New job, no paid leave.

[Ivanovaa]

I’m an ex-SAHM and trailing spouse. We have three kids (2,3 and 7). I recently got offered a half time job in an interesting field and it is a great opportunity for me because I didn’t built up a lot of relevant work experience before having kids.

The job is on a one year contract and the vacancy mentioned a “flexible holiday policy of at least 30 days” (for full time). I agreed with my direct boss that it would be no problem to take up 3.5 weeks of already paid for vacation in May and August.

All seemed perfect and I eagerly (and stupidly) signed the contract. When discussing all the different policies, the HR person acted surprised when she found out I had not worked the year before, and she told me that because of this I will not have any rights to paid leave (as in this country it’s calculated based on the hours worked in the year before). I only get very limited unpaid leave days, and these will all be used up in September. With three little kids, closing days of daycare, 7 months without even unpaid leave seems impossible and I am so worried about it to the extend that I am reconsidering the job.

I live abroad and do not have a support system here, nor does my husband have the flexibility to take so much time off during school holidays. AIBU for reconsidering the opportunity?

Cross post with you, OP, I see you are already aware it’s illegal. Obviously it still persists in a number of different countries.

Then surely you all have a family Christmas there and you all stay together. It's your first year returning to work surely yourself and your husband can work as a team on this as obviously you had been a sahm so sacrificed your career a bit and I hope he appreciates and understands this. A friend recently moved to Belgium and did say childcare was excellent so you should be fine in that regard

How did your boss “inform you”

all verbally? Nothing in writing?

If you hadn't said Belgium I would have guessed Norway as I know annual leave is accrued one year to take the next.

Best bet is to take unpaid leave this year, so you've earned it next year.

Would the 30 days not be pro rata for your part time hours even if they were paid? So you would use most of them up with the 3.5 weeks off in summer?

and also did not inform me about the fact that I do not actually get paid leave and that by taking these days I will have consumed all my unpaid leave days for the remainder of the contract (another 7 months)

I presume he assumed you would read the contract before signing

The holiday policy does seem disappointing, as does the lack of clear communication about it. But... for the sake of the advantages of returning to work, boosting your CV, improving your future employability, etc, I'd be inclined to postpone the three week holiday, use the leave you can use this year, and take the job opportunity.

Working life is full of compromises, challenges and navigating opaque HR policies, especially when juggling work and family responsibilities. But the alternative is to not work, which would probably be worse.

As you are part time - do you have flexibility to work more some works in order to have whole weeks off elsewhere? (This is something I have done to juggle holidays - so if DH or grandparents could do a week’s childcare in the summer holidays, or even a full time summer camp - i’d work full time that week and use those accrued hours to help out cover holiday/childcare at another time.)

All seemed perfect and I eagerly (and stupidly) signed the contract.

refer back to your contract op

would be great if you copied and pasted the wording

Relating to holiday

@Scirocco

navigating opaque HR policies

if the policy is opaque then then the company will shit.

I have never worked for an employer where the HR policy is “opaque”

So I do not have any problem with the lack of paid leave, that’s ok with me as long as I can still take unpaid leave. Unless I do not go on our already booked holidays this summer to see friends and family. My boss agreed that it would be fine for me to take these days and also did not inform me about the fact that I do not actually get paid leave and that by taking these days I will have consumed all my unpaid leave days for the remainder of the contract (another 7 months).

So the unpaid element is not your issue. You're planning on taking a lot of leave in May and August, and you seem to be surprised that by doing so you will use up your leave entitlement.

Did you think this leave would be gifted to you and not be counted against your leave entitlement?

Well she could have negotiated just that had she raised this before signing - I’ve known people negotiate eg long trips to Australia/ for weddings into their contracts if something is booked before they start. Signing first is the problem.

No I understand you do not get unlimited unpaid leave either. But 15 days on a half time contract paid leave vs 10 days of unpaid leave is a big difference to me.

I agree this was stupid and I am beating myself up about it tbh

I had also assumed Norway. Interesting to see an EU member working in the same way.

OP, this link may be helpful.

www.expatica.com/be/working/employment-law/belgian-employment-law-104587/

Honestly I'd leave. It's such a big red flag on terms of how they treat and value staff. I assume you've been managing on 1 income? So I'd go back to that and look for something more appropriate.

Are you in the EU? There are EU rules about paid leave.

And surely your husband just doesn't go home for Christmas but stays with you. If it is so important to see his family they can surely visit you.

It's often the same in France. If it's public sector, I assume they have a manatory shut down over the summer so you'll get a few weeks anyway, even if it's unpaid. Worth asking.

Belgium is part of the EU, whereas Norway is not. And you say this applies in France. Well I never! I didn't know about all this!

What's your notice period? Work for now while it's working for you. If Christmas is too much and you need that time off then hand in your notice closer to the time. You'd have the benefit of several months experience and if they like you enough by then maybe they'd be willing to find a compromise.

But handing in her notice will mean her leave is pro rata'd and she may owe them money

If you're going to be in that country a while then you'll have to do this at some point so might as well do it now.

If you're going to move again soon then worth taking job to get it on your cv then quit