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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:
bcc89 · 15/01/2022 18:23

@Spotsmum

Everyone screaming about part time workers being discriminated against - what the hell do you expect the manager to do? Part time workers are off at all stages during the week! No matter what day the manager announced the holidays being open, SOMEONE would have been off - part time, sick, on holiday.
Maybe a thing called prior warning Hmm
Closebrackets · 15/01/2022 18:27

Everyone screaming about part time workers being discriminated against - what the hell do you expect the manager to do? Part time workers are off at all stages during the week! No matter what day the manager announced the holidays being open, SOMEONE would have been off - part time, sick, on holiday.

Actually in a team of 5 it's not a given that every day someone will be off, but even if so then part of managing people is to come up with solutions, and not be in preach of policy and actually the law as well. If leave cannot possibly be formalised before x date then give people a few weeks notice to submit their requests, then if there are clashes come up with some sort of prioritisation/compromises. First come first served isn't fair anyway, but even more so when some people don't even get any chance at all.

Mandyjack · 15/01/2022 18:27

Even though the AL year doesn't start till 1st April you should still be able to put in requests. If you had a holiday booked you should've requested it off.

Happyher · 15/01/2022 18:34

She’s discriminating against you as a part time worker. She should have given a deadline for requests. FCFS is not fair when some are part time workers. I would be looking for another job, don’t know what you do but there are loads of vacancies at the moment. Offering your notice may change her mind

Mamma43435 · 15/01/2022 18:42

OP, can you talk to your colleague and ask if they can change their annual leave? They may not have booked anything yet. Maybe they will be fine about it.

PeachyPeachTrees · 15/01/2022 18:48

She has asked the colleague who got in first. They said no, even though they haven't booked their holiday yet. They don't want a later week as holidays are more expensive then.

user456727821 · 15/01/2022 18:58

I hope you get it sorted OP x

BluebellsGreenbells · 15/01/2022 19:13

Even though the AL year doesn't start till 1st April you should still be able to put in requests. If you had a holiday booked you should've requested it off

She’d did that at the first opportunity! What else could she have done? She’s asked the colleague and she’s looked and rescheduling the holiday - she’s tried to be flexible.

I think you need to write an email stating the facts.

Then see what she says when it’s in writing

Tigger1895 · 15/01/2022 19:23

You weren’t in Thursday or Friday so replied on Monday. Just because you don’t work certain days doesn’t mean you don’t reply on those days. The memo stated first come first served so the onus was on you to reply immediately.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 15/01/2022 19:25

You knew when the holiday was booked. You didnt need to check those dates with your husband. You should have replied to the email as soon as you got it/saw it to put those dates in. You could have then sent in any further dates after speaking with your husband.

When your boss says first come first served for holidays, you dont wait 5 days when you have a holiday booked and paid for and know the dates you need off.

You'll have to move the holiday.

BluebellsGreenbells · 15/01/2022 19:35

When your boss says first come first served for holidays, you dont wait 5 days when you have a holiday booked and paid for and know the dates you need off

Utter crap. She didn’t ‘wait 5 days’ she replied as soon as she saw the email - which happened to be 5 days later.

What if someone was on holiday and didn’t see the message for two weeks?

voxnihili · 15/01/2022 19:52

Not read all responses but could you bring it forward into July rather than back into August? I appreciate not everyone wants to take children out of school but might be a possibility.

Wexone · 15/01/2022 20:48

I am sorrybthos has happened to you. I have only ever worked in one place where I was told by manager I couldn't have a day off. she siad there was too many people off in the same area (not true) even got annoyed with me when I pointed out she had approved the same amount of people off the week before. I did hand in my notice shortly after. to all the people who are saying don't book holidays unless you have approved leave. what do you do for smokes wedding aborted or at home ? what do you do for some life big event? what do you do for a big holiday that needs to be booked a year in advance or more ? life is not like that. plus most holidays are booked in Jan and if your booking of annual leave is not till April all the places are booked up and prices are through the roof. in this case I would defoe complain to hr. aswell as that I would be quietly looking for a new job in the background. this is a situation I would defo hand my notice in. After reading this I am grateful that my boss is very flexible and trusts me and allows me autonomy over my work

timeisnotaline · 15/01/2022 21:45

@Tigger1895

You weren’t in Thursday or Friday so replied on Monday. Just because you don’t work certain days doesn’t mean you don’t reply on those days. The memo stated first come first served so the onus was on you to reply immediately.
It’s absolutely not. Expecting part time workers to be on their email on days off is illegal.
cannockcandy · 15/01/2022 22:11

