Work have allocated me leave during my Maternity and won't change it until everyone has booked theirs ... Can they do this?

[bubbleandsqueaks]

We have two chances to book our allocated leave during the year based on seniority, if you can't have the weeks you have chosen then your manager allocates you your leave. Work have allocated me one weeks annual leave during my maternity leave.

I tried to change it but was told I cannot change it until everyone else has chosen their weeks which means I probably won't get the week I want.

Can they do this?

If the rules say that the manager can allocate leave then yes, they can do this,

And if you are claiming that you are being discriminated against because you are going to be given leave only after everyone else has had their leave slotted in, then I'm afraid I would be on their side to be honest, and I think most HR people would be too.

From what you have said you will only be available for, say, half the year. So you have presumably requested that all you holiday falls within the first half, and of the (four?) weeks you requested, all but one have been granted and they are asking you to wait for everyone else to pick their dates before reallocating your fourth week?

Given that they are having to condense you holiday requests into a smaller window for you than everyone else has, then I don't really think they are being unfair to you - especially as they are contractually allowed to fit in the holidays to suit them.

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

If it's got to the stage where your leave is being allocated for you then presumably you already can't have the week you want anyway - you say it's allocated by management if you can't have the weeks you've chosen.

It's a bit weird they've allocated yours during maternity leave given it's not actually possible to take it then, but I can't see any argument really for changing it before everyone's tried to get their chosen weeks in. Sounds like you already have some holiday in that you've chosen for yourself anyway, if only one week needs to be allocated for you?

We get 4 wks 3 days all together. We get to pick 3 weeks in the first signing and this gets allocated based on senority.

Then the second signing takes place. We get the leave forms back with weeks blanked out, these are weeks we cannot pick on the second signing as they have been fully booked on the first signing.

On the first signing I was allocated a week that is during my mat. leave as my first four choices were taken.

I tried to change it on the second signing but have been told I have to wait till the second signing has finished and then I can change it. By this time there will be hardly any weeks available.

So everyone else has been able to book 4 wks 3 days across the two signings but I have only 3 wks 4 days as I cannot take the week during my mat. leave. So people with lower senority than me may get the week I want.

Is that right?

I think in the context of the way leave is allocated, its fair that 'people with less seniority' get to choose

Well it's not fair is it? Because it's not the way leave is allocated. I have been at the company 10 years ago ad ten years ago I had to put up with not getting the weeks I wanted.

It may not be a system you agree with, but it is the system