Taking holiday away

[Stressedoutmummyof3]

Not really AIBU but more are DDs work being unreasonable. If before you start a new job you give holiday dates and the employer confirms in writing you can have the time off can they then change their mind?
DD asked for Christmas Eve off before she started work by email and her manager emailed back saying yes that's fine.
Where DD works then can check online to see how much holiday they have and DD noticed they hadn't put down she was off Christmas Eve. She mentioned this to her manager who said oh I don't know if you can have it off other staff booked it ages ago. DD said you confirmed it before I started here. Managed said did I? I'll have to check if you can have it off.
Given she confirmed it in writing at the beginning of October surely she can't just turn around and say you can't have it off now.
Are they allowed to do this?

I think it's disgusting. I worked in childcare and when I booked my holiday before I started there was never any questions of it being withdrawn because they fucked up. The nursery does seem really disorganised though.They must have known when she booked it off they didn't have enough staff (or other staff have booked it off since).
I'm in two minds about telling her to try and get a different job, preferably one where the manager actually knows what she's doing.

Hopefully she will be able to take it off as agreed but if other staff have booked leave off before she even started there, is it fair to them to say they can't now because the newbie wants it? As a new staff member I would want to be just and fair to my colleagues. It's rubbish for her, but it's one Christmas out of many?

If need be help her draft an email along these lines:
Subject: December 24th Shift – Prior Agreement
Dear Manager,
I hope you are well.
As discussed with you I’ve noticed that I have been scheduled to work on 24th December. As confirmed in the email I have attached/forwarded, my availability for Christmas Eve was agreed as part of my starting the role in October.
I wanted to raise this promptly so there is time to adjust the rota if needed. Unfortunately, I already have commitments for that date which cannot be changed, so I will not be able to work on 24th December.
Please let me know if you need anything further from me.
Kind regards,

Is it fair to expect us to loose money because they gave her the day off and have now changed their mind?
They obviously have cover for when staff are off sick so they could get cover for Christmas Eve.
Like I said if they'd said after the interview no you can't have the day off it would have been fair enough but it's the fact they said she could and then changed their mind that's annoyed me and her..
Unbelievable that a company can take back holiday because they messed up.

Send the email that a previous poster has put in thread and get her to look for a new job

I'd just forward the confirmation email and say "as discussed"

If they argued, I'd say i took the employment non the basis of the day off.

And finally, if they insist on rescinding it, I'd simply certainly tell them I'm bot coming in and they need to plan around (whilst looking for another job).

Kinda true but "business needs" covers quite a lot. Its not nice but they can

Exactly this. They have agreed to honour her holiday. She should send evidence of this email to her manager and just say I will not be in that day. Hope you find cover for me!

Obviously then it wouldn’t be this particular day. 🙄

No. But that is different to actually losing leave isn’t it.

The law is really clear on this point OP so I reckon it’s worth DD asking one last time, explaining the impact on the family holiday. If they still refuse, then she will have to make a decision about whether she wants to stay in this role or not.

The law isn’t always in line with what seems fair!

The op wasn’t questioning if she would lose her leave. Just if she can take Christmas Eve that had been agreed originally and where they were travelling that day.

Actually OP expressed concern that her DD would lose a days holiday and I was providing reassurance.

You are rather over zealous about other people’s posts when they aren’t even responding to you but to the OP. I hope you are OK?

Has she booked the day off using the nursery's system for holidays? Ie do all staff email to request leave, or is there another process she is supposed to follow and hasn't? The employer could argue that yes at the time that was OK, but she needed to actually request the leave formally, and that now she hasn't and others have, it's no longer available.

I am absolutely grand thank you very much. The op was asking if their daughter would not be able to take christmas Eve on leave as originally agreed. No point in arguing with you though. Keep well.

Most nurseries are desperate for full time staff. Is she qualified? If so, she should just tell them she won't be in and leave them to it. Will they sack her? I doubt it.

Just inform the nursery that as per email dated (x), you have now made plans and won’t be able to work.
I wouldn’t back down.

Its not just a "holiday" day it was an agreed condition of her employment that she was not available on the 24 Dec.

Her employer hired her on the basis of knowing she is not available to work on that date.

It ends up being a question of how much she wants to stay in the job (long term ) when the managers can not be relied upon to keep their word.

How old is she? If she's working surely this is for her to sort out herself.

I always thought if you give dates before starting and they are approved, then they are approved.

I'm not sorting it out for her just asking advice. She's 19.and it's not like I'm going to storm down to her work and demand she has the day off.
It seems her employer can do what she wants although I have told DD see needs to explain she won't be there that day, she's so shy.she probably won't though.

Yes because that would be really helpful on Christmas Eve. The day she wants to have off. 🙄
The op isn’t responding to your comments either Zempy. Probably because your comments are irrelevant!

Print off email abd give it to manager and tell her she can't work that day - don't go into reasons.

Legally they can do this unfortunately.

My daughter is 18. Works in McDonald's. She was working the 4 days a week she was allowed until she started University and then changed her availability to every 2nd weekend so that she could balance uni life and working. Due to the ways the holidays fall and her 2nd weekends....she shouldnt be working over xmas and new year. Bonus..... but her 25yr old manager is implying she needs to open her availability. Ive told her not too as shes already under pressure to spend time with the ex etc. She's also quite shy but when hes pulled this before, I told her to tell him to refer to her contract.