Page 3 | No prospect of any time off over summer but I need it

Nicmars · 2025-07-10T05:42:10+00:00

I work on team of 5 people and the annual leave chart is already booked up for summer and there is no prospect of me being allowed to book any leave. I jooined this team from another department 2 months ago, by which time colleagues on new team has already booked their summer leave. Issue is that I need time off, even if just 1 week. Its for childcare, I'm not going away on holiday or anything. Just childcare. The general attitude at work is tough luck, not their problem. So I'm left with no choice but to consider pulling a sickie. To make it believable it's need to start my sickness before school is out for the summer, rather than the same day or week. What kind of sickness can I have? Ideally to last a week maybe 2. Just till my sister can get here (she's travelling till 2nd week of August but has offered to come and help when back). Need a plausible sickness idea that doesn't sound too cliche or made up.

HeyWiggle · 10/07/2025 07:53

Your husband can take the week off

Adelle79360 · 10/07/2025 08:03

Why aren’t you just looking for alternative childcare? Surely there’s holiday clubs or childminders locally you can use?

TwinklyRoseTurtle · 10/07/2025 08:05

Have you thought about holiday camps? Usually mon- fri 8-4

Namechangerage · 10/07/2025 08:16

Nicmars · 10/07/2025 07:02

I had originally booked leave but then grandparents stepped in to offer childcare. So I cancelled it and the slot was meanwhile snapped up by somebody else on the team. Fast forward to last week, grandparents childcare offer was rescinded as they've got their own complex health issues and on 2bd thoughts said childcare would be too much for them. So I'm back to square one.

Holiday clubs? Local childminders (maybe their usual people are away), failing that tell them your childcare fell through and you need parental leave.

LakieLady · 10/07/2025 08:18

Don't go off sick, ffs. If it got out that you weren't actually ill, you'd be in a whole heap of shit. And it's not fair on colleagues.

Explore all other options: holiday clubs, play schemes, childminders, any sensible older teens that could step in, friends and other family members. Fuck, send them off to summer camp if need be! Then ask for parental leave for the days that are left.

Where I work, there would be no issues whatsoever with someone taking emergency parental leave because their childcare arrangements had fallen through. I've known it happen, and I'm pretty sure that in at least one instance, the person got full pay for it. If employers want staff, and want to retain them, they need to be accommodating of the needs of family life.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 10/07/2025 08:24

Namechangerage · 10/07/2025 08:16

Holiday clubs? Local childminders (maybe their usual people are away), failing that tell them your childcare fell through and you need parental leave.

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The fact that her childcare has fallen through isn’t her employers problem to solve - they can turn down parental leave if it doesn’t suit the business just the same as they can refuse annual leave.

angelinawasrobbed · 10/07/2025 08:27

If you can get her kids into a holiday/school
club, could grandparents manage the pick-ups and drop-offs?

soupyspoon · 10/07/2025 08:31

Parental or dependent leave is for when your child is ill/parent is ill and you need to care for them directly, its not planned leave to cover holiday times

OP you need book holiday clubs or child care like everyone else.

Atlhough as a previous poster says not sure if this is a true thread.

Grammarnut · 10/07/2025 08:37

You need to talk to line manager and make it clear you need to take summer leave. It is unreasonable for your employer to move you and then say you cannot now take leave during the summer because it is all booked up in your dept. What if you had booked a holiday? They are being unreasonable.

Liondoesntsleepatnight · 10/07/2025 08:37

Put a request in for annual leave anyway? How old are your DC? Holiday clubs? I do t have any family nearby so I’ve always used childcare/clubs etc you can use childcare vouchers ina lot of settings, my DC had fantastic experiences.

PistachioTiramisu · 10/07/2025 08:38

I absolutely hate it when people pretend to be sick in order to get time off. I had it drummed into me by my mother that this is so wrong, and not only that, it is tempting fate. Be honest.

Grammarnut · 10/07/2025 08:38

soupyspoon · 10/07/2025 08:31

Parental or dependent leave is for when your child is ill/parent is ill and you need to care for them directly, its not planned leave to cover holiday times

OP you need book holiday clubs or child care like everyone else.

Atlhough as a previous poster says not sure if this is a true thread.

I don't see why changing dept should mean OP can't have holiday - they might have booked two weeks in Timbuctoo! Which does suggest some falsity in this thread tbh.

gildurthegreen · 10/07/2025 08:39

https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

You are entitled to parental leave, there aren't restrictions regarding this being for childcare reasons. Join a union and speak to your local rep if you want support. Good luck OP

soupyspoon · 10/07/2025 08:44

Grammarnut · 10/07/2025 08:38

I don't see why changing dept should mean OP can't have holiday - they might have booked two weeks in Timbuctoo! Which does suggest some falsity in this thread tbh.

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Because she didnt book any leave. She hasnt got leave booked.

soupyspoon · 10/07/2025 08:46

gildurthegreen · 10/07/2025 08:39

https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

You are entitled to parental leave, there aren't restrictions regarding this being for childcare reasons. Join a union and speak to your local rep if you want support. Good luck OP

This is unpaid leave so different to what I was talking about

OP also needs to give 21 days notice.

