Emails - annual leave

[BearHuntAgain]

I’m genuinely questioning whether I’m being unreasonable or my manager is.

I work in a relatively small team for a large multinational company. We’re a very busy team and there’s never enough hours in the day. Since coming back from mat leave I’ve definitely been putting stronger boundaries in place regarding my working hours.

I’m taking annual leave the rest of this week and DH are going away just the two of us for the first time since having DC2 (she’s two). it’s been a really shit 6 months and we really need this.

At the end of our team meeting my boss mentioned about taking my work phone and just checking emails at the end of the day in case there are any emergencies. I basically said no. He then emailed me after the meeting to say that I was setting a bad example to the junior members of the team.

I responded saying that it’s important for everyone to switch off on annual leave. I’d have my personal phone for them to get hold of me if an emergency. He responded reiterating it didn’t take long to check and forward on anything urgent.

Everyone in the company knows who my colleagues are and would reach out to them if urgent. I’m not so senior that I’m paid an amazing wage so it justifies being available. And I’m going to have an out of office on saying to contact my colleagues if needed.

I’m really annoyed that it’s on me to actively log into my emails to check each day (technically only away for three days).

YABU - it’s a quick check just to make sure nothing urgent has been sent.

YANBU - it’s your annual leave. It’s encroaching on your time and your team can cope for a few days without you.

YANBU. 100%.

make sure your OOO is off and leaves contact details for your team.
Your boss is being very unreasonable indeed

You are not being reasonable OP.

You are entitled to the annual leave. I bet your line manager wouldn’t answer their phone when it comes to their time. They can’t do nothing at all.

Not unreasonable at all. You are also not setting a bad example to your junior colleagues - you are telling them that their time off is their own and you will respect their boundaries. Stick to your guns. Make sure you have an OOO that accurately reflects what to do in case of an emergency. Unless you are saving lives for a living it can wait

Turn everything off and do not look at one work related thing. You can tell him you want a standby and overtime rate if any work is required, and I imagine that’ll shut him up.

Now - I do occasionally work “out of hours” if it’s gonna enable me to take things easier the next day - but for anything my manager would ask for - including but not limited to phone calls, I get paid at least an hour’s worth of overtime. If my boss decided to ring me this evening to ask me a quick question, he would follow this up with a confirmation email to allow me to claim for hours worked, even if it was a 30 second phone call.

For the weeks when I might be called regularly, I have both a standby payment and hours worked payment.

Stand your ground.

You are 100% in the right. Your out of office will direct people to your team if it’s urgent. There is no need for you to be checking your emails. Do not back down.

Actually you are setting an excellent example of having a work life balance.

I disagree with your manager, I think checking your emails daily when you are officially on AL is setting a bad example to junior members.
If you do it they will think they have to

As PP says, you are setting a good example! If there is a problem, it will put a downer on your holiday. If people need an urgent response, they can forward it on from your OOO reply.

I manage many people and I would never ask anyone to check emails on holiday. That’s what an out of office message or a deputy is for. I practice what I preach, and everyone knows I don’t mind a quick call or message in a true emergency. Enjoy your break.

Keep hold of that email he sent you in case he marks you down in your performance review as it will be good evidence to challenge.

I’d reply saying that you will casually ask HR their opinion.

Nobody should be expected to check in 'in case of emergencies' during annual leave.
If there's an emergency and you're on leave then it doesn't concern you. Unless you somehow created a situation whereby the office or team couldn't function without your input.
But frankly leave is just that and if they want you 'on call' while you're on holiday then I think they're bound to be breaching contract.

In small teams, it is possible that important things can get stuck in one persons inbox when the are away. Put a delegate on your inbox, so someone else can monitor things … problem solved

Tell boss you will be abroad and you’re not entitled to work in that country. You won’t be breaking the law. At my place we’re actively barred from working when overseas unless we have a right to work in that country. Eg joint passport holder.

Or you will be at sea on cruise or in Scottish Highlands area with no WiFi/ poor reception.

You've done the right thing! why on earth would you be checking work emails whilst away? In my company, as others have said, it would be against policy to cart my laptop abroad and attempt to work anywhere but the UK.

I too would keep the email incase its needed in future HR discussions. Enjoy your break and don't think about work!

You are not being unreasonable your boss is.
I hate how companies now expect staff to be on call 24/7 technology has created this toxic environment where you’re expected to work non stop.
I miss the days when you were expected to do your contracted hours only and leave work at work.
go and enjoy your break op sod work.

Your boss is bang out of order.

Since he has pushed it I’d be tempted to take the phone on holiday and have it ‘stolen’ on the first day. May as well have his dickishness cost his department money!

Yanbu.
I was off last week. I literally needed it as I was getting stressed out.
Can you and colleagues not just cover each other's inboxes whilst you are away?

Email him and cc hr to the effect that pressurising you to work during annual leave is unreasonable and impacting your ability to truly have the time off to which you are legally entitled.

Unless you are being PAID to look at these emails in your annual leave - fair enough.

But if not, then your manager is being an unreasonable cunt and should be called out for it.

Don’t you dare take that phone away with you!

We forbid it.

I'd be replying ad CCing HR.

Just reiterating that you will not be pressured into working during your legally entitled annual leave.

I would set up a forwarder just before I left so all my emails got forwarded on to him. And say sweetly, "Sorry, I thought it was a good solution as you were worried about things getting missed" when I got back.

You're also teaching them what is and isn't an emergency.

We always had blissful weeks with one chronic overworker who couldn't abide the thought that he wasn't needed went away.

Nobody would email him because we could cope by ourselves. It's infantilising to need constant oversight.