiet impact on a performance review, or get you thought of differently in work etc?

If not, then I'd keep quiet.

It could get discovered and your colleagues could lose all trust in you.

Nah that's a bit dramatic I think.

OP can just say she didn't notice or got confused.

This happened to me and a few of my colleagues a few years ago after moving to a new A/L platform.
We did discuss saying something but didn't bother and we were never found out. But we were prepared to play dumb if we were rumbled.
We do work for a very large corporate company and did not feel guilty.

It will probably get adjusted.

And then when it updates , you're only going to out yourself as very deceitful. Because how could you not know

Very easily! Most people have to double-check their holiday every so often, and without the option to refer back to last year’s details, it would be very easy to get confused.

If they subsequently want the two days back what would be your reaction? You can't claim ignorance now!

Ah I wouldn't risk it. If you fess up looks good on you if you plan on staying there long term/promoted!

I would wait to see what happens. Chances are it’s happened to others too. It will be picked up
And if it’s not - then I’d take them

There won’t be any come back against you if you do take them. You trust your company’s system - no punishment

I would be honest and book them off on new system. As systems have been changed recently there may be errors in the a/l entitlement showing now but when things are more streamlined somewhere down the line it may be discovered anyway. Also, if in future there are other errors not in your favour, it could all get very messy to sort out depending on the system. My previous workplace also changed booking systems and there were so many errors in the new system and they were such a pain to sort out even at the early stages let alone months later. Also, why have that on your conscience just for the sake of a few days annual leave

@Spitsandspots

** I had a similar situation. I was honest.
I couldn’t have enjoyed an extra day off for the guilt of stealing a paid day away from work.
It could get discovered and your colleagues could lose all trust in you. Is it worth it?**

Do you think your company feels guilty if you’re in early and leave late?

”Enjoy the extra 2 days holiday, if anything comes back from it just play dumb”

How would playing dumb help the OP? She would end up not having enough holiday to cover something she wants to take time off for later in the year and either not being able to take the time off or having to take it unpaid.

Very easily! Most people have to double-check their holiday every so often, and without the option to refer back to last year’s details, it would be very easy to get confused.

So you get X days a year and you take X+2. I would be concerned if something basic like that confuses you.

Usually you don't keep track of your leave down to the day

Wow, your experience is. Very different to mine, where I work everyone knows their holiday situation almost to the hour.

I'd say something but I'm possibly too honest for my own good.

I'd play dumb. They get their pound of flesh enough.

Play dumb and I would think you actually are. Seriously do you think someone wouldnt know how many days of leave you have a year?

This has happened to me before - I told my manager and he let me take the extra day anyway

Honesty wins

Keep quiet.

That said I had an issue with work where they paid me too much. I kept quiet for a bit but then fessed up. It was much appreciated. But the chances of them eventually finding out were much higher in that case.

What i'd do would depend on how my employer treated me in general.

I would be concerned if something basic like that confuses you.

Would you really? Or are you just being a patronising cow?

Keep quiet and see what happens.

This.

without the option to refer back to last year’s details, it would be very easy to get confused.

Except it clearly shows you've taken none when you know you've taken 2 days. I'm struggling to see how you could claim you've not noticed.

I mean, later in the year when you've taken a good few random days, yes, but 11 days in...?