To be annoyed about another work request cancelled/denied

[Sandandsea123]

Would appreciate some outside opinions as I’m getting so many “personal” / agenda ones

i requested 5 days off in may, were approved (and added to my usual work days it made a week and a half off), this suited my childcare. This later (the week before) got rejected as my manager wanted to go on holiday (after I’d covered her 3 days the week leading up). I’ve had 6 days subsequently denied but all my colleagues get their holidays approved. I booked holiday for a weekend soon (within the allotted time work day we have to book days in advance) and we’ve booked and paid for accommodation, dog sitter, childcare etc…
would I be unreasonable to say I’ll work but I want monetary compensation for all we’ve paid out for?

Don’t say you’ll work.
take your leave. They won’t cover expenses that you’ve paid.

i’d also go higher than your manager- fair enough if they cancel leave because of a staff shortage but to cancel because she wants the leave is unfair.
you’re entitled to annual leave and they’re not letting you take it. Speak to HR

Was the leave initially approved before you booked the holiday? Sorry if I’m misreading but it’s not entirely clear to me.

The first 2 were approved earlier in the year and then take. Back as other staff wanted the same days off.

this time it just not approved but we’ve already made plans!

I’m struggling to make sense of it as well.

it seems to me like there are two separate holidays, one in May that was approved then denied. Now OP has booked another but not had it denied but is offering to work if previous costs were covered.

Did you read it as similar to that or have I got it mixed up?

I think if you booked before it was approved (and then it wasn’t approved), that’s the risk you take and you can’t ask them to pay costs. If they’re not letting you book leave though, ask them when they want you to take it, as you are entitled to time off.

If you have the proof they were approved then I would email back or whatever you do and say you got them approved and you have made plans so can’t change them.

You should have refused to work first 2 times when the leave was originally approved and then taken off you. It would have been acceptable to ask for compensation if you’d booked a trip on these occasions.

This time you booked it before the leave was approved so you can’t ask for compensation. It was a risk you took and unfortunately you should have waited to see if the leave was approved.

Your employer doesn’t have to reimburse you anything you have paid out if they haven’t approved the time off - effectively you paid out at your own risk and they can expect you to work.

The earlier issues re cancelled holidays are a separate issue which you should take up with HR / your manager’s boss if your holiday was cancelled because they subsequently wanted the time off.

Sorry this is all on you, you did not know if your leave had been approved when you booked up.

I'd have refused point blank to have them cancelled and taken them if they were approved

In the second instance though you've no come back. If you made plans before your leave was approved that was on you. You can't possibly think your employers should reimburse you because you've jumped the gun

I can't understand it all but don't book anything unless it is approved

If it is approved then you book they shouldn't take it back that part is not on so say no

But reread your work contract

Do you have work guidances on this? Ours say that there is the right to cancel leave for business needs BUT if this occurs compensation will be provided I.e. flights, accom, any other bookings will be refunded. However, if you book something without the time being approved and it’s denied then they don’t have to compensate as you will have made the choice to do it at risk.

You need to stop agreeing to work once you've had your leave approved.

Don't show your coworkers that they can walk all over you. Your manager can't cancel your approved leave so they can go away themselves.

Perhaps ask for clarity on the rules, also what measures are in place to make sure everyone can take their leave and push back when you've booked leave and people try and take it off you.

Once approved you need to be very clear you've made bookings that can't be cancelled even if you are staying at home.

Anytime you agree to work/give up leave even if begrudgingly, you are teaching them that your leave doesn't matter to you and is negotiable. It isn't.

I'd strongly suggest putting your requests in for the rest of 2024 if you can.

I also think you need to go to HR.

I'd refuse to work. Say you have plans that can not be changed.

The instance where you've booked before getting time off was silly of you.

The others sounds like potential bullying

My response to the first change would have been "See you after my holiday."

As others say, you shouldn't book before holiday is approved, but in this case they have been absolute twats about booking any leave off. I'd go on the break and look for another job asap.

They shouldn’t have cancelled the first leave request.

But you don’t have a leg to stand on with that second. Pretty much any holiday policy will tell you not to make plans before your leave is approved!

Speak to HR about the leave that was cancelled, your manager can’t cancel your leave because they want to go on holiday. They can ASK you to change, and you’re within your right to say no.
For the other leave not approved; we tell staff not to make arrangements until leave is approved so unlikely they will reimburse your costs.

2 separate issues
they never approved the recent ones so you have no grounds to complain or seek compensation for them

the first ones if I’m understanding it right they were approved then rescinded and someone else was given them
you’d need to know the business reason behind this to be able to challenge that

Sorry, am I understanding it right:

Issue #1: they've retracted a couple of days of your leave approval because other staff want them off
Issue #2: You have gone ahead and booked things on days you are due to work, before requesting leave for those days

I know it's very easy for me to say, but why are you still working there?