Unpaid Leave

[elterwater]

In addition to statutory annual leave, one of my colleagues has negotiated taking extra unpaid leave from our employer for the last two years (for no reason other than to go on extra holidays). I would like to do the same but my employer has refused. Do I have any right to insist that I be allowed? Anyone know? Thanks in advance.

You have no right to unpaid time off other than what is already provided for (e.g. parental leave etc).

If you could prove its all the men getting time off and no women then you could claim discrimination but if its just one person you really will be on a wing and a prayer claiming anything.

No not at all. You are entitled to your statutory paid leave, and unpaid parental leave if you have a child under 5, but you are not entitled to extra unpaid leave for holidays no.

The only exception would be as seeyoukay says, if they were giving unpaid leave to the men but not to the women or something.