Page 3 | AIBU to take this time off?

gerdyson · 2020-10-05T20:06:00+00:00

I have a set amount of work to get through at work, and I also have the ability to plan my own working week. When I was setting my work plan a while back, I kept next week free as I was hoping to take it as annual leave. However, clearly with the numbers the way they are, I have cancelled the annual leave request as there's not much point to taking annual leave right now. The thing is, I am up to date with all my work. I literally have nothing in the diary for next week. So AIBU to sort of take it as unofficial leave and just keep an eye on my emails?!

user1493494961 · 06/10/2020 07:34

You've cancelled your week off but you're still taking it anyway.

EasterIssland · 06/10/2020 07:35

Yabu
Moreover if next week you don’t want to do anything f then it’s fine. But don’t blame Corona because unless you’re in wales then you can leave the area where you live even in lockdown places .. or could do things where you live. I’m going away over the weekend

One day fine , I’ve had days where I was waiting for others to do their job to do mine but a week? I’d be encouraged to do some learning in other skills that would be helpful for my career

SushiGo · 06/10/2020 07:35

@GregariousMountains honestly - no, I haven't spent my day 'looking busy' since a temp job when I was very young and inexperienced.

If I run out of things to do I would (and have) ask if I can help other people. In other kinds of job roles I would start researching new projects or ideas that the company could develop.

If the OP doesn't want to pitch in she can take her annual leave, there's no problem with that. But sitting around doing nothing so you can bank an extra week off is really insulting to their colleagues.

EasterIssland · 06/10/2020 07:36

Btw this is an example of why some companies don’t like the idea of people wfh because they believe at home people don’t do anything ... yes I know you’ve done your job in advance ... but you’re gonna take a week off at the expense of the company now.

Chaotic45 · 06/10/2020 07:42

If I was your employer and found out, I would absolutely not want you working for me anymore.

Taking a week of pay for doing no work is stealing someone's money. You might think that's ok- but it absolutely is not.

Given that there are no processes in place to identify what you're doing, it sounds like someone trusts you to be fair. You don't deserve that level of trust, and if someone wakes up to what is happening then you'll get caught.

People like you give others who are wfh a bad name.

Don't you think I everyone is in the same boat wrt annual leave? What makes you different?

Ginger1982 · 06/10/2020 07:46

I would feel too guilty sitting watching Netflix if I knew I was technically meant to be working. I'd rather take the leave and enjoy it guilt free. Presumably if you told your manager you had no work to do they would find you some, rather than just tell you to take it easy?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 06/10/2020 07:47

I have my own workload so can, on the odd occasion, find myself with very little/nothing to do.

I don't feel at all guilty about it as due to the nature of the work there are certain weeks every month that I don't even get a chance to look up from the screen for a minute. Swings and roundabouts.

Original poster

gerdyson · 06/10/2020 07:49

Some interesting posts and a lot to think about!

The thing is, it isn’t skiving. As I am up to date with my work output. It doesn’t affect my colleagues at all. They could be doing the same, for all I know!

I would still check/reply to emails here and there.

OP posts:

RemyHadley · 06/10/2020 08:02

I’ve had that kind of job before, and my employer was very clear that if you ran out of work you told your manager so they could reallocate work accordingly. They also randomly monitored our computers (even if WFH) to check what we were up to occasionally. It would have been gross misconduct for one of us to finish all our work but not tell the bosses that we had capacity.

FredaFox · 06/10/2020 08:04

I think it’s very dishonest, you are paid to do a job not take a week off as you are up to date
Say you are finished and take on another task or re book your annual leave
If I found a colleague did this I’d expect them to be disciplined
How entitled are you to feel it’s ok to take an extra week off that’s not in your contract

Toothsil · 06/10/2020 08:07

DH was going to cancel his leave earlier in the year because we couldn't go anywhere but then he changed his mind and kept it, and used it to get some jobs done round the house, relax, sleep in a bit etc and he thoroughly enjoyed it. There's nothing wrong with being on holiday and not going anywhere 🙂

SanFrancisco49er · 06/10/2020 08:07

You say it isn't 'skiving' yet the fact you're considering not being upfront with your employer, shows you know it isn't right.

If I were your employer and found out, I would be reviewing processes and workloads immediately as clearly there is an opportunity for employees whom they have placed a professional level of trust in, to play the system and take extra time off, in addition to formal leave.

