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Original poster

Annual Leave martyrs

268 replies

LittleMissUnreasonable · 09/02/2022 13:06

Am I being unreasonable to be really fed up of constant bragging from friends, colleagues etc about how much annual leave has got left at the end of the year! It's normally always said with a undertone of martyrdom as well;

"I've had to ask my boss for special permission to carry my leave over as I havent managed to use it all"

"Oh I've got 20 days leave left and I've got to use 10 up before the end of the year insert Mumsnet tinkly little laugh"

As an aside all of these people are in jobs where taking leave is encouraged and you're very flexible at getting time off. It's just strange when people seem to see it as a big competition about how much annual leave they can have left at the end of the year but then panic when they're expected to use it or lose it Hmm

OP posts:
Diva66 · 10/02/2022 18:01

Maybe they have so much annual leave left as all the people with children are taking leave and they have to cover for them.

Notmrsfitz · 10/02/2022 18:13

I always have annual leave left - I work part time,have generous holiday allowance and don’t really need to take time off other than for planned holidays.
I’m aware my absence from work has a big impact on the small family business and as I work with several people who have young families I wouldn’t book time off if I didn’t need to be off as it limits them.

That said, my holidays had been carried over that many times when I unfortunately caight covid last year and was really poorly I was able to use the 5 weeks I needed off to recover as holidays because I’d built up such a backlog.
This year, I intend to try and use my holidays as I don’t want to cram them in towards the end of the year and I think it’s important to have ‘days off’.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 10/02/2022 18:16

Dont you just want to ask them, what's wrong with you? Are you too afraid to go away? Once did some consultancy with a large company who had a very senior partner who had a breakdown - she had not taken any leave over the last 5 years because things were going out of control and she did not anyone to find out which she was afraid would happen if someone had to cover for her.

Hellolittlestar · 10/02/2022 18:27

I’ve never ever had this problem, because usually by August all my days are used up.
I find it difficult to understand how other people don’t take holidays.

TheGreenGoddess · 10/02/2022 18:28

I always end up losing days of my holiday entitlement! I work in a large private house and so I am pretty integral to the running of the place. There is no one else that can cover everything I do, and that, coupled with other members of staff being furloughed for bloody months last year, meant that I lost out on 14 days of paid holiday 😔. Sadly, my employer has a policy of not carrying over holiday to the following year, so I got well and truly stuffed on that one 😢

Ducksareruiningmypatio · 10/02/2022 18:39

We had some prick at work do a reply all saying how she will gladly give up a day of her AL to get a project finished.
"Oh look at me! Aren't I an utterly amazing employee! Look at me Mr MD!"
We had ALL done it, but she was the only twat that tried to get brownie points.
She made herself look ridiculous Grin

Acorndetector · 10/02/2022 18:53

I do take annual leave but it is difficult sometimes to take because I am needed. I have had a number of pay rises and I also keep getting extra holidays added. If I don't use them I will just be paid for them instead so it is more like a bonus. So no I don't live to work but during busy periods I barely take a day off at all. People may think I live to work. But I do take time off during quieter periods. I think people assume I am still at work when I am away because they think I am always there they just have not seen me. I just have a lot more days holidays than my colleagues, that they are unaware of. So I always seem to have holidays to use up.

mumof2exhausted · 10/02/2022 19:07

What a strange thing to brag about. At my previous company we could buy extra days holiday which I always did as love going away! I have never in my life “carried over” a holiday day. Weirdos

oopsIdiditagaintoo · 10/02/2022 19:16

A huge number of the childfree folk at my work seem to be like this! Especially not using any during the worst of the pandemic as “there’s nowhere to go”. Ok but some of us had to use their annual leave and more just for childcare!

Life is all about choices. You chose to have children, your childfree colleagues have chosen to save their holidays until there is somewhere to go 🤷‍♀️

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/02/2022 19:43

At risk of sounding like one of those martyrs, I really wish I didn't have to take annual leave next week. I was quite happily managing my workload (following the last busy period) when multiple unpredictable things came in that scuppered my chances of finishing on time, prevented me from completing the things I needed to do and will inevitably mean that from 7am on my first day back, I'm in for at least three weeks of utter shit and ridiculous hours.

If I had the option to work next week, I'd be able to get everything done and be able to glide through the next month and a half, unpredictable emergency situations notwithstanding. But no, I have no choice about it. It's compulsory to get behind and then be massively stressed for bugger all pay for another extended period.

My choice is secretly work for free during my compulsory time off or deal with the utter shitstorm that will probably ensue from not being able to complete everything prior to logging out this evening. Which means my 'holiday' is not going to be as relaxing as I'd like it to be, as it's going to be ticking away at the back of my mind exactly what is outstanding and what needs to be done.

It's not my failure to plan that's the issue. It's their failure to appreciate the particular demands of my role and the consequences of insisting I do everything exactly the same as everybody else who has entirely different roles. But there's only so many ways and times that I can tell them this - everything would be better for all concerned if I could just get paid to work next week.

