Holiday entitlements

[Dartsissolastseason]

I'm posting regarding my DP's place of work. This is a retail environment. He has today come home with a note that had been issued to all staff regarding taking holiday over the christmas period.

Bear in mind this is a garden centre we are talking about.

To quote their note:

Holidays during December/January
While full weeks holidays will not be sanctioned, consideration will be given to anyone applying for single day(s) during a period they might be working more days than usual without a break.

Is this legal? This will result in lots of staff trying to take a break in February, which for this company is the end of their annual leave year.

Also this company basically stops people taking leave during weeks when there's a bank holiday, on the grounds that there's prep to do for bank hols, which are generally good trading days.

As school holidays fall whenever there's a bank holiday, what about staff who may be used to using their leave to cover childcare?

It does seem like this company is changing it's holiday policy on a regular basis.

I think it is legal, I think your employer can dictate your holiday generally even though most don't.

Yep. Your employer can tell you when to take each and everyone of your holidays if they want. As long as they let you take the legal minimum then it's ok.

yes legal. most retailers say no holidays at peak times.

I think the reason I am cross is that there seems to be more and more restrictions on when they can take any holiday at all.

My DP has also said that another worker, a till assistant, had asked for a week's leave, and was refused because the manager didn't want to have to find cover for two of those days, so refused the whole lot.

I'm beginning to find it difficult to plan anything because DP never knows for certain what the rules are going to be (and yet the favoured few seems to get whatever hols they want).

I can't remember the last time I was able to take leave for myself, I end up using all mine to cover school holidays as DP get leave refused.

I think it is a symptom of the recession.

And it's a garden centre; restrictions in january when people don't buy plants. Peak time may be the run-up to christmas, but january? In the 20+ years I've been with DP, january in a garden centre is the deadest month of the lot.

Yes it is perfectly legal and quite normal in retails for holidays to not be allowed over the Christmas period.

As long as the restrictions don't prevent your DH from taking his leave at all, and they give adequate notice (1 week for every week of leave they will enforce) they can dictate exactly when he is to take his leave. Also, as long as they give adequate notice (1 week for every wee of leave he had booked) they can retract authorisation of leave for any reasonable cause.