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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Holiday booked, can't book leave

231 replies

ColletteTheLot · 14/01/2022 09:55

In the past year I have gone part time in a job I was previously full time in, and work Monday - Wednesday. I am studying on Thursdays and Fridays.

Last week, our manager sent an email on Wednesday evening, after I had finished work, asking for all leave requests from 1st April to 1st September, and that these would be dealt with on a first come / first served basis. As I wasn't then at work till Monday morning, I didn't email my requests till Monday afternoon (I had to check with my husband for some of it, as we try and cover as much school holiday child care as we can between us).

We had a week away in Spain booked for summer 2020 which we moved to 2021, and then had to move again to 2022. It's paid for, and we have insurance that covers Covid.

Turns out, a colleague has requested the week the holiday has been moved to. It is in my calendar, and had been mentioned to my manager, but I hadn't formerly requested it as leave year doesn't start till 1st April.

OP posts:
pengu · 14/01/2022 09:56

YABU

Mumofsend · 14/01/2022 10:00

I would try asking if there is anyway at all because you were at a slight disadvantage with it being sent on a Friday and not being in work until Monday.

emmathedilemma · 14/01/2022 10:00

It sounds complicated, if I was booking a holiday I'd put my leave request in at the same time / before booking if I knew there was a chance it might not get approved. Although I appreciate you maybe had to rebook it before you could actually book the leave. But then allocating on a first come served basis doesn't sound very fair to those who work part time / on leave / off sick etc.

whatkatydid2013 · 14/01/2022 10:05

If you knew that was when your holiday was booked and you’ve told your manager already I’m struggling to understand why you haven’t just formally requested it as leave

MorningStarling · 14/01/2022 10:06

YABU I'm afraid, you snooze you lose. Never had an employer who wouldn't allow me to book leave a year in advance though, that's odd if you can only do it a few months in advance.

Cocomarine · 14/01/2022 10:07

@whatkatydid2013

If you knew that was when your holiday was booked and you’ve told your manager already I’m struggling to understand why you haven’t just formally requested it as leave
Explained in the OP! Plenty of companies use an online booking system, and don’t “open” a new year for booking until a certain date.
Tricked2003 · 14/01/2022 10:11

It's definitely not fair to give the full-time staff the opportunity to book leave before part-time. Your manager has acted very badly.

coogee · 14/01/2022 10:12

Never had an employer who wouldn't allow me to book leave a year in advance though

It’s difficult to do where I work. There is no mechanism for formally recording it in the the “system”.

maddening · 14/01/2022 10:13

Yanbu as they should not be sending it or taking responses where staff have not had a chance to respond due to NWDs, it discriminates against part time staff which are, in the majority, women. So perhaps sending advance notice that holiday requests for x period opens on x date would be fair, but saying ready steady go when you know you have staff on a non working day (so not sick or annual leave) then it is unfair, and I would expect staff who are sick or on annual leave to at least be alerted.

Ilikewinter · 14/01/2022 10:14

Yeah i think thats unfair in this situation. Its a holiday that you've had to move, its not like you just thought sod it and booked it without getting the okay from work first.

Lazypuppy · 14/01/2022 10:15

Surely as it was a prebooked holiday, you would have just moved the annual leave request when the dates change. Just because holiday year starts 01-apr doesn't mean you can't put requests in earlier?!

YABU, you should always book the annual leave before booking the actual holiday

Darbs76 · 14/01/2022 10:16

You need the leave approved before booking. That said we always ask for requests with a week or two to submit then consider all at the same time. First come first served when not all staff are in work is unreasonable

Cocomarine · 14/01/2022 10:16

I don’t even think it’s just about part time / full time.
First come first served simply isn’t a fair way to handle popular holiday booking periods if you have an “opening the diary” date.
You could work Fridays but be sick, on holiday, or just reply 5 mins after your colleague.
Once the calendar is open, for a common or garden February Tuesday - yes, first come first served is the practical way to manage this.
But for a longer period over summer - it’s a ridiculous (and lazy) way to do it. Even moreso when people have had holidays moved due to Covid, so it’s not as simple as warning people not to book until it’s agreed.

