Having to book holiday leave by Jan 31st each year?

[Doomsdayiscoming]

Told this week that our new system will be that you have to book your holiday by 31st Jan each year for rest of the calendar year.

I immediately didn’t understand the email because to me this is utterly crazy. Company taken over last May by European company. We were also forced to take all our 2020 allowance by the end of 2020, no carry over (historically 8 days). All seems very controlling to me. Legally they couldn’t force the carry over thing as yet they haven’t bothered to give us new contracts.

Anyone have anything similar to this??

@LokihasafryingPan I once worked for a firm where we were only allowed to send emails from one computer which was carefully monitored. The World Wide Web is a dangerous place and we weren't to be trusted!

I don't understand employers being belligerent with staff. Hardly inspires loyalty or boosts morale. I work for myself now and would hate to go back to all that. I do miss holiday pay though!

@SnoozyLou oh yes we wer enot to be trusted with the mighty dangerous world wide web either!
The only way I can describe the management style there was 5 psychopaths trying to make power grabs. It wa chaos at the best of times, a good shift was only crying in the corner once.
Looking back, I really cant believe i stayed, it was so toxic.
Oh I'd love to start my own business one day! But yes things like holiday pay are definate bonuses, and I'm very comfortable at my current job!

I have never had this; I have had having to give 2-3 weeks notice for any leave and not being allowed carry-over but never all holidays having to be booked in January. I am not organised enough to know what I want to be doing for the whole year (often book my holidays/trips a month or so beforehand) so this wouldn't work for me.

@AgentProvocateur

That would be a deal breaker for me. It it was stated in the interview, I wouldn’t take the job. I would hate to be so constrained. I love booking last minute flights to a European city (well, not in 2020 or 2021, but in normal times)

Me too, I also think it should be stated in the interview. Especially if people have kids, they may need AL at short notice for eg a parents' evening but anyone can need AL at short notice.

And as lockdown eases, people might be rescheduling weddings etc at short notice and on a weekday.