To find this micromanaging frustrating

[Lemonstolemonade1]

I had 3 days of annual leave last week which was booked and approved a couple of months ago.
I've just requested a day off next week, it's within my annual leave entitlement and and it's not on a day there's an important meeting (which there seem to be many)

Anyway my manager has emailed saying she's concerned I'm taking another day off next week as I had 3 days off last week. Im taking my cat to the vets because they're closed evenings and weekends, that's why I'm booking a day off.

It's none of their business tbh, as long as we're not exceeding our leave entitlement it shouldn't matter. If that day isn't available, fine, I'll take another day. But I'm entitled to use my annual leave however I see fit, I thought the Civil Service was supposed to be very flexible. What should I do?

I wouldn't be happy with this either, if the leave is available then it's really non of her business unless you decide to tell her why.

Maybe taking AL around the tax return deadline of a bit of a no no in HMRC?

but if the leave is available then op is entitled to take it, if the manager doesn't want her to then there shouldn't be leave available.

you can take leave if it's available, they would have already taken the busy period into account when deciding what leave is available

If they don't want people taking leave during certain periods, it should be made clear prior to taking the role or at least well in advance.

if they didn't want anyone taking leave they wouldn't have any available so if there is, then you are perfectly in your right to take it and you don't have to explain why you are taking it.

YANBU! My CS line manager is also a micro manager, they ask what I’m doing on lunch sometimes even though that’s time I’m taking out of my own flexi! I don’t want to say I’m having my nails done so I just say an appointment…then they ask me what the appointment is for!!! None of their bloody business if it doesn’t affect my work otherwise.

That does seem odd, I have to say.
I'm in a job with similar seniority to my DH job before he was retired, he was CS and I'm not.
Neither of us got any mention or query for AL, except that in mine there has historically been a culture of presenteeism that they are struggling to get over, so they actively encourage us to take all our AL. Occasionally we are asked by LMs "make sure you take it all" and I have told them my strategy (e.g. I'm taking 2 days over each half term to be with the DCs, or I'm taking a day a week in September before my AL year runs out so I can have a day to myself after the DCs go back to school!).
DH never had any of that - it was just a case of take it when you need it, unless there's a business reason.

What’s the AL notice period in your contract or local rules? For us it’s a minimum of 2 weeks notice and people tend not to request leave at such short notice of a few days or a week without having a chat with me first. Could that be the issue?

That’s not how it works. At all.

The OP will have leave for the year. This will be ‘available’ on the computer system year round but it needs to be approved by the line manager to register as booked.

As the link I posted previously (and another PP) says, so long as all the leave can be taken by the end of the leave year, it is both legal and common to have periods when people can’t take leave.

If this is HMRC, the end of the tax year would very commonly be one of those times.

At the very least, people would be expected to keep leave to a minimum.

I'm a CS manager. The email will be coming from concern not micro-managing. If you're in a training environment then your manager will be making sure you're not being overwhelmed with your work and are coping ok. Just respond saying yes everything is fine, thanks for asking. It's your manager's job to ensure your wellbeing at work, there have been instances that trainees have been signed off with stress without highlighting there's been a problem, all your manager is doing is making sure this isn't the case.

yes it is how it works.
they take away or refuce the leave available when they know its a busy time. so if there's leave showing as available then you can take it, no questions asked.

Really? Is there research to back that up? I get that a proper break is refreshing but so is a day here and there in a pressured work period in my experience.

Honestly that would be an absurd reaction

Maybe where you work but that absolutely isn’t universal and definitely isn’t how it works for HMRC.

I have posted a link where an actual employment lawyer explains that you are wrong.

Citizens advice also disagree

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/holidays-and-holiday-pay/taking-your-paid-holiday/#:~:text=You%20can%20usually%20take%20your,arrange%20it%20with%20your%20employer.&text=If%20you're%20not%20sure,can%20check%20if%20you%20are.

Yeah, I think this is much more likely to be the concern than whether you have cancer or personal problems.

I'm not sure how I'd respond as it's non of her business what you do with your annual leave, and by telling her the cat is at the vets sounds like you're making a reason for a day off. For all she knows you might want to sit on your arse all day and eat chocolate.

Maybe 'there's no need for concern, if I had any issues or anything that could impact my ability to work I'd discuss this with you. Can you let me know if there is a problem with my leave approval please'

Yes it is correct for HMRC, if the leave is showing as available on the leave system then you can take it, no questions asked. if they didn't want you to have leave then they would take it off the leave system and have none available.

And she’s not going to tell her boss is she? I’m a manager and it would never occur to me to ask. Now all my staff are senior people on £60k ish a year and it only affects them if they are off.

having said that, my lot of asking for leave at shorter notice would probably teams me and say can you approve that leave .

id ring her or speak face to face not on email and say you’ve slightly flummoxed me jane, it’s obviously meaning something to you that I’m booking these days and get her to explain.

Agree with @TorroFerney you need to have a normal conversation face to face and just get to the bottom of things.

Maybe she's worried about your health.
Maybe she's concerned you're interviewing.
Maybe she's a control freak who wants plenty of notice.
Maybe you're about to fail your probation and she doesn't want you using up too many days and end up having to pay the company back!

Could be any number of things :)

Yeah I would find that weird. What is s/he concerned about? That’s not an alarming amount of leave by any stretch.

It’s not at all uncommon for people who use up their leave early to then have sick leave later in year, or suddenly be unnecessarily logged on 10 hours a day to build up flexi for October half term and Christmas.

That sounds like a management issue. If staff are able to game the system, then the system is wrong.

It's better for your health to take one or two week breaks rather than lots of odd days

This cannot be true for every person. Unless I'm taking a break away, I hate taking full weeks off. I prefer taking more long weekends throughout a year.