OP, I’d raise it with your line manager. I’d also check if you have flexibility with the holiday company as it’s a roll over rather than a date you actively chose.

Livetolive · 14/01/2022 10:17

This must be a situation many people find themselves in this year, when you say your manager was aware what does that mean, do they have influence over decisions on leave?

Reasonable to have a first come first served arrangement, not reasonable if no notice is given of bookings open so that it disadvantages part time staff! If you'd both been in and requested the leave on the same day the bookings open how would it have been resolved? What is the policy about leave for things that crop up during the year like weddings, house moves that can't be planned for and may clash with other colleagues booked leave?

Whothe · 14/01/2022 10:17

YANBU

Assuming that you are unable to make formal leave requests before this time and also given that your boss had been made aware of it. Employers up and down the country will have employees that have holidays postponed so this year was always going to be tricky to balance.

Your boss sounds like a bit flaky tbh. They should know what days their staff members work and if they are sending out emails like that, they should at least do it when everyone is in the office. To give everyone a fair chance.

I would raise it with you boss, pointing out you’d previously discussed that leave with them and also pointing out that first come first served is unfair to you as it was sent after the end of your working day and directly before your non working days.

Sounds like it’s been done last minute or without any thought of the wider impact.

I’d contest it if I was you.

maddening · 14/01/2022 10:18

My husband can only book 6 months ahead but I get mine in as there is no such limit and I can't risk it booking up

Ilikewinter · 14/01/2022 10:18

We cant book holidays more than 12 months ahead, the system doesnt allow it. If you want something more than 12 months away it has to be put writing to the manager AND it has to be for a specific reason ie special birthday etc, its also regarded as a one off and not a reason to book school holidays etc.

Justananimalcrossing · 14/01/2022 10:19

I don't see why you couldn't of emailed back that night or even the following day (Thursday). If it was that important to get the time off then you should of put it in quickly & then discussed the remaining holiday left with your husband & booked that later to just ensure you had at least the Spain holiday confirmed. It was stated first come first served & unfortunately, you weren't first. Talk to your manager about it & explain you've got a previously postponed holiday booked that week but they are within their right to decline the time off.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 14/01/2022 10:19

As already mentioned above, you could argue sex based discrimination, which is a protected characteristic. Anything which would disproportionately affect one sex (on the basis of them being more likely to be in part time work), is not legal.

LeSquigh · 14/01/2022 10:21

It is unreasonable to book a holiday if your annual leave isn’t confirmed.

LakieLady · 14/01/2022 10:21

@coogee

Never had an employer who wouldn't allow me to book leave a year in advance though

It’s difficult to do where I work. There is no mechanism for formally recording it in the the “system”.

We have similar, but managers are very flexible. If people want to book leave in the next leave year, it goes in the team calendar and our manager reminds us all at the end of March to book the leave on the central system asap.
Doubledoorsontogarden · 14/01/2022 10:21

The tour operator should change the date with an admin fee

Aussiegirl123456 · 14/01/2022 10:21

YANBU- unfair disadvantage for part time or absent staff. Like a pp stated, predominantly women.

I was refused holiday once. I just handed in my notice a month before (I wasn’t happy in the role anymore so wasn’t a difficult decision and I liked the idea of being a SAHM for a while). Upon return I was contacted and offered a better job elsewhere in the company.

MadeForThis · 14/01/2022 10:23

Did you see the email on Wednesday evening? If so it was your choice not to respond until Monday afternoon.

If you were the last to respond then you will likely miss out on some desired dates.

Other option would be to ask your colleague to swap that week. But she may also have something booked.

Why did you wait 5 days to reply to the email?

GiveMyHeadPeaceffs · 14/01/2022 10:23

First come, first served in regards to leave is a really unfair system. Where I work we're asked to have all our leave requests in by a certain date and then as a manager I'll see what's doable. If there's a contentious week/day I ask staff to have a discussion with each other and if they can't agree then it's names out of a hat. However I tend to try and accommodate staff who have something booked ie holidays or weddings etc.

I think your boss has been a dick and I'd be surprised if HR approve of the method when all staff aren't given a fair chance. YANBU.

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