WFH has happened so suddenly in such huge numbers this year that trust is still such an important factor at the moment. This will change as companies review the new way of working and how to manage it and unfortunately, as always, those who have quickly spotted how to play the system will ruin it for those who actually can be trusted.

Up to you what you do but if you really feel you deserve the time as you're up to date and shouldn't have to take it as annual leave, surely you can effectively argue this to your employer as you seem think it's perfectly ok?

user1467300911 · 06/10/2020 08:11

If you’ve worked extra hours in the week before to ensure that you’re caught up, then be upfront with your manager and ask to take some time off in lieu. I would be upfront about it though.

CakeRequired · 06/10/2020 08:14

The thing is, it isn’t skiving. As I am up to date with my work output. It doesn’t affect my colleagues at all. They could be doing the same, for all I know!

That's their problem if they are caught, not yours. It's your problem if you are caught, and don't come crying to us if you are and are fired. It would be your own fault.

You're gonna do it regardless so go ahead. Dunno why you bothered making the thread.

RedskyAtnight · 06/10/2020 08:18

If you think this is fine and not skiving, then why not just tell your manager your intention? It's the fact that you are trying to do it sneakily that makes me suspect that you know it's not ok.

Also, I don't believe that it's possible to have nothing to do. Sure, you may be on top of your day to day work, but everyone has dull jobs that they always put off because they are boring and can be left. If you genuinely have nothing to do, at my workplace you would be expected to do training - not take unofficial time off.

However, I do wonder if this is why so many people think wfh is so great - that they can get away with simply doing the bare minimum needed and relaxing the rest of the time.

LizzieMacQueen · 06/10/2020 08:20

Of course you are up to date with work, you had planned that week off! Just do the honest thing and take your annual leave.

Belledan1 · 06/10/2020 08:22

I sometimes do the odd hour in the day where might pop out but I will log on an hour early that day. Also teams and my in box set to my phone so always available really and can check emails when out. No way would I do it for a week or even a day.

dontdisturbmenow · 06/10/2020 08:27

This is exactly why many managers don't like working from home and those who do work their full hours get penalised.

I fail to believe there is nothing at all you could do. Clear up emails, sort out files, reorganise old files, read up on new policies, pick up some training etc...

dontdisturbmenow · 06/10/2020 08:29

The thing is, it isn’t skiving. As I am up to date with my work output. It doesn’t affect my colleagues at all. They could be doing the same, for all I know!
Then there are too many if you or you're not given enough work.

whitewineandmagnums · 06/10/2020 08:35

If it's not skiving or dishonest, I guess you'd have no issue with telling your work exactly what your plan is then?

Thought not.

Brighterthansunflowers · 06/10/2020 08:40

It is skiving because you’re being paid to work not have a sneaky week off! If you genuinely think it’s ok then tell your boss, I bet they’ll disagree.

If you really have so much spare capacity in your workload I’d be more worried that your employer will realise this and decide they have too many staff. And people who think it’s acceptable to skive for a week would be first on the hit list!

Limona · 06/10/2020 08:44

What weird responses.

Op, DH does this all the time. Let’s say he wants to take Wednesday and Thursday off: he will work until 8 (from home) Monday and Tuesday, quickly sign into the meeting Wednesday morning and then have the day off, checking emails.

The world hasn’t yet ended, AFAIK.

RedskyAtnight · 06/10/2020 08:47

@Limona

What weird responses.

Op, DH does this all the time. Let’s say he wants to take Wednesday and Thursday off: he will work until 8 (from home) Monday and Tuesday, quickly sign into the meeting Wednesday morning and then have the day off, checking emails.

The world hasn’t yet ended, AFAIK.

So in other words he works the same hours but in a different pattern across the week? Not what OP is planning to do which is basically to have the week off and not really work at all.

CakeRequired · 06/10/2020 08:49

Op, DH does this all the time. Let’s say he wants to take Wednesday and Thursday off: he will work until 8 (from home) Monday and Tuesday, quickly sign into the meeting Wednesday morning and then have the day off, checking emails.

That's two days off not five, and has he told his bosses he does this?

Nacreous · 06/10/2020 08:58

I think I would still feel like I needed to have my laptop on (I need to take calls etc if someone wants to check something or whatever) but not as though I had to have a majorly productive week.

So maybe Netflix on in the background with laptop on the sofa while I file my emails and reorganise the shared drive folders then do a module or two of training etc. Take a longer than usual lunch break and go for a good walk.

I wouldn't feel like I could literally go off and go to the beach for the afternoon for a blustery walk though.