RhaenysRocks · 10/07/2025 08:50

HoskinsChoice · 10/07/2025 07:28

When you're complaining about women being disadvantaged in the workplace, remember this thread. This scenario is entirely the OP's fault. She hasn't booked any leave and suddenly she is blaming her company and plans to take a couple of weeks sick leave. A couple of weeks! This is not only dishonest, it leaves her colleagues in the shit as they will have to pick up her work while she is having fun with her kids getting fully paid. The OP and the number of people supporting her are a good indicator of why men can sometimes be favoured over women because, quite frankly, women can be unreliable. This is living proof. Most women aren't, most women are grown ups and responsible adults that would ensure they have childcare in place. It is of course unfair that women are screwed over as it is the minority. But it is not enough of a minority to make it insignificant.

I assume this OP is a troll as nobody is this stupid and it is a very goady post. But that doesn't matter, it puts ideas in people's heads. It draws out the irresponsible and tarnishes the reputation of women.

So you didn't read beyond the OP? She did book leave and had it sorted. Then she was offered childcare so cancelled it. The childcare then fell through. Also, in your nasty, spiteful post, you say men are more reliable....so where us this child's dad then? If he's so reliable, why isn't he present and doing his share?

Mrsttcno1 · 10/07/2025 08:52

Do you need this job OP? If the answer is yes then don’t go through with the plan to use sick leave and risk losing it.

soupyspoon · 10/07/2025 08:53

RhaenysRocks · 10/07/2025 08:50

So you didn't read beyond the OP? She did book leave and had it sorted. Then she was offered childcare so cancelled it. The childcare then fell through. Also, in your nasty, spiteful post, you say men are more reliable....so where us this child's dad then? If he's so reliable, why isn't he present and doing his share?

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She didnt book it once it had fallen through though. So not booked. No booked leave. That would apply to her old team as well

RhaenysRocks · 10/07/2025 09:06

She booked it, then cancelled it as she thought she had it covered with grandparents. That slot understandably got quickly snapped up so when her grandparents dropped out, she was stuck. She hasn't done anything wrong here and is in a bind. In the end, she will likely have to somehow fund a playscheme if there are places left but this is not someone who just blithely assumed she could swan in and out. She's pretty desperate. The childcare can't be left alone and unless I've missed an update the adult with 50% responsibility for this child is not fulfilling his responsibility. You know, the "reliable" male, who presumably is not troubling his employer for leave because she is dealing with it all.

99bottlesofkombucha · 10/07/2025 09:11

HoskinsChoice · 10/07/2025 07:28

When you're complaining about women being disadvantaged in the workplace, remember this thread. This scenario is entirely the OP's fault. She hasn't booked any leave and suddenly she is blaming her company and plans to take a couple of weeks sick leave. A couple of weeks! This is not only dishonest, it leaves her colleagues in the shit as they will have to pick up her work while she is having fun with her kids getting fully paid. The OP and the number of people supporting her are a good indicator of why men can sometimes be favoured over women because, quite frankly, women can be unreliable. This is living proof. Most women aren't, most women are grown ups and responsible adults that would ensure they have childcare in place. It is of course unfair that women are screwed over as it is the minority. But it is not enough of a minority to make it insignificant.

I assume this OP is a troll as nobody is this stupid and it is a very goady post. But that doesn't matter, it puts ideas in people's heads. It draws out the irresponsible and tarnishes the reputation of women.

‘Women can be unreliable’ what a load of sexist anti women bullshit. You know who is unreliable here? The biological father unless he’s actually dead. The grandparents who volunteered and cancelled. Women just get all the shit and then people like you come along to put the boot in when they fall over under the weight of it all. Would you like a medal?

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 10/07/2025 09:14

gildurthegreen · 10/07/2025 08:39

https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

You are entitled to parental leave, there aren't restrictions regarding this being for childcare reasons. Join a union and speak to your local rep if you want support. Good luck OP

Her employers can refuse parental leave if it doesn’t suit the needs of the business, though. So if she can’t take annual leave as too many people are off already, she probably won’t be allowed parental leave either.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 10/07/2025 09:16

Grammarnut · 10/07/2025 08:37

You need to talk to line manager and make it clear you need to take summer leave. It is unreasonable for your employer to move you and then say you cannot now take leave during the summer because it is all booked up in your dept. What if you had booked a holiday? They are being unreasonable.

But she hasn’t booked a holiday so it’s totally irrelevant.

Brefugee · 10/07/2025 09:18

is the other parent having a problem getting leave?

StrawberryCranberry · 10/07/2025 09:21

Can't you use paid childcare OP?

zingally · 10/07/2025 09:22

Is working from home an option (or could be made an option in a pinch?)

Could the kids go into summer camp for the week? Depending on where you live, there's usually something available. The one nearest me offers 8am-6pm. The long-day ones aren't cheap though. You'd probably be looking at close to £60 a day for those hours.