To be so so upset and angry

[BroomHandledMouser]

We have - very tentatively - booked a self catering holiday in August. It’s a beautiful cottage, north Devon and yards from the beach. It really does look lovely.

I’ve booked it for 6 of us - 4 adults me, DH, mum and step dad and our two children. I booked it as a surprise for everyone, so once I’d paid the deposit I called mum and told her. She was beyond excited!!

She immediately put in her holiday request.

She’s just called me in tears saying that it has been rejected due to capacity issues. She’s NHS - she has worked all through this pandemic, not once taking any time off. All she’s asking for is 20 hours - 20 fucking measly hours.

I’m so so upset. I wanted to take her away and get her to relax, and breath, and repair.

We’re still going, but my god I can’t stop crying. I’ve asked her to appeal the decision, but at the moment she doesn’t have anything left in her.

[quote BroomHandledMouser]@user184628462 where the fuck have I said I’d go without her?[/quote]
* We’re still going, but my god I can’t stop crying. *

Here OP. Here.

What’s the chances the OP now won’t be back?!

I work in the nhs and although leave is minimised for frontline staff at the moment there is a good chance this will change if the COVID situation improves. Could your mum clarify if the leave has been refused because all august dates are already booked or because they are just saying no across the board at the moment because of COVID? If the latter, then there is a chance (although no guarantee) that it will change if the pandemic improves over the next 6 months.

[quote BroomHandledMouser]@user184628462 where the fuck have I said I’d go without her?[/quote]
We’re still going, but my god I can’t stop crying
Literally in your OP

It’s really stupid to book a holiday before you’ve got the time off like. I’ve know that since I started work at 16. You don’t even know if the holiday will be going ahead in August.

Echoing everyone else.. This is normal. Your mum can ask if anyone can swap. Only ask but someone may be able to. That's assuming she has booked some peak weeks that can be swapped.

In the past, a colleague's husband has contacted our manager to see if the time could be booked. Only then did he book anything.

I've had my summer leave booked since September. I would only change it for comparable weeks.

[quote BroomHandledMouser]@user184628462 where the fuck have I said I’d go without her?[/quote]
We’re still going, but my god I can’t stop crying. I’ve asked her to appeal the decision, but at the moment she doesn’t have anything left in her.

It's nothing to do with NHS either, I work retail and it's first come first served.

Is it school holidays? In my NHS team, we have to put our requests in for all school holidays and the rotas are done based on availability. Sometimes everyone gets what they want and other times we have to look at who had what last year etc.

If someone asked me now for summer leave, I would be able to grant it as it wouldn't be fair until everyone had put their requests in and I could look at them all together.

And just to say - not all NHS teams is first come first served! I've been in the NHS for 16 years and never worked in a team where that is the case.

@Winter2020

12BigBadVoodooHat

It's called compassion. Perhaps you might try it.

Suggesting that someone write to a senior staff member to request that her mum be allowed to take a holiday from an understaffed NHS department just to suit her own plans is nothing to do with ‘compassion’.

On precisely what ‘compassionate’ grounds would this be a valid request?

The suggestion is foolish in the extreme.

Annual leave for clinical staff is important for their welfare.

In my hospital, A/L was cancelled during the first wave, but many staff members almost collapsed due to stress and burnout.

A/L is being allowed, but so many staff have so much leave to take before March, that it isn't possible to accommodate it.

Those who could, have probably carried over as much as they were allowed into next year and booked leave already.

July and August will always be tricky, as they are school holiday months - they are booked out first.

@BigBadVoodooHat

@Winter2020 advice was one of the most ridiculous pieces of advice I think I have read on mumsnet.

For the OP to contact “someone higher up” and see if they can pull some strings. During a pandemic. About annual leave.

I mean, where to begin!

Sethy38

What’s the chances the OP now won’t be back?!

To quote Crocodile Dundee: Better than average.

I feel so sorry for you and your Mum. But even pre-COVID it wouldn't have been wise to book a holiday before all working had holiday approval.
Hope you work something out x

[quote Sethy38]@BigBadVoodooHat

@Winter2020 advice was one of the most ridiculous pieces of advice I think I have read on mumsnet.

For the OP to contact “someone higher up” and see if they can pull some strings. During a pandemic. About annual leave.

I mean, where to begin![/quote]
Ain’t that the truth! 🙌 🤣

could you book for a different date. Maybe the May half term.
If they dont allow that, then I think maybe theyre not allowing holidays at all, which is not ok

I work in the nhs, there’s not a hope in hell anyone without school age DC in my department would get August leave.

Is it that other staff have got in first? I'm NHS and had an Aug holiday booked in for months. Most people get the school hols booked for the following year as soon as they're released.

Parents will have booked their A/L for the summer holidays as soon as they were able to. Sadly it looks like she’s missed the boat. She should be able to look at Health Roster (assuming all trusts use software like this anyway?) and see how many other requests have been put in and/or granted.

@allthegoodusernameshavegone really?! Has no one opened a grievance about that? I’m not saying your liar but it’s not fair and l wouldn’t accept it. Just because l have no children then l don’t see why l shouldn’t have some time off July and August. My requests are just as valid as everyone else’s

As an nhs employee for 17 years my advice for the future is never ever ever ever book a holiday before you've secured the annual leave. We've all been there op.

This is awful Op. Are NHS staff never to have a holiday again?

@Goodbye2020Hello2021

This is awful Op. Are NHS staff never to have a holiday again?

Of course they are

I’m emergency services and need to
Book august off a year in advance if I want time off. The team will have a capacity for leave, normal 25%. It’s a rubbish thing but it’s one of those things.
Totally not related to the pandemic and is always an issue. Don’t get me started on trying to get any time off at Christmas ever!

@Goodbye2020Hello2021 people on the team will already be off that’s why she can’t have it off

[quote BroomHandledMouser]@Fairystory that’s awful.

I’ll call her soon and see if we can work something out.

I thought that 8 months notice for 20 hours off was more than enough. Silly me![/quote]
Yes well it isn't enough for August when holiday is allocated on first come first served basis.

I doubt I would get holiday in August now if I tried to book it, most people book a year in advance if they want school holidays.

Can you change the dates?

That sounds awful, hopefully as things settle they may revise their decision from blocking people from taking their very well earned annual leave!!