Not allowed to take any holiday in June at work

[exhaustedandwholly]

Due to the nature of my job, we have a lot of events happening in June which I help organise etc. I've requested a few days in June for a holiday and they've been declined and been told we cannot request any time in June due to how busy it will be. It frustrates me because this is the only time we can really go away before summer holidays start otherwise July is too expensive (we haven't got kids) and may isn't hot enough in most places.

Does anyone else have these issues?!

DH is not allowed to take any leave between 1st December and 6th January.
His working hours increase from 8 hour to 12hr+ shifts, and from working 5 days to 6 days a fortnight before Christmas and then the week before Christmas he does 7 days straight (he does get them back in mid January).
The joys of working in a food warehouse for one of the UKs major retailers!

I don't think so. Even if booked in advance the employer can still cancel it. Of course that might lead the employee to resign - assuming they can find another job without too much difficulty...

My partner can’t take holiday in March and September so I think it’s very common. Why not go in September? The weather is often better then.

I see a few people are saying the schools don't go off until July/August and that is true for England. In Scotland the start of the summer holiday is usually that last week in June. Where I work you the annual leave is blocked off from the last week in November until Christmas Eve.

Is this a one off for this June/the events, OP, or does it happen every June?

Think a lot of PPs are reading as the second (and agree if that is the case, you just have to live with).

However I'm reading as the first, ie maybe a one-off.

may is fine for sunny places-my dh cant take any al in deember it is what it is

In a previous retail job no annual leave was allowed in November, December or January. Unfortunately as long as you do get enough time to be able to take your legally enforced holidays then employers are allowed to do this. My sympathies though.

It is cheaper than late July-early Sept, but it is more expensive than June.

My company don’t allow time off during school holidays. We’re a Building Maintenance company who work on school buildings! So, no time off during school holidays and authorities will fine us when we take our kids out of school!

It sounds frustrating but unfortunately they are well within their rights to enforce this. It’s part of your job to be there in June. Just work around it. September is a lovely time of year to go away in Europe. I’d do a week then and a long city break in May.

Or go somewhere that is warm in May. Morroco, Canaries, Turkey, Cyprus, S.Africa..especially if you go at the end of May. Greece will be warming up then (though not guaranteed).

Why can’t you go away in September or right at the beginning of July before the schools break up? I don’t think I’ve ever worked anywhere in over 50 years of working where I had the right to take time off when I wanted - leave was always granted depending on the requirements of my employer.

I had this a few years ago due to a project and we couldn’t have time off for several months. It was communicated well in advance, there was a process for exceptions which had to be submitted 6 months in advance so everyone on project adhered to that. What notice did they give you

I work in finance/accounting so not only are there large parts of the year I cannot take off, i also have to work with month end period timetables each month. There are only about 3 months of the year that are good to take off (feb, nov and Aug) and none of those are desirable holiday months! So I think one month restriction doesn't sound too bad!

We have no restrictions but I have a really busy job with events so I plan my holiday around this, as theoretically I could just take off but it wouldn't be fair.

It will be so obvious if you pull a sickie now, I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Options are you either look for a new job with more flexible working , or go on holiday at a different time of the year. The start of September will be just as good weather wise for most places.

Tbh, you’re part of the organisational team ….did you not think it might be a bit unreasonable to ask for time off fully knowing that June was the busiest time? You’ve also have the other 11 months of the year to take holiday when it’s more convenient 🤷🏼‍♀️
A lot of seasonal businesses have this and have to juggle commitments and holidays

I work in an accounts practice and it's built into our employment contracts that we can't take time off in January.

I have managed it in the past, but it was with 12 months' notice and was for a wedding abroad that I was bridesmaid in. If it had just been for a holiday I imagine it would have been declined.

I had plenty of time to make sure that my work was able to be completed without making anyone else's life difficult in my absence.

It's perfectly normal I'm afraid and allowed. Employers can officially tell you when you can take your annual leave.

I don't have kids and always time my holidays for September/October nowadays. Cheaper plus decent weather still in most places that you'd otherwise like to go in summer months.

Go in September it’s still warm

There are loads of places that will be warm in May or September / October. Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Italy. Its the limitation of your job. If you dont like it then start looking for another job. Most employers have limits on when you can take leave.

Not really an issue, is it. There are plenty of other times you can go away.

When I worked in retail, all leave had to be booked in January for the whole year. No leave could be taken Sept to January, two weeks had to be taken in the Summer.

My job is flexible now thank goodness. I don't take time off during end of year and cover Christmas and Easter.

If this is the only restriction around holidays it’s not unreasonable. It’s only one month of the year.

If you want the weather more guaranteed or hotter u cld go further afield like the Canary Islands where the May will still be lovely and pretty hot.

Ive worked in places where the manager restricted the holidays and even certain times of every month. Thankfully new mgr came in and said no we just need cover not a ban on holidays during those days every month, that’s ridiculous.

My DH has also worked for companies that say you can’t have any time off in December.

Go mid May before half term at the end of May. Southern Europe is definitely hot by then. I’m going on holiday at the start of April and it’s looking at 20+ which is warm enough for me. We’ve been on many a May Half Term holiday in the past and it has been more or less 25+ in Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Sicily, South of France. Just go the week before and you’ll be fine. Significantly cheaper than July/Aug which is why we chose it in the past (before DC hit school exam years)

YABU. It’s incredibly common and it sounds like there is a very good business reason. May and September are hot in a lot of countries if that’s what you want, and early July is often not summer holiday price.

If this is part of what your job requires then I can’t see the issue. We have times we can’t request leave as well.

you can come up with a plan for how your work would be covered and try again, or just go away in August or September.