To book a holiday before telling work?

[Buddythecat1]

Moot point as it is already booked.
Manager over heard me telling another colleague that I'd booked a family holiday and was told in no uncertain terms that I must request the time from work before ever booking something.

A bit taken abback because I've never heard of this and it's not in my contract either.

The holiday in question is 16 months away 😂 is my manager in the correct?

Your employer is daft then. Maybe they want to say it is advisable not to book accommodation / flights before having your leave approved, and indeed it is highly advisable.

But a clause in an employment contract over when somebody can book a flight or whatever makes no sense and would be totally unenforceable. If an employee wants to waste their money that is up to them. It is no skin off the employers nose if somebody is daft enough to make their holiday plans and then have their leave declined.

Also there is another 9 members of staff
Only 3 of us are allowed to be working at any given time
(10 if you Include the manager)
So I really think I'd be okay if I give actual notice, in January for example

Manager told me I cannot tell them until April, I even offered the dates there and then and she literally did this 🙉🙉 she absolutely did not want to know and said tell them in April

If you think that people have completely free choice over when they take their leave, how do you think it will go down if a teacher informs her employer that she will be on leave during the last two weeks in September, a retail worker the first two weeks in December, or a maintenance technician during her employer's annual summer maintenance window?

This is also incorrect.

When you request leave your line manager gets an email with that request.

They know exactly when you have requested time off. And when.

@Buddythecat1 I'm which case it's a risk you take. And it should be fine. But I personally wouldn't book without having the leave approved.

Ah thanks @Aprilx I'll be sure to tell all my previous employers (City of London law firms) they're draft.

As an aside, the Government's own website states: "The general notice period for taking leave is at least twice as long as the amount of leave a worker wants to take, plus 1 day. For example, a worker would give 3 days’ notice for 1 day’s leave.
An employer can refuse a leave request or cancel leave but they must give as much notice as the amount of leave requested, "

Anyway, I'll bow to your superior knowledge 👍

Who do you think you are?

Are only "medical professionals" important? Given some of the shit jobs this in encompasses that's laughable.

There are MANY jobs and professions that have life altering/severe ramifications.

You're wrong @TheTheThinkingGoblin , unfortunately 😔

It's always wise to tentatively book at work if you have the kind of workplace you can't double up on holidays. Then confirm it as soon as the holiday is booked

I do understand that there's a risk of them saying no, other people booking it etc but it wasn't worded like that.
Her words were "in future you cannot book a holiday/a festival/anything until you have the say so from work"

It's 100% NOT illegal.

How do you think teachers manage?

@TheThinkingTheThinkingGoblin , whilst my job isn't a 'professional" one, more highly skilled worker status, only 2 in the same role of 20 can be off at one time. We can not operate with lower levels of staffing and would lose money and customers. No its not a life and death (strange comment?) situation but its the rules and nope it's not illegal

@TheThinkingGoblin

There are other critical professions other than medical! I don't think you would like it if nobody covered me and you needed my specialty, bit of a niche area but it is one we'll nearly all need once

@TheThinkingGoblin My company has various departments. Customer Service for example, there's 7 of them in that team. If you were our customer, I imagine you'd be royally pissed off to call with a query and be told they'd all gone on annual leave so nobody could help. Of course they can't all just waltz off together whenever they feel like it. They have a maximum of two off at a time (unless there are extenuating circumstances, compassionate leave etc).

I'm genuinely amazed that you think they could, and that your view of the working world is apparently so narrow that you can't imagine how anyone other than medical professionals might be required to keep a business afloat, or organisation running.

Bizarre.

That's just bad phrasing. You can book anything g you like but your leave might be declined so not really worth the risk. In my job I definitely couldn't do it that way round as I'm part of a team of 20 with only 2 allowed off at one given time (obviously illness etc are different). It's standard practice.

Only 3 of us are allowed to be at work at any given time so I'm going to assume it'll be safe enough 🤞

We can book up to 12 months in advance online but can let manager know if you have more notice so he can pencil it in.
A lot depends on the manager, the one we have now is lovely but we have had some who liked to say no for the fun of it.

No its not 🤦🏼‍♀️

I manage 2 nurses who are both getting married next year .. one in April the other October

Although I cannot approve their leave officially yet , I have pencilled both into the leave calendar and they will be the priority

Things like this would be the only problem you have
As soon as your policy allows .. book the AL in the correct manner and all should be fine

I always have a cursory look at the leave chart before I book. And then request the leave. 16 months away is fine, think your manager just wanted to rain on your parade tbh.

I'm with to OP, seems like they're being arsey for the sake of it given how far away it is.

Anyone married to a teacher?

No

I just can't accept that I'm unreasonable here

1. it's not stated in my contract
2. it isn't in any of their policies
3. another member of staff from the same company, just 4 hours away - has never heard of this either So although, it may be polite to give them a heads up, by any definition it's not a real reason, correct? There is nothing to say "please have holiday request confirmed before making plans" absolutely nothing to say that And as above, an employee from a different county has never been told this either. And he has worked for them for over 5 years

I still stand by my decision, that notice in writing/by email in January is sufficient
(We do not have an online booking system)