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Original poster

Want a holiday but 16 year old can’t get leave

322 replies

Irishmama100 · 13/05/2024 20:21

So my 16 year old has a retail job, 8 hour contract and has been refused leave for when we went to go on our summer holiday. Can’t leave them at home on their for 11 nights

1)I am unreasonable - I should just scrap the idea and no one in the family gets a holiday.
2) I am not being unreasonable - I Should just book it anyway and they can quit and get another job

OP posts:
HcbSS · 13/05/2024 23:12

Book it. This is pocket money and experience, not a career. Family comes first and she will deserve a holiday after GCSEs

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 13/05/2024 23:22

We work to live, we don't live to work.

I would pull a sicky that week if I were that 16 year old.

It's all well and good having a strong work ethic but you need to have a strong life ethic too and know when to advocate for a better work life balance for yourself.

Stomachbiggerthantits · 13/05/2024 23:22

FFS. Let the child resign and take them on holiday.

Encouraging child to work for uncooperative employer isn’t great.

Mirabai · 13/05/2024 23:23

I’ve got a migraine coming on.

Onabench · 13/05/2024 23:25

CandiedPrincess · 13/05/2024 20:22

Book, quit, find another job.

This....

They're 16. I'd tell them to blame it on you and say they aren't allowed to stay home alone so have no choice but if they push back, quit and move on. They're 16

Oblomov24 · 13/05/2024 23:28

Big company? That makes it worse.

I am clearly mn crime of the century. I went to speak to Ds1's manager, at a massive supermarket, he was young and didn't want me to. Very politely enquired if...., turned out as I already knew, he was leaving and had been underpaid all holiday entitlement. £800.

StormingNorman · 13/05/2024 23:30

Can you find another holiday that fits your budget when DD can get leave?

RichardsGear · 13/05/2024 23:32

I wouldn't be farting about changing hoIiday plans to fit around a kid's Saturday job.

Oblomov24 · 13/05/2024 23:32

He worked 2 days a week for 18 months, for a massive supermarket. I do payroll all the time, so I knew it was wrong. He asked me to leave it, but I said I would just go and ask his manager politely if he wouldn't mind checking. I'm still glad I did.

Original poster
Irishmama100 · 13/05/2024 23:33

Onabench · 13/05/2024 23:25

This....

They're 16. I'd tell them to blame it on you and say they aren't allowed to stay home alone so have no choice but if they push back, quit and move on. They're 16

Show quote history

If we were not at home they could not get to work🤣
We live in the middle of no where and drive them 20 min to work.

OP posts:
ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 13/05/2024 23:38

I think it's really shitty of the company.

16 year old should tell them my parents are booking a holiday, even if I don't go with them, I won't have transport to work while they are away. I love working here and don't want to have to resign. Is there anything that can be down, swap shifts, work extra the week before or after etc. Ask if HR have ant recommendations or suggestions? It's probably a manager that works be told to change their attitude if HR knew.

I suspect employer will change their mind and if not, you have a 16 year old that earns, sometimes you have to walk away from situations where it's all a one way situation. Not a bad lesson.

Original poster
Irishmama100 · 13/05/2024 23:40

StormingNorman · 13/05/2024 23:30

Can you find another holiday that fits your budget when DD can get leave?

They can’t get leave to the end of August - it will be roasting where we want to go. 1.5k more expensive, busier time for my business. They won’t even earn that over the summer. The more I say these things out loud to myself the more I think I know the answer - we are just going to go!

OP posts:
LittlePudding1 · 13/05/2024 23:40

This employer sounds ridiculous.

Your child is 16 and works 1 day a week probably for a pittance. Do not let this ruin what could be the last chance of a holiday together.

Either get them to call in sick for that 1 day or just work right up until the holiday and then quit. It really will not impact your child's future employability

L1ttledrummergirl · 13/05/2024 23:45

It's 8 hours a week and you are going to forego your holiday for an uncompromising company with massive profits (due to paying low wages).

That's not what I would do.

