Time off work for 4 year old tonsilectomy

[Username0110]

Hi there just after some advice if anyone can help!
My 4 year old has his tonsilectomy in 2 weeks, i asked for unpaid leave as i dont know how long he might be off school for or how long recovery might be, i know 2 weeks they say and hopefully not that long but work are saying i need to use my annual leave entitlement...do i have to? Because i said what if they cant do the op that day due to him being sick or whatever reason and then ive wasted holiday cause i cant tell them i dont need my holiday any more as cover has already been arranged and then i need to book my holiday off for the next time if it comes to that....what if i dont have any annual leave left I wont allowed to be with my son in hospital? They would have to give it me unpaid then surely!
(Hope this makes sense)

Dependents leave is designed for unexpected emergencies and generally does not cover pre-planned, scheduled, or elective surgeries. For a planned operation, employees should use annual leave, parental leave, or request special leave through their employer.

Its fairly minor 2 weeks should be absolutely fine. You may get away with 1 week

but work are saying i need to use my annual leave entitlement

Your work are full of shit.
Its your legal right
https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

Eligible employees can take unpaid parental leave to look after their child’s welfare, for example to:

spend more time with their children
look at new schools
settle children into new childcare arrangements
spend more time with family, such as visiting grandparents

While it doesnt explicitly say surgery you are looking after your child's welfare

You need to ask for parental leave

It’s a tricky one.

Parental leave is typically unpaid and is an option and but your employer can say “not at this time” basically, if it doesn’t work for business at that time.

😦
I did NOT know that...
It's times like this i feel "my privilege"
This just wouldnt be an issue at any of my workplaces.

If they decline It may be that you do need to use annual leave but honestly I'd redeploy it and take it later in the year when you want to go on hols or whatever and look for new work.

What shitheads they are...

Never used to be like this, me asking for unpaid leave not been an issue before! Ive been ther 15 years, were a small firm. But ample staff to cover if staff are sick etc! Dknt understand why its an issue now!

Yeah, don’t get me wrong parental leave is still a great thing to have but it’s not a certainty and it very much is something you request & need approval to take rather than something you can demand on set dates and automatically get.

My employer is the same as yours and it would be a total non issue!

You do have to give 21 days notice to take parental leave so that might be why your employer said no.

Yeah, ill be using it in the future.
The reason i cant give notice is because my post hasnt been arriving, the hospital sent letters apparently weeks ago, ive not receievd it and neither has many others on our estate, i found out by calling to say its been months ive not heard.
Ill take it as annual leave. I dont really have a choice now. Inonly work part time too 😂i have 16 days to take yearly, but ive not heard of this new rule in the last 15 years, could of told the staff at the beginning of the holiday year!

My argument is, kids are unpredictable. What if for some reason or other it cant go ahead the planned date and its postponed? Ive wasted holiday that i cant say i dont need anymore and then im going to have more time off? Its just not making sense!