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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:
ancientgran · 14/01/2022 13:20

@BoodleBug51

I get this every year with our staff.. and every time they get the same answer.

If they've got a signed leave form, feel free to book or confirm your holiday. If you book/confirm the holiday, then come to me, tough shit.

But she couldn't book the leave days until the manager opened the booking, it is a different system to yours. It is a bad system as people need to book in advance to get decent prices.
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/01/2022 13:25

Also in the UK your leave can be cancelled by employer (notice is 2 time length of leave, for 5 days leave, needs to be cancelled 10 days prior)

Doe the company have to reimburse you if they do that? People could lose thousands.

titchy · 14/01/2022 13:25

Personally I think you could argue that the policy of first to book gets approved is indirect sex discrimination - clearly if you'd been full time you'd have had the same chance as everyone else to book leave. But as you're part time you haven't.

So polite email to manager stating this.

MrsMiddleMother · 14/01/2022 13:27

Yanbu at all. If you can't have it as holiday can you have it as unpaid leave?

MintMatchmaker · 14/01/2022 13:31

When did the booking window open? If you could have booked your leave prior to this reminder email then yabu, but if you couldn’t have then yanbu.

Original poster
ColletteTheLot · 14/01/2022 13:31

To cover questions:

Yes, I've spoken to my manager, but she just said "sorry, colleague got in first".

I've worked for the team for 6 years, and she has been my manager for 2 years. When the holiday was cancelled last year, and I cancelled my leave (in line with requests for staff to take minimal leave last year) I told her I had moved it to next year and the dates, but only told her verbally, so don't have it in writing. It hasn't been a problem previously, and her policy of only one of us being off at once is new in last 2 months.

We are a team of 5. Due to the previous 2 years we all have A LOT of annual leave to take as we have been unable to take it due to Covid stuff.

The colleague also has children. One primary, one nursery. My children are high school age. We can't afford to move the holiday later in the summer holiday as the price rises dramatically in mid August.

Manager is known for being very unflexible and if something is "at managers discretion" they will always go with no! There have been recent issues with her refusing compassionate leave when a relative of a colleague died.

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 14/01/2022 13:34

In light of your last update, OP, I'd say go to HR.

KnobJockey · 14/01/2022 13:37

@NewMessageFrom again in my partner's case, theu chase up as it gets to a certain point and people haven't booked to stop people from saving a large % of their leave for the most popular time of the year, then having a rush of people trying to book the same time off. The dates are available to book before that point, but the managers are aware that a % of staff need a reminder or need a push to take leave, particularly in the first half of the year.

Wife2b · 14/01/2022 13:38

In your shoes OP I’d complain. If they knew it would be dealt with on a first come first basis your manager could have dropped you a message to advise you of this. It’s a really shitty thing they’ve done - like you’re just expected to check your work emails on your day off.

bcc89 · 14/01/2022 13:39

Unfortunately, you need to book the annual leave before the holiday. Because the holiday was moved due to covid, I would have emailed my manager and HR with a specific official request for the new dates, despite them not being open on the booking system to book off. I wouldn't have "mentioned" it or left it to chance.

Mumofsend · 14/01/2022 13:39

Can you go above manager?

KnobJockey · 14/01/2022 13:40

@ColletteTheLot I think you have a solid argent for HR there- this is a new rule of only one member of staff off, and the method of booking discriminates against part time members of staff.

ExConstance · 14/01/2022 13:45

I probably shouldn't say this because it is not a nice thing to suggest. I manage a team of around 30 staff and we have a professional HR company to advise us. On several occasions over the years I have refused a member of staff leave and they have just gone anyway. The HR company always advises disciplinary when they return and all your employer can do is a written warning which is off the record in 6 months anyway.

RampantIvy · 14/01/2022 13:46

Not being allowed to book leave off work until 1st April is ridiculous company policy. Lots of people book their summer holidays in January. Having to book holiday in January and hoping that someone else hasn't booked the leave that you want is risky.

IMO the company is at fault here.

BigYellowHat · 14/01/2022 13:48

It’s the first come first served which is unfair. Our boss always gives a deadline for things like this, normally two weeks ahead, because she knows that we work different days/times. Otherwise it would be unfair on those who work part time. I think you should speak to your boss again or speak to HR.

JustJustWhy · 14/01/2022 13:55

I have my work emails on my phone and always check them outside my normal working hours. My choice, I know, but I don't miss things like this and it only takes a few seconds.

Whothe · 14/01/2022 13:56

@BoodleBug51

I get this every year with our staff.. and every time they get the same answer.

If they've got a signed leave form, feel free to book or confirm your holiday. If you book/confirm the holiday, then come to me, tough shit.

And that’s exactly what has not happened here!
starfishmummy · 14/01/2022 13:56

Sadly I think you are to blame here for waiting.

I worked part time/part year and my workplace always seemed to announce the deadline for requests when I wasn't in work - at least yours told you - I only ever found out when I went back and sometimes that was on the deadline!! Usually they would grant me an extra 24 hours!! Fortunately I was not contracted to work during any school holidays so didn't miss out on those.

Aposterhasnoname · 14/01/2022 13:59

Can’t book leave till 1st April is ridiculous. What if you wanted to go away in April

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 14/01/2022 13:59

[quote KnobJockey]@ColletteTheLot I think you have a solid argent for HR there- this is a new rule of only one member of staff off, and the method of booking discriminates against part time members of staff.[/quote]
Added to that is that the policy is book on 1st April (so the OP could set an email to be sent on that day), now being changed this week to "book now"

Doubledenimrock · 14/01/2022 14:04

In the light of this go to HR. After consulting your union / ACAS about possible discrimination.

Caterinasballerinas · 14/01/2022 14:05

Do not change your holiday. take it up with HR. You need to tell them you verbally informed your manager of new dates and added to your calendar so as to be able to manage no meetings etc being requested for the period. This was all you could do, then you missed the opportunity to email the formal request at the same time as your colleague, where the request would have carried more weight than your colleague because it would have contained the reminder that you wanted to formally request your dates now you are able because of your pre-existing booking which you’d mentioned earlier. If things could be re-set to have played out this way and the manager was to choose the colleague over you for this would be a very questionable decision.

ByeByeNye · 14/01/2022 14:26

This reply has been deleted

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Whothe · 14/01/2022 14:37

@starfishmummy

Sadly I think you are to blame here for waiting.

I worked part time/part year and my workplace always seemed to announce the deadline for requests when I wasn't in work - at least yours told you - I only ever found out when I went back and sometimes that was on the deadline!! Usually they would grant me an extra 24 hours!! Fortunately I was not contracted to work during any school holidays so didn't miss out on those.

She didn’t wait. It was sent after she had gone home and immediately before her two non working days. She replied when she received the message.

Sounds like you you’d place of work didn’t work with your requests any better really - everyone else got a few days to sort, you got 24hrs!

aLittleL1fe · 14/01/2022 15:24

Unless you've already done this, I would outline your situation once again in the email, in writing, to your manager, acknowledging that you have already talked about it and that you understand that someone else already requested holidays at the same time. If you get a no in writing despite all the information given, forward this to HR. It may not be ideal that more than one member of the team is off work at the same time but this might be what will have to happen.

Refusing someone a holiday that's been already rescheduled twice is really mean. Your manager would need to show that they have at least tried to accommodate your request!