Dd17 work won’t let her book some time off for her driving test

[Blueybingomum]

dd17 is currently doing an appearance in a nursery. She’s been there a year and absolutely loves it but the managers can’t be abit funny.

she passed her theory test last week straight away booked her driving test, now these are horrific to get atm and she luckily managed to get one in 11 weeks time.

she went to work yesterday and asked if she could book it off but manager has said it’s unlikely. She asked if she could just take the morning off as it’s at 11am but again, said unlikely. They told her she has to look at the staff rota and rebook her test. They have more staff than needed atm and are constantly sending staff home early.

Aibu to think it’s abit harsh.

I feel sorry for this girl. At 17y my kids were quite nervous and people-pleasing. They would have struggled to be assertive with a boss, esp a difficult one.

Reading the OP again, they haven't even said she can't have that day off because they don't have enough staff.

They've said it's "unlikely".

Given that she was denied her request for annual leave with 10 months' notice in case someone else wanted to book the same time off, I think this actually means they can accommodate it and are just choosing not to because the manager sees her as being at the bottom of the food chain and wants her to be available at any time in case she is needed.

It also probably means that she could book another test now at a time when it looks OK on the rota and then be told nearer the time that she has to come in after all because someone else wants that day off.

She is never going to be able to take her test unless she finds a Saturday test slot (unlikely) or just calls in sick.

It's quite clear from the OP's posts that her employer will not commit to her being able to take any leave at all.

If they are sending staff home early at the moment, it's likely because there are more children out on Summer holidays, and they don't need as much cover. IMO this sis a bit crap for the staff concerned, unless they still get paid.
11 weeks from now is early November, when I doubt there'll be as many families away.
Can you daughter look at the rota and get another staff member to swap a day with her? I would totally do that for a colleague given the circumstances, so maybe someone will be kind.

you have no idea how difficult it is at the moment to get tests! it really is take what your can get.

They obviously mean apprentice

find another nursery - this one sounds shit - when does she get her annual leave then if everything she tries to book is being declined!

Nurseries are finding it really difficult to recruit staff at the moment - so I'm sure she could easily find another job!

I'd focus on that for now - keep the test and just call in sick if she still works there - but hopefully she'll have moved on

If she's doing a formal apprenticeship, does she have a tutor or mentor who could support her with this and similar issues? She ought to be able to book a single day's annual leave for a specific good reason nearly three months in advance. They're being ridiculous. And I don't like the sound of how they've treated her other leave applications either - it's verging on bullying.

She can talk to ACAS for advice about the denial of leave. She will be more needed than she realises and personally I would be looking for another nursery.

That’s not an obvious pulling a sickie, is it!

I’ve asked for a day off, you’ve said no, so I’ll go sick!

This is why people need to join a trade union.
Before a problem arises.
Too late for this issue.
Still worth doing.
At least contact ACAS for guidance.

Could she swap the test to another day, a week later, then pull a sickie? Just so it’s not picked up on. Not something I’d usually encourage but since her employers are being assholes…

💯 this!

If it were that easy to change test she wouldn't need to pull a sickie...

I know this is a generalisation but my experience of working in and with nurseries (especially chain nurseries) is that the management are on major power trips and have little to no knowledge about HR processes or expectations around staff management.

I'd encourage your dd to argue the point, call acas for info about her rights as an employee and frighten the manager with her knowledge.

So she has not been able to book any annual leave in 10 months of service?
What happens when if she is still there after one year?
No annual leave ever approved??
This is an employment law issue.
Hence i say Contact ACAS.
All the best.

My DD had to negotiate similar at 16 for registering at sixth form college. It was just not optional that she went, but work would point blank not let her have the time off.

It is really hard handling this stuff young because you have a lot less power and influence. You are told you "have to" be somewhere by both sides.

She HAD to go to the sixth form appointment. It was enormously stressful for her navigating it with work. I think her main takeaway was that next time she should keep it quieter and pull a sickie. Not her style at all, but I think draconian management drives even inherently conscientious and honest employees to this.

It is ridiculous but I think I'd rebook. Driving tests are an absolute nightmare to get, but she will be able to have reasonable flexibility by booking 20ish weeks ahead at 6am on a Monday morning and they do have some early morning, evenings & weekends. For the sake of 9 weeks I think I'd do that rather than risking her job in this case. Maybe be prepared to take a v early one and risk being an hour or so late if they absolutely can't give her the morning off at 20 weeks' notice. She could also keep looking for cancellations in the meantime. And look to move jobs when she can.

I couldn't.

Im in a top profession. There would be implications for my professional reputation had I done so. Complaints to my professional body for not turning up and the urgent work after it etc.

I couldn't just not go and deal with it.

what would they have done if you had died or were in an accident and in hospital and you literally couldn't go!!

no job is this important and nothing can't wait,

What knowledge to scare the manager with though? No one is legally entitled to take their holiday when they choose - you only have to be given the holiday when it suits them.

If this were me, I'd say to the manager I have X days of holiday remaining (it may not be the full 5 weeks as she might not work full time, I don't know with apprenticeships etc) and ask when is the plan for these to be taken? If the holiday year runs to March there may be a long time left, but if it's December there's not much time now. I would say I understand that the days are at the discretion of the manager and please can I be given notice when they will be, and when can I expect to be told etc.

Then plan the test during that time. You can absolutely put pressure on the employer to give you the holiday you are owed - what you can't do is pressure them to give you the days you would prefer (legally, at least, there is no obligation).

If the manager is hoping you will never take any this will set her straight and she will have to plan the time in.

That's terrible.

I couldn't work in a profession where a complaint about my unavailability wasn't swiftly dispatched by a colleague with a curt, "Her mother was dying, she couldn't be here."

I wouldn't be alive to face any professional repercussions. There's really no comparison there.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a driving test.She booked it without looking at the rota, and now she needs to change it. This is what it means to grow up and become an adult.You can't always have everything he wants.

If she was able to book one 11 weeks away she might be able to book one 12 weeks away. And if it’s another date then employer can’t pull her up on it. But as you say…might be hard to book. In any case I think it would be better to find a placement elsewhere but imagine that might be hard too!

Good on Dunelm, it's always nice to hear about an employer that treats their staff well.

There seems to be precious few of them these days.

I would get her to put her request in writing and link this article by the BBC about the difficulties of getting a driving test which is from 10th June this year

I did link the article but MN is being weird literally google BBC news driving tests

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jgndjnlmvo

She is booking time off for a specific appointment.with a huge amount of notice and not a week but merely a morning or a couple of hours. Completely reasonable.

Do you think you have internalised the unreasonable expectations of your ‘top profession’ and will treat people the same way you were treated? Or do you think you as a senior should be fighting for change?