Would you feel bad for this?

[Yoopy]

So I was furloughed from late March until mid August, I have now been back at work for just over a month.

Most of my colleagues were furloughed too for varying amounts of time but some worked through.

I have been informed by our accounts team that I actually appear to have a lot of holidays left...! I'm really surprised by this as I had to use a percentage of them during furlough (which is totally fine) and believed they were being pro rated too.

Thinking back it appears to be because I just hadn't really used any before I was furloughed.

I feel really guilty on my other colleagues using them all after just being off for months anyway. DH thinks I'm being daft and should use them if I'm entitled to them.

WWYD?

With your DH on this one.

Can you sell them back or carry it over?

When do you have to use them by? Could you take a week now and save the rest for taking around Christmas/New Year?

Take the holiday you are owed but do it in a way that causes least impact on your colleagues. So, for example, take time off ‘off peak’ or perhaps the odd day here and there which means colleagues (some of whom worked throughout) don’t have to cover for you because you are only off for a day...

They need to be used by the end of December.

DH mentioned taking them around Christmas (work is closed for a week over Christmas anyway) so I have a longer break but I know everyone always scrambles to book that first as they need some people in for the final week. I'd feel bad taking that now over my colleagues who have worked through.

I'm not sure if it would be better taking full weeks or just doing a number of long weekends until now and Christmas so like Fridays or Mondays.

Although I've just looked and say if I booked a Friday or Monday off rather than a full week/few days together, I'd be off one day a week until mid December just to use them all!

The government have given an extension to holidays being taken as they knew this would be a problem and you have two years to take
those accrued during furlough. If you don't want to squeeze them in then you should double check the rules online and speak to your employer.

I think is very nice of you to consider your colleagues and it is also the right thing, that have been doing a lot of extra work to cover for you.

I would take the holidays in a way that it disrupts them the least, so they don’t have to cover again for you, ie. an afternoon or day a week.

They don’t need to be used by the end of the year.
Anyone furloughed has an extra two years to use them.

I understand the new carry over rule but I wasn't sure if this would really be covered. It states you have to have a legitimate Covid related reason as to why you couldn't take them this year, I don't imagine not wanting to piss off your colleagues really counts does it? I'll ask work about it though, I believe it's still down to them if they allow it or not? Although I may be wrong there.