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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:
Notjustanymum · 09/02/2022 14:19

IME the ones who just HAVE to work overtime (unpaid) and never take AL days off are the ones to watch (either hiding something or incompetent, or both)

User1isnotavailable · 09/02/2022 14:19

@Casheeeew

See also "I've worked here 15 years and never taken one day off sick".

Well at my work you're entitled to three paid instances of sickness, so missing 15 years of that makes you a mug.

I wouldn't boast about not needing sick leave but do find people that take it just because it's there annoying. It's there if you need it, pretending to be sick to make sure you use it means others need to cover. I guess people who cover for the ones who pretend to be sick are the 'mugs' Hmm I know who I would rather work alongside.
PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 09/02/2022 14:21

There are those who have tried, and failed, to take annual leave during the pandemic due to staff shortages and the fact that they can't just walk away and let their jobs not be done. Not everyone can 'manage their time' when the nature of their job is responsive to the needs of others.

(Not me - I'm a teacher so holidays are a non issue.)

CrinklyCraggy · 09/02/2022 14:22

I'm "entitled" to six months' paid sick leave. Am I a mug not to take it?!

It's attitudes like this that lead to companies not paying sick pay

Neverknowinglyunderfed · 09/02/2022 14:22

YANBU
This annoys the hell out of me too!
I do keep a fair few days back for the Jan-March period (our AL year runs April-March) but very much on purpose - because I find these months before proper Spring a bit depressing and it's something to look forward to.
I've already plotted most of my leave out by the time the next year of AL rolls around 🤣

Wexone · 09/02/2022 14:23

I am one of those people kind off. In my previous company you would book annual leave, however most of the time your boss would come to you begging you to come in and you would get your day back or shite would happen and you would have to log on to fix it therefore getting your annual leave back. yes there was serious issues there and the head knew about them but they weren't willing ( and still aren't) to change things. Some people i know even got their holiday cost back if they had to cancel. Then when you did take time off, there was so much work going back to you ended up building more time up. I left in Feb and i got paid 8 weeks hols because had so much time build up. I am similar ( though not as bad) in this job but that was because of Covid but have booked two three week hols this year to take. But will still have to spend some time making sure my work is covered before i go and then time catching up when back so therefore my lieu time more than likely will build up again. My boss is the same, that's because it was a very small team ie just him and another guy running it all, but this has improved now as our team has grown. As someone said above its hard to enjoy time off knowing you are coming back to about 500 emails when your back

SilverDoe · 09/02/2022 14:24

@SugarBlossomFairy

These people are the worst. No one is giving out any medals for not taking holiday
But they really are the worst. I'm not being mean but they perpetuate the "cog in a machine" mentality that dehumanises employers and sees their value only as a worker and not as a human being.

I can't imagine being that pro establishment that I would willingly give up my time and energy for no material compensation.

ihavespoken · 09/02/2022 14:24

YANBU at all - normally they are dicks who think they are indispensable.

haven't RTFT so this may well have been mentioned, but this is one of the classic red flags for fraud - people who don't take hol - can be a sign of not wanting others to have to cover their work as they'll see what they have been up to!

BattenbergdowntheHatches · 09/02/2022 14:25

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

onelittlefrog · 09/02/2022 14:26

YANBU. However, for some people it genuinely is hard to take leave, e.g. being a manager and the company falls apart when you're not there, etc. My DH often has leave left over and not because he doesn't want to take it.

I take all of mine and often buy more if I can!

userxx · 09/02/2022 14:26

Lucky bastards. I'm self-employed and would KILL for paid time off.

Cant wait to jack this in and get a job with perks.

irishfarmer · 09/02/2022 14:28

@GreenDressRedWine I worked in financial services after uni and we had to take 2 weeks continuous holidays together. My friend who works in the bank has to do this as well. It is apparently a good way for spotting dodgy dealings.

SilverDoe · 09/02/2022 14:28

employees*

Branleuse · 09/02/2022 14:30

Often people have leave left over, but it doesnt mean they didnt want a holiday. Plenty of people struggle to get time off when they would want it and end up having to just take leave at the end of it when they dont really want it

ihavespoken · 09/02/2022 14:31

Ha I see loads of people have mentioned this already Blush
I am always scratting about for the odd half-day at the end of the A/L year so I can't understand the mentality at all.

ClawedButler · 09/02/2022 14:33

Last place I worked at, EVERYONE had loads of leave remaining at the end of the year. The issue wasn't people not wanting to take holiday, it was just not getting approved, or it was being cancelled if you didn't have something specific booked (like a wedding to go to or package holiday). We were told we couldn't take Mondays or Fridays as holiday unless we took the whole week. Damn right we felt like martyrs.

DomesticatedZombie · 09/02/2022 14:35

YANBU.

SpaghettiArmsMurderer · 09/02/2022 14:36

Yanbu. It’s so weird, like bragging ‘I’m a saddo who has nothing in my life but work’

PomRuns · 09/02/2022 14:36

My entire team have loads of AL left - we'd love to be able to take - not martyrs - nhs and hate leaving our colleagues even more short staffed.

hm246 · 09/02/2022 14:38

Yessss!!!! Drives me mad!!!! Although I did not take any annual leave on purpose during last summer as I was planning on leaving. Changed jobs in November and they owed me 5 weeks. Grin nice last pay slip

AdmiralCain · 09/02/2022 14:38

I wouldn't say i'm a Martyr but I supplied my own nails for my crucifixion!!! I love saving my holiday off and having 3 weeks off.
I feel sorry for people who spunk their holiday in the first few months of the holiday year

GaiusHelenMohiam · 09/02/2022 14:41

I’m probably going to lose 13 days this year. I literally won’t be able to take that time off between now and the end of March because I don’t have enough staff to cover me. We’ve had months of me being the only manager, with just a supervisor under me who I couldn’t leave to run the business for more than a couple of days.

Even on AL I still have to deal with work anyway. It’s not ideal.

Squirrelsbizaare · 09/02/2022 14:41

The ones that used to do this in my old place, were the ones that were fiddling their flexi hours and full of BS.
We just had ineffective management that wouldn't challenge them on their obvious poor time management ability. Said individuals were just good at putting on a show of how busy they were, while if they just got on with their jobs instead of letting everyone know how busy and important they were, then that would free up a few weeks for them to actually take some annual leave.
When they eventually went on leave, they would always be coming back to 'million' emails, probably 5 max.
Insufferable twats! So glad I don't work there anymore.

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 09/02/2022 14:42

It's because they're so important and can't possibly be spared :)

Youngatheart00 · 09/02/2022 14:42

Totally agree. In fact, work martyrs in general!

The cult of overwork / busyness is totally overrated.