To think if my colleague does this with her child then I should be able to as well… and it is unfair unlike what HR are saying?

[Hawua]

Colleague came back from maternity last year and used holiday 2 days a week, effectively working a 3 day week. This meant she could put her ds in nursery 3 days a week, saving quite a chunk of childcare cost.

We are exactly the same level and do the same job and joined in the same year, four years ago.

I am being told on my return from mat leave that I can’t use holiday like that and must take it all in one go. This means I will have full childcare costs while my colleague had 8 months worth of 3 day week (we have a lot of holiday allowance).

HR have said that the cost for childcare evens out as I am having six weeks off in one go, so saving a bulk in childcare that way? Am I missing something? they’ve also said my colleague is a single parent and so they made an extra flexible option for her, how is this fair?!

Are you saying the annual leave entitlement doesn’t add up?

She got 2 days off a week for a year so that’s about 100 days
You are getting 6 full weeks which is 30 days

is this correct?

Agree it's not the same.

To have a regular nurse place for three days/week is vastly different to having to take weeks off in a "chunk" where you will theoretically save, but in practice will have to pay - even if it's half rate - in order to maintain the nursery place for your child.

Nurseries don't just keep free places for people who now have time to look after their babies. They either charge for the place or offer it to someone else, and decent nurseries (in fact, almost ALL nurseries) have waiting lists.

Point out to them you'll lose your nursery place if you don't continue to pay for it.

Sorry I reread that she had:

8 months x 2 days per week Annual Leave which is about 70days
You are getting 30.

Of course it is. You will both be paying total for the same number of days.

Points also to consider they’ve agreed to it for her, the workload means they can refuse it for the next if cover etc prevents it.

Surely she didn't have 8 months of 3 day weeks from annual leave alone. That's roughly 34 weeks, so 68 days annual leave? If this is indeed the amount of annual leave you get you should have much longer than 6 weeks off.

I did this both times after maternity leave and just for a bit of perspective - yes it was great in terms of childcare cost and gradually settling in baby in nursery. But I was also expected to keep up with everything at work and my workload wasn't reduced much. It was this grey zone where I wasn't officially part time or on proper annual leave for a full week with someone actually covering me. Instead I ended up having to pick up things on my days off, check emails, have short catch up calls with colleagues, so I know what I'm walking into after a day off, getting the occasional calls from other departments as they knew I was back, but not aware it is my day off etc.

The second time around I also had to cancel some holidays and rebook them on a different day due to the business needs. So that's another thing to keep in mind - as it is individual days annual leave, they can be cancelled with as little as 2 days notice.

Op who is covering your work whilst you have been on maternity leave? If they have had a full time temp then easier for the employer to keep them on for an extra 6 weeks than to find someone to cover 2 days per week for a few months.
perhaps they authorised it for your colleague but later regretted it?

It is clearly unfair if special arrangements are made for a single parent. I'd make sure to get all the facts before querying this with HR or management.

This makes no sense, nobody gets enough annual leave to take two days a week off for eight months. She must’ve either reduced her hours or be taking some of this as unpaid leave.

The other thing to bear in mind is that if you use your leave up like this then you’ll never have a full week off and be able to go away on holiday or have a proper break. Is that really what you want?

I think they’ve just realised it’s not really working.

What about the 64 vs 30 day discrepancy op? She could only have 15 weeks of working a 3 day week - not 8 months, unless she has more than your 6 weeks.

"HR have said that the cost for childcare evens out as I am having six weeks off in one go, so saving a bulk in childcare that way? Am I missing something?"

I think HR are missing something, namely that you may have to pay your childcare during your holidays in order to keep their place open. I think I've read of nurseries charging half-fees for holidays?

Ask for the policy that states this. If they can’t provide one they are having you on. Push back I completely get your point and it doesn’t seem fair

Ask for the policy that states this. If they can’t provide one they are having you on. Push back I completely get your point and it doesn’t seem fair

I’d be very surprised to hear of a policy that states an employee can take annual leave whenever they want without approval

Well I took it that HR were saying she would not start her place at the childcare until later because she would extend her leave. But regardless, the conversation is pointless as it is not the job of the employer to ensure that employee childcare costs are similar or standardised.

I note that some posters have mentioned flexible working request, this isn’t a flexible working request it is an annual leave request. Employers are entitled to approve or deny annual leave requests if they don’t work for the business.

Well I see why you'd be annoyed, but I don't think your employers are under any obligation to give you the same deal as she got. One of those things.

It’s about equity not equality. It sounds like they made an exception for her and potentially it was really difficult for the rest of the business and they’re not keen to do it again. It sucks but I think you need to let it go

I used to work in a team of 8 people, limit of 2 people off at once. If someone booked 8 months of leave at 2 days a week it would have screwed the rest of the team over to be able to book 2 weeks during the summer, or Easter etc. It is possible this was agreed but then the implications were realised after.

My local nursery is £250 a week or £60 a day. Using the 6 week figure so equivalent holiday leave she would save £70 a week for 15 weeks total of £1,125. If you delayed starting nursery for 6 weeks you would save £1500 so using same leave days you actually save more.

2 days a week for 8 months implies 2 years worth of holiday leave which depending when maternity leave falls is very possible. It may feel unfair but at the end of the day you do get the same number of days.

You both don't pay for the six weeks holiday your DC won't be in nursery. You both save the same money

Unless you're going to pay for nursery for those first six weeks and not use it? But why would you do that?

You normally have to pay for the place even if you take your child out to go on holiday for a week. That’s why it’s not the same.

@MsCactus thst reply was for you, sorry if I wasn’t clear!

But if HR want her to take the six weeks in one lump at the end of her mat leave, surely she just doesn't start nursery until she's back at work.

Unless OP has already committed to nursery hours - but if that was the case then having a three day work week wouldn't save her any money either

Oh sorry didn’t read the OP properly, I thought it said she’d be taking whole weeks off during the year.

I'm guessing they realised that the 3 day week isn't working for the business

Your colleague may have made a statutory flexible work request, and that was the outcome. They're considered on a case by case basis and take into account a range of factors. Employers don't have to treat everyone the same, they'll take into account individual circumstances, workload, impact on team etc.

I appreciate it feels unfair, but I'd let it go. Or make a statutory request (assuming you haven't already) and go through the formal process to make your case. The outcome might be the same though, and 'someone else was allowed to do it' won't be enough of a case.

You save 30 days oh childcare however you take it. If you want flexible working you need to change your hours. You should ask for them to put the refusal in writing though. It’s unfair but sounds like you may just have to suck it up.

Your childcare arrangements are nothing to do with your employer, just as your colleagues' working pattern is nothing to do with you.

You can feel it's unfair but your employer isn't doing anything wrong here.