how much notice do you have to give for a day off???

[arghh]

I work for a pub, and have done for 12 yrs. I am part time so do 20hrs per week. I recently asked for a sunday off, 3 weeks in advance! i was told that they would get back to me, they didnt. now with a week to go they have tried to tell me I didnt give enough notice, they book there leave off months in advance ( i only want a sunday lunchtime off) and that tough I cant have it, unless I get someone to swap. so my question is how much bloody notice do they need???? and surely they could have just said if I want it off I have to find cover myself.

Three weeks notice sounds more than reasonable. I am not sure about legality or anything though.

I worked in pubs years ago and the work plan was done a week in advance. If they do a month's scheduling in advance, I don't see how they can expect no unexpected shift changing to occur.

Usually notice for holiday request is covered in a contract. For my staff it is 30 days notice unless exceptional circumstances.

no one at my place of work is on contract! theres about 12 full timers then me part time! thanks for the advice, was just a bit of reassurance that 3 weeks for a lunchtime off is enough notice!!

They are perfectly entitled to decline your request. If there are rules about notice in your contract, then you need to go by them. If not, then all you can do is hope they agree a request. They've given you enough notice to decline the request, so that's that.

Presumably it's about finding cover, and if they couldn't find cover, that's why they declined?

I have no contract no one in my place of work does, it basically comes down to a management cock up forgetting about my request and then shifting the blame onto me by saying I didnt give them enough time, which is clearly rubbish, as I gave them three weeks to cover what is essentially a 5 hour shift.( that I found cover for in 10mins, and would have happily done in the first place, had they simply said they couldnt be arsed to deal with it)

Every March we have to give in 75% of our holidays for the following year ( April -march ) any odd days about 3 weeks notice is enough . Unless its something like mothers day / fathers day then a couple of months would be given as its a popular day to have off

I think it's unprofessional for then to say " I'll get back to you " and they didn't until you brought it up again .

Is there a chance they forgot ?

So are you saying that you have found somebody to cover your shift for you? Surely it should be ok then?

I think legally you should have a contract from what you describe, OP. You have regular hours for the employer. You accrue rights like anyone else (sick pay & holiday pay) after long enough service.

But to try to enforce those rights might not be worth your job, iyswim.

CAB could advise, I imagine, if you ever wanted clarification. Might be better to find a nicer employer.