Urgent DH refused Annual Leave for next 2 weeks.

[booboo57]

Works starts on house on Monday. Two weeks leave requested over a month ago. Just got message that next week is full so cant have it off. Make a fuss or just call in sick?
He a trainer but since Covid he's been working nights which he hates. He was in tears with the stress of it all. Dont know what to advise.

I don’t understand? What kind of trainer and how long over night - is it all night he is working.. We really need more information.

Don’t call in sick. That’s very obvious.

Also, can he work from home? A colleague and his wife have been WFH while having a massive extension built (and home schooling 3 teens), and they've managed ok.

The builders have worked round them to an extent, eg not done noisy work when they're having zoom meetings etc, but they didn't want to put it off, especially as it's still very unclear when offices will reopen.

It doesn’t sound like it was approved? Just that he requested it, although if that’s the case it’s shit that they took so long to get back to him

But a month isn’t much notice to book 2 full weeks in the school holidays/peak holiday season. I can book leave the day before if I want and it’s available. And my manager will allow leave in exceptional circumstances even if it’s not officially available. But by the time June rolls round there are only ever scattered days here and there in the school holidays, and many days are over capacity.

Next door had building work when DH was on nights, and they very kindly juggled it so that the builders started around 13:00.

Speak to the builders and explain that your DH is on nights and see what they can do.

Cant realy do much about it if the AL wasnt approved, situation at my place of work, my colleagues daughter booked her a holiday during term time (work at a school) and so she then requested it off after it had been booked. She wasnt allowed it. Fair enough, always get your AL approved before booking anything

So many people are getting the sack at present particularly in industries that use trainers that it would be a bit risky. In our family people get annual leave approved for holidays about 11 months in advance with employers !!!! particularly in school holidays to make sure we can all be free when needed. Also now there is CV19 everything is different and harder too. Is the issue that he works all night (as a personal trainer sounds a bit strange) and building works will disturb him. Can't he just put in ear plugs and suck up a bit of sleep interruption?

Sorry dont mean to drip feed. He is an HGV 1 driver and agency cover is normally got for holidays. If they said one month ago when leave requested it was full. We could have re booked works. He's in desperate need of a holiday normally works days training and the odd bit of driving. Was told after his holiday would be back on days. Now doesn't know what the hello is going on. Went in last night leave form said refused - full written on it. No managers around until 8. He finished work at 6 this morning. Came home in tears due to stress of it all. No managers around at night. Should I wake so he can discuss with his manager?

Don’t call in sick, he could be dismissed for gross misconduct if he does that!

A colleague at work has just been dismissed for ‘isolating’ when her holidays were refused.

So, 2 weeks leave is not approved and your DP conveniently gets sick... seriously, how do you see that panning out?

In fairness, the leave is not approved until it says so. Don't wake him!

HGV 1 s are like gold dust round here. Could probably walk into job tomorrow. Company has 3 vacancies at moment.

@GinDaddyRedux - 1 month's notice for 2 weeks of annual leave isn't that much in fairness. That's pretty much what the legislation requires in the absence of any other contractual arrangements. Many places will require more notice.

Asking for annual leave in August just a month before was always going to be problematic. I think that he just needs to suck it up on this occasion to be honest.

He really can't go off sick, that's insane after having holiday refused. Holiday isn't agreed until it's authorised so if it was imperative he had the next two weeks off he should have checked.
If he's genuinely in tears with the stress of having holiday refused he must have other things going on, perhaps now wouldn't be the best time to have more disruption, is it possible to postpone the building work?

1 month's notice for 2 weeks of annual leave isn't that much in fairness. That's pretty much what the legislation requires in the absence of any other contractual arrangements

Of course it’s plenty of time if that is what the legislation sets out to be the minimum an employer has to accept.

I would say he didn't give them much notice. And if they're full up, they're full up unfortunately.

Could you somehow reschedule the works??

was the leave approved when you requested it? that would answer your question as to where you stand.

But swerving around it, I guess it was never approved so there was no annual leave to be taken in the first place. You have nothing to complain about it seems .

They've been messing him around something rotten On Sunday after full night shift they asked if as a favour he could do some shunting in the yard. He used to do this when he was on days. He said only if you approve my leave. Everyone laughed he did the extra work. FOR WHICH HE ISNT PAID AS HES ON SALARY NOT HOURLY PAID LIKE THE OTHER DRIVERS. In fact thinking about it that's probably why they keep giving him the long night runs.

@booboo57

HGV 1 s are like gold dust round here. Could probably walk into job tomorrow. Company has 3 vacancies at moment.

Then do that.

He took a chance trying to get leave in August. He took a chance assuming it was approved, knowing it wasn’t. He took a chance in not following it up sooner. He has created his own stress.

He books into B&B for the first week so that he can sleep. Moves back for his holiday week.

If you’re confident that he can walk into another job then he can quit but that seems like a risky strategy if he doesn’t have anything else lined up.

If the leave wasn't approved I don't know why he'd assume he could have it.
Sorry OP but I've never known an employer where requested leave can be assumed to be authorised.
If he calls in sick for 5 days he can probably assume facing a disciplinary having already requested leave.

They've been messing him around something rotten On Sunday after full night shift they asked if as a favour he could do some shunting in the yard. He used to do this when he was on days. He said only if you approve my leave. Everyone laughed he did the extra work. FOR WHICH HE ISNT PAID AS HES ON SALARY NOT HOURLY PAID LIKE THE OTHER DRIVERS. In fact thinking about it that's probably why they keep giving him the long night runs.

look, posters are trying to help you. can just answer the simple question if his AL was authorised or not? Anything else is irrelevant.

Did they actually say
"you'll be back on days after your holiday"
(which implies leave appproved)
Or
"you'll be back on days on x date"
(which doesn't make it clear).

Is there any way you can shift your holiday?

He sounds exhausted and stressed: has he spoken to the GP?

If hes unhappy with his job then he should get another one, especially as you say this will be so easy. Nevertheless that doesn't mean the company are at fault for declining his leave. The 2 are separate issues.

I imagine they are breaking the law getting him to do shunting after driving all night.