Caerulea · 14/05/2024 00:57

I'm so glad you're going to go on holiday, what a hideous company your daughter works for! It doesn't matter what the job is, it matters that she has self-respect & worth - staying there & losing a family holiday teaches her neither.

snowdrop27 · 14/05/2024 01:39

100% quit the job - at that age they're likely to get much more benefit (life experience) by getting a new job after the holiday

TheViceOfReason · 14/05/2024 05:04

Just book it. I employ a number of 16-18 year olds who work weekends / holidays. Any business that claims they can’t manage for 8 hours without a 16 year old is having you on.

I always ask my lot to give me as much notice as possible, and recognise that ultimately they have no control over family holidays, so work round it. They are actually really good at swapping shifts with each other now, and will generally come and say “I’m going to be away on x day, but xxxx is ok to cover me”. Great.

would I expect an entire family to miss an 11 day family holiday because I don’t like shift swapping for 1 day of a childs work? No, that would not be remotely reasonable.

book it, child says to employer “sorry, my parents have booked for us all to go away x date til x date, xxxx person can cover my shift on this one day I’m not available” job done. If employer starts being a twat about it then they are not being realistic.

Mummyoflittledragon · 14/05/2024 05:13

I quit a job when I was 17 for a holiday. No way would I be dictated to by an employer for a Saturday job.

PBandJ111 · 14/05/2024 05:16

You won’t have many more holidays with your dd do book it! He can take unpaid leave. If it’s a big corporate, they are being an arse.

Walkden · 14/05/2024 05:43

Does the teenager actually have a contract. I don't think I got something until 17 but I was classed as a temporary worker. Asked to come in and cover at moments notice and first to be let go in quiet periods.

If it's a zero hour then the whole point of them is to allow the worker flexibility supposedly as opposed to exploiting them....

sandgrown · 14/05/2024 05:55

Many teenagers are employed in retail over the Summer to help cover permanent staff holidays . They are told at the start they won’t be able to book holidays though I think some already booked holidays may be honoured. Some will be offered permanent contracts at the end of Summer. To all those referring to him as a child some people do actually work full time at 16 ??

labamba007 · 14/05/2024 06:48

For them saying it's not a good life lesson to not quit a job...it's a good life lesson to quit if your employer is being unreasonable and won't allow you to switch shifts with someone else. The amount of people that stay in jobs at the detriment of their mental health is staggering. Quit the job and find a new one.

ageratum1 · 14/05/2024 06:56

SummerFeverVenice · 13/05/2024 20:26

I can’t vote, as it isn’t your decision. It’s up to the 16yo if they want a gap in their CV and to have to explain they quit their prior job because they wanted to go on holiday.

If your 16yo is going to Uni or college for technical qualifications, it’s not a big deal, but if they are planning on going straight into FT work at 18, it might mean more to them for their future prospects.

Also, has your 16yo asked when they could take leave? So you could see if you can book then instead of when you want to?

Edited

The 16 yr old is presumably still in full-time education, so there will not be 'a gap' on their cv

Janjk · 14/05/2024 06:56

I worked in retail when I was 16 through sixth form and college. Leave schedules were tightly managed and premium weeks sought after. The people there longest got to choose first and we chose our winter/summer/spring weeks for the year. I definitely didn't get time off in premium summer weeks for the first couple of years I was there.

It may only be 8 hours a week but if it's a popular week then there will be others off. Holidays are a huge bone of contention in retail and there is a lot of competition for them.

I'd let him decide how much he wants to keep the job.

itsgoingtobeabumpyride · 14/05/2024 07:15

Tbh for an 8 hr contract at 16 I'd ditch the job for the holiday, your DC obviously wants to go from what you've said (probs waiting for the ok from you to them quitting), they can't be left alone and couldn't get to work without you.
This job is not going to impact any future CV, I used to be involved in recruitment of young people (apprentices), we never took into consideration the type of "Saturday" jobs, our decisions were based on exam results, interests and personality.
Saturday jobs just showed us they were used to getting up in the morning and committing to a job.
We had a lot of apprentices who worked for family "I work with my dad at weekends"
I like what a PP said about your DC going into work and explaining that without the leave they'll have to quit as you'll be away, they can't be left alone at 16 and wouldn't be able to actually get to work.
It's worth a shot.
Book the holiday!