Hmm1234 · 10/02/2022 22:35

Normally it’s the manager bragging about not using up his annual leave. Gosh your colleagues must love their job Confused any chance I’m out there! Annual leave booked up in advance lol

LouBan · 10/02/2022 23:03

I always make sure I use all my leave. A few months ago a friend complained to me that her boss had told her she still had 10 days leave and better use it soon or she would lose it. She was telling me that this was completely unreasonable as we weren't able to go abroad because of covid-19 Didn't really feel that sorry for her. I hadn't gone abroad but still used all my leave.

Mummyto2rugrats · 10/02/2022 23:23

When I used to manage a team it was my biggest bug bear but the business i was in was more encouraging of working not taking leave. I now buy 10days extra a year just to try and juggle school holidays in my new role and also have flexi working. Our leave runs October to September and noone is allowed to carry over we all get emails from June onwards reminding us and encouraging us to take the leave to ensure we are taking much needed rest and balancing life and work.

newusername2009 · 10/02/2022 23:49

Haha - I’m one of these. Don’t do it on purpose and trying to get it under control

IncyWincyGrownUp · 11/02/2022 00:16

My ex was a sod for this, though not intentionally for the most part. Just a creature of habit. He would, for quite a while, take a Monday or a Friday off every week for a month or so to eat into his carried over time.

He’s much better at taking time now, his wife reminds him he’s not meant to be a machine at regular intervals.

ThinWomansBrain · 11/02/2022 00:21

Just suggest that they use their annual leave to take a course on time management Grin

Florenz · 11/02/2022 00:27

Being unwilling to use Annual Leave is a key indicator that fraud is being committed.

MabelsApron · 11/02/2022 02:05

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

YANBU!

A huge number of the childfree folk at my work seem to be like this! Especially not using any during the worst of the pandemic as “there’s nowhere to go”. Ok but some of us had to use their annual leave and more just for childcare!

It’s because we spend most of our lives covering for parents and being unable to take leave at Christmas/Easter/summer because the parents get priority.

I’ve not used my annual leave allowance once in eight years, mostly because I’d have to take it in random Thursdays in February and November, and weirdly enough that’s not that appealing.

Gingerbreadman1972 · 11/02/2022 07:45

@TheGreenGoddess if you missed out on 14 days, did you get your statutory entitlement (28 days including bank hols if full time). If not you need to raise this, unless the reason it wasn't taken was because you chose not to do so, despite repeated reminders, your employer is in breach of employment legislation.

Ordinarily you have to take stat entitlement in the same leave year however this rule has been relaxed during covid. If you haven't had the leave you are legally entitled to, please raise this. Even if its above statutory allowance, and its contractual, then they should allow you to carry it across if the reason you couldn't take it was your employer. Completely different if you've had opportunities to take it but chosen not to, in those cases its ok to lose it.

www.gov.uk/government/news/rules-on-carrying-over-annual-leave-to-be-relaxed-to-support-key-industries-during-covid-19

Allinadayswork80 · 11/02/2022 07:59

Yep, totally don’t understand these people. Very sad that they don’t have anything better to do with their time than be at work!

StCharlotte · 11/02/2022 08:52

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

YANBU!

A huge number of the childfree folk at my work seem to be like this! Especially not using any during the worst of the pandemic as “there’s nowhere to go”. Ok but some of us had to use their annual leave and more just for childcare!

Guilty as charged although I would never have any leave left in a "normal" year.

I plan taking leave to the minute and can never understand why people don't take all theirs.

I am childless and tend to use my leave for actual holidays so have never been in the habit of taking days off even though I would love that too.

I have a "spare" week this year (and am hoping to actually go on the trips which were originally booked for 2020) which I'm mulling over what to do with it. It will definitely be taken as we're not normally allowed to carry it over.

TheGreenGoddess · 11/02/2022 10:19

[quote Gingerbreadman1972]@TheGreenGoddess if you missed out on 14 days, did you get your statutory entitlement (28 days including bank hols if full time). If not you need to raise this, unless the reason it wasn't taken was because you chose not to do so, despite repeated reminders, your employer is in breach of employment legislation.

Ordinarily you have to take stat entitlement in the same leave year however this rule has been relaxed during covid. If you haven't had the leave you are legally entitled to, please raise this. Even if its above statutory allowance, and its contractual, then they should allow you to carry it across if the reason you couldn't take it was your employer. Completely different if you've had opportunities to take it but chosen not to, in those cases its ok to lose it.

www.gov.uk/government/news/rules-on-carrying-over-annual-leave-to-be-relaxed-to-support-key-industries-during-covid-19[/quote]
Thanks for this....I will look into it. And yes, the reason I couldn't take the remaining 14 days was because other employees had been furloughed and by the end of the year when they were back at work, it was deemed "too busy" for me to take the time I was owed.

Gingerbreadman1972 · 11/02/2022 10:29

@TheGreenGoddess then it that case, if they prevented you from taking it, they need to let you carry it across. Good luck with it.

starrynight87 · 11/02/2022 11:59

Yes! I hate this.

I also hate the childcare martyrs. 'I don't get holiday, it's just for my kids'.

LibranNan · 11/02/2022 13:47

So true OP. When the late bookers moan it winds me up .I can understand saving some but some don't take any of it until the end !