So you don't check your emails just in case something happens? I'm guessing you actually work in an office, you could have been exposed to divoc and wouldn't know till you turned up Monday?
Best I can suggest is speak to the other woman to see if she will swap but if she won't then that's not her problem.

RampantIvy · 15/01/2022 22:29

We aren't expected to check our emails outside of work hours @cannockcandy.

timeisnotaline · 15/01/2022 22:29

@cannockcandy

So you don't check your emails just in case something happens? I'm guessing you actually work in an office, you could have been exposed to divoc and wouldn't know till you turned up Monday? Best I can suggest is speak to the other woman to see if she will swap but if she won't then that's not her problem.
The office phones me if they are trying to tell me I’m a COVID contact out of my working hours, that’s their responsibility. They are not legally able to require you to be available on email outside of hours unless there is a specific contracted clause and remuneration acknowledges this eg salaried. They are very clearly legally at fault if they establish processes that mean part time staff are required to be on email outside of hours or they will miss out on benefits compared to full time staff. That’s why people are saying tell HR, it should be immediately obvious to Hr that this manager is not allowed to manage leave like this and should step in. There must be so many badly run companies out there,
Chimley · 15/01/2022 22:32

Honestly in this instance I'd gently put it back on your manager to let her know you did get your request in before your colleague, it was just verbally rather than in writing. So your request proceeded your colleagues. And if you don't work Thursday and Friday it's unreasonable to expect you to email as quickly as a full time colleague.

Blinky21 · 15/01/2022 22:43

I would issue a grievance about this based on PT workers being discriminated against. The system sounds ridiculous though!

eastegg · 15/01/2022 22:44

@MorningStarling

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.
Not odd at all. If you allow people to book whenever, and however far in advance, you get an extreme version of first come first served with people trying to book way in advance. Use your imagination.

Having a window for applying solves that. OP’s company have messed up by imposing a first come first served element on it. They should just decide everyone’s application after the application window has closed, and have an appeals process.

eastegg · 15/01/2022 22:53

@Closebrackets

YANBU, it's crap being part time for several reasons, one of which is rubbish like this. Your manager should have considered the fact that when they sent the email you wouldn't see it until the day of the 'deadline' and that you'd miss the chance to be fairly considered due to the highly irritating and unfair first come first served process. It is discrimation and I would take it further, speak to them and escalate if necessary. Its not even about getting this particular set of leave imo, it's about the fact that you should not be disadvantaged by working part time, and you have been.
This.

God knows I had a shit time working for a massive public sector employer recently, my only brief period of being employed in a career of self-employment, but they got this kind of thing right.
It’s not difficult! Have an application window and decide everyone’s application when the window has closed. First come first served is riddled with difficulties and is total bollocks.

chopc · 16/01/2022 00:26

It is really shit of your manager to say first come first served and if she knew you had to move holiday dates from last year she should be more flexible in her approach anyway.

I think you need to try her again and explain the situation

JustLyra · 16/01/2022 00:32

@Tigger1895

You weren’t in Thursday or Friday so replied on Monday. Just because you don’t work certain days doesn’t mean you don’t reply on those days. The memo stated first come first served so the onus was on you to reply immediately.
How do people reply to emails before they are in work to see them exactly?
ElftonWednesday · 16/01/2022 01:18

I'd leave and get another job.

Dontwanttolivewithmylover · 16/01/2022 01:35

Wouldn't your boss or a manager have known you weren't in work until Monday and after the emails were sent out? (presumably only visible on your work pc/laptop)
Why didn't a colleague email you the info?

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