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.

There are very few companies where you would be able to book short notice leave for August. I'm on leave at the moment, I booked it last November and my husband booked with his company in January.

I think you are going to have to chalk this one down to experience and not arrange work on your property for peak holiday time in future.

Oh ffs @katy1213, no need to act like a dick, is there.

OP, I'm not entirely sure his work is allowed to do that. I haven't worked in HR for a long time, but there is usually a required notice period. If an employer wants to refuse or cancel leave, they need to do so before that notice period. I would double check his contract, see if there's a notice period specified.

Gov website says :
"An employer can refuse a leave request or cancel leave but they must give as much notice as the amount of leave requested"
www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/booking-time-off-

There is no where open to buy food or take a toilet break

Bollocks. I've been up and down in the last three and four weeks and most service stations have been fully open with toilets and food shops!

Post edited by MNHQ because it repeated a deleted post.

this is why we need organisations like these

www.samaritans.org/

www.thecalmzone.net/

and why male suicide and depression statistics are so high

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/m/men-and-mental-health

Hope all the PP suggesting it's unmanly to cry are pushing the "boys don't cry" and "man up" message at home.

He sounds like his mental health is suffering and I think mine would too if I had to work nights for 4 months with all this going on and as you say no where open for breaks/toilet stops etc. If there are other jobs going for HGV drivers then maybe looking elsewhere would be a good idea. I am not sure what the work on the house is but can it be delayed as regardless if he is off sick not it sounds like it is too much stress for him?

Whatever the rights and wrongs (and opinions) about what the employer has done or ought to have done, if holiday hasn't been approved, then it isn't approved. But if he "happens" to go sick for the period that he was refused holiday, expect to be facing dismissal when he returns. Nobody, but nobody, will believe a coincidence like that.

Op it sounds like you are stressed over this and it maybe why things are not too clear?

Is the leave issue because he has not been able to sleep so is exhausted and stressed? If yes explain this to boss though he probably should not be using leave to solve the issue.

Is the leave solely to be at home for building work and spend time together? If building work not essential you may need to postpone or can you take leave to cover? This will also give time together. I work shifts so know how hard it is on family life.

Is the leave because he struggles to sleep during the day with noise so this would allow the work to be done without added stress? You mentioned being stressed keeping the dog quiet so not to wake him. Could he stay somewhere else? I know it does not help with missing him but may help you with not having to worry about the dog as well as the building noise.

Moving forward he needs a conversation with his boss and if he feels there is a history of not being treated well, to start to look elsewhere

Hope things get better

I agree with @Cornishclio - and I would seriously recommend that he goes to his GP and gets signed off with stress, @booboo57 - not as a way to finagle the holiday he's applied for and been refused - but because he sounds as if he really needs to take some time now, in order not to have a more serious breakdown later on. It sounds as if he genuinely needs the sick time.

If he does, hopefully he can use the time to achieve certain things - to take positive steps to recover from how stressed he has become (decent diet, fresh air, exercise, doing things he enjoys - plus look for online resources to help him manage his stress), to get some proper sleep, and maybe also to line up a new job that will suit him better - with better conditions.

.

@Boohoohoohooho ???

If he phones in sick then it'll be obvious why he's doing it and he's risking losing his job. If A/L has been refused then he'll have to go to work.

@Boohoohoohooho

There are options on the app/website to bookmark posts and watch threads. You don't need to use a dot to placemark.

He should NOT phone in sick

... because he should start looking now for another HGV job, if there really are so many, with better work hours

• and he shouldn't risk word getting round that he takes sickies

However, if he genuinely is so stressed that he is becoming unsafe on the road,
then of course he needs to phone in sick,
but also consult his GP for help,
both because he needs it and so he has some evidence to give his employer that he wasn't skiving

and any phoning in sick needs to be today, NOT waiting "conveniently" until the building starts

OP, just ignore the sanctimonious twatty arseholes on here. Most of them are pathetic Brexit supporters who like nothing better than to put the boot in, metaphorically speaking.

Just be grateful you don’t know anyone like them in real life.

In future, either post on the employment boards where you’re likely to get some legally correct answers or contact ACAS.

Sounds like the plan to change jobs is a good one, although I suspect if his senior managers realise that he’s on the verge of quitting, they‘ll suddenly re-jig things so he can take his leave, after all. They won’t want to lose an experienced driver at this stage, now work is flying again.

I'd get through the next few weeks as best I could (to get a good reference) and then look for a new job ASAP.

They're taking the mick and not treating him with proper respect.

I'd quit, hes being walked all over. I'm sorry for you all.

8 daresay he could quit for his holiday, and theyd hire him for one of the day roles they have advertised anyway!!

I think in his position I would write a letter or email to his work saying that he won't be getting much sleep in the daytime because of work being done on his house, which is why he had applied for annual leave during that time. If his annual leave had been refused straight away on application then he might have been able to delay the work on the house but at this late stage that isn't possible. If he continues to work nights he WILL NOT BE SAFE on the roads. Than can if they wish change him to a day shift or decide to give him annual leave but if they force him to work nights and there is an accident then he (or you) will use this letter as evidence that his employer knew that he was potentially unsafe and did not act to mitigate the danger.