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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Always on annual leave

353 replies

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:36

I have a relatively new hire (but not direct report) who has been in the job since January. She took annual leave in February, April, May and June. Always about a week and always a 'holiday', so not family stuff etc. It made her training slow and difficult as there was only one full month she worked in her first five months of employment. There's been a bit of 'sorry, just got back from annual leave' as an excuse for one thing or another. It also made me wonder whether she's going to do this every year now and will effectively work part time a few months in a row.

I wouldn't mind as much if she was fully competent in her role, but she isn't. I find her a slow worker and I need to remind her about a lot of things, which I feel I shouldn't have to do if she just kept a list or something to remind herself what needs done when and how.

AIBU to be annoyed?

OP posts:
IhearyouClemFandango · 22/07/2023 11:37

How much holiday does she get? Presumably she has run out now. Who signed it off each time?

Lefteyetwitch · 22/07/2023 11:37

Who's approving the AL?
Personally good on her. Play the system.

Wheretostartstitching · 22/07/2023 11:38

She is using annual leave that she is entitled to. If it’s disrupting her training then, that’s a company issue. They could restrict AL during training.

She can’t have much or any AL left. So it’s not going to be an issue going forward.

Getting annoyed because someone is using their AL isn’t going to help anything.

Original poster
Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:38

Her boss signed off obviously. I have never seen an annual leave request declined. I don't know how many days she got given.

OP posts:
CattyCattle · 22/07/2023 11:40

YABU. She has been approved her entitled AL. She's allowed to take it and allowed to have a life outside of work.

Original poster
Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:40

Well, playing the system and playing her colleagues who cannot be off when she is off. And there are isn't really an opportunity to take annual leave at the end of the month. So when she's off earlier in the month that's it.

OP posts:
Wheretostartstitching · 22/07/2023 11:40

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:38

Her boss signed off obviously. I have never seen an annual leave request declined. I don't know how many days she got given.

So her boss is happy about it, obviously.

So how does getting wound up help you? Or the situation?

SmartHome · 22/07/2023 11:40

Yeah this is a process issue not her fault. She is entitled to take that leave. Personaly if I was running a company I would put no annual leave to be taken during initial 3 months training period (excepting bereavement/medical leave) or similar.

In your shoes I would have declined one or two of the leave requests stating impact on training.

WinniFinniHadog · 22/07/2023 11:41

I used to take a long weekend every month 🤣 before kids.

It's her annual leave, if it's been approved not much you can do, and definitely not something you need to worry about.

She's on leave, what will be, will be 🤷🏻‍♀️

EsmeSusanOgg · 22/07/2023 11:41

It is highly likly some of this was booked before she was hired. A lot of people wisely took advantage of the long long of bank holidays in April and May for leave this year.

It just means you need to extend the time taken to train her. She may also just be slow because she is new and has not completed her training yet.

TheRealShatParp · 22/07/2023 11:43

Yeah YABU. I get that it’s annoying, but she’s entitled to it. Sounds like she’ll have a chunk of time where she won’t be having any leave as she’d have used it all.

LlynTegid · 22/07/2023 11:43

Reasonable to be annoyed about performance not the reason. So don't moan, speak to her manager about the issue (or yours). Given leave amounts, not something that may be an issue beyond this year.

LittleBearPad · 22/07/2023 11:44

Well presumably she’ll now have run out or be close to running out. It’s her choice and it was approved.

anothertrainwreck · 22/07/2023 11:44

SmartHome · 22/07/2023 11:40

Yeah this is a process issue not her fault. She is entitled to take that leave. Personaly if I was running a company I would put no annual leave to be taken during initial 3 months training period (excepting bereavement/medical leave) or similar.

In your shoes I would have declined one or two of the leave requests stating impact on training.

Mental note to make sure I don’t end up working for a firm you set up!

Original poster
Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:45

Maybe she booked something before she was hired, yes. I'm not privy to that information but I do all her training so I am annoyed at the constant disruption. I also only find out about her annual by accident, like I would ask her to join a meeting and she's say 'cant do that, will be off'. I guess I would appreciate to at least be told 'hey, I have requested annual leave for xyz'.

OP posts:
Beachwalker66 · 22/07/2023 11:45

If the timing of her annual leave was an ongoing problem for you, why didn’t you raise this with her manager?

I assume her colleagues have the same opportunities to take leave, so they need to book it earlier.

Really can’t see she has done anything wrong.

Remotecontrolatmyside · 22/07/2023 11:46

We'll have you asked her to tell you when she books any leave? Ask her to put it in your calendar. You're being unreasonable. She's entitled to annual leave.

FrivolousTreeDuck · 22/07/2023 11:47

She must have taken about 20 days, so far - how much AL do you get? Unless the allowance is way above average for the UK she can't have too much left to take.

TheSeaDoesntKnowMyName · 22/07/2023 11:47

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:40

Well, playing the system and playing her colleagues who cannot be off when she is off. And there are isn't really an opportunity to take annual leave at the end of the month. So when she's off earlier in the month that's it.

playing the system and her colleagues

How is she doing that then? they not allowed to book leave?

Original poster
Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:48

Beachwalker66 · 22/07/2023 11:45

If the timing of her annual leave was an ongoing problem for you, why didn’t you raise this with her manager?

I assume her colleagues have the same opportunities to take leave, so they need to book it earlier.

Really can’t see she has done anything wrong.

Because I didn't think much of it the first couple of times. It didn't occur to me that someone might do it another two months in a row. Also, I only found out about the weeks she booked off by accident.

OP posts:
Wheretostartstitching · 22/07/2023 11:48

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:45

Maybe she booked something before she was hired, yes. I'm not privy to that information but I do all her training so I am annoyed at the constant disruption. I also only find out about her annual by accident, like I would ask her to join a meeting and she's say 'cant do that, will be off'. I guess I would appreciate to at least be told 'hey, I have requested annual leave for xyz'.

Have you asked her boss to do that? If you have did you speak to her line manager and say she won’t give you the heads up and it’s difficult to plan?

Is it a company policy?

If not then it’s not her fault. She is booking annual leave that she is entitled to and it’s authorised by her manager. She is doing nothing wrong

Apprenticenomore · 22/07/2023 11:49

Does your team not have a holiday tracker or similar so you can see who is off and when? I suggest this as it works well!

Original poster
Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:49

Remotecontrolatmyside · 22/07/2023 11:46

We'll have you asked her to tell you when she books any leave? Ask her to put it in your calendar. You're being unreasonable. She's entitled to annual leave.

I thought it would be common courtesy to tell colleagues when they need to cover for you because you'll be off.

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 22/07/2023 11:49

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:48

Because I didn't think much of it the first couple of times. It didn't occur to me that someone might do it another two months in a row. Also, I only found out about the weeks she booked off by accident.

Show quote history

You could ask if she has holiday planned. Just a thought

Lefteyetwitch · 22/07/2023 11:50

Abitboring · 22/07/2023 11:40

Well, playing the system and playing her colleagues who cannot be off when she is off. And there are isn't really an opportunity to take annual leave at the end of the month. So when she's off earlier in the month that's it.

That's not her problem
She doesn't have to care about the others. That's the managers job.