holiday leave rejection

[Beansprout30]

Hi, I have requested 3 days off next week, I put my request in on Monday this week however I think it is going to be rejected as my colleague is signed off sick (again). Can anyone advise on where I stand, can they reject my request if I have given enough notice, surely my employer should seek cover for me as it's not really my fault that someone is sick.

I've had two days sick in the last five years id like to think they might take this into consideration but I dont think they will. It's very important to me to have this time off im stressing that I won't get it.

Tia x

I'm no expert, but I doubt whether your/your workmate's sick leave will be taken into consideration when your employers are looking at your (very short notice) request for "holiday". Is it actually "holiday" or are you really meaning some sort of compassionate (paid or unpaid) leave? Your employers will be looking at "who will actually get the work done?" if you want leave when your workmate is already off.

Check your contract for details of how much notice of holiday leave you need to give, and think about the extra costs involved for your employer of "seeking cover" before you get any more stressed.

In my role leave applications needed 6 weeks notice. And yes a colleague off would have impacted on it.

A lot depends on the role, company and boss. Some have minimum limits for staffing, some are more flexible. If you think its likely to be rejected I'm guessing you know its going to cause problems. Your colleague can't help their illness (presumably) and it can't be compared to your own record. It would all be about the specific circumstances for next week.

If it was me - and you could explain a) the short notice and b) why so important I would do everything I could to accommodate but my team doesn't manage time critical work so I can shuffle deadlines around low staffing.

Your employer is not obliged to agree a holiday request regardless of how much notice you give, and how many days off sick you've had in the last five years has no bearing on staffing levels for next week.

However, if you are a valued, hard-working employee with a good attendance and performance record, a sympathetic manager will probably agree an important request if they possibly can.

I would suggest speaking to your manager about what the holiday is actually for-why is it so important, and (depending on your role and whether this is possible) assuring him/her that you will make sure you do as much as possible before you go so that the impact of your absence is minimal.

Employers often show good will in allowing employees to request/book annual leave. The law, however, gives almost complete control to the employer and the employer can dictate when leave will be taken.

The law says that you must give twice the length of the proposed holiday as notice (I.e. 6 days if the holiday is 3 days) but the employer can give 'counter notice' that holiday can't be taken off at least equal time to the holiday booked (I.e. 3 days).

Thanks for the replies I thought it would be the case that I have no leg to stand on. As far as I know we have to give a week's notice which I have given, it hanging inthe bbalance because im having to wait to see of my colleague will be back. He is not sick, I cannot put his reason for being off on here but he averages a week 'sick' every month even my boss doesn't believe him but nothing gets done about it. Instead im left to cover his work and come home exhausted every time he is off. It's paid holiday I am requesting, I never let my company down, never go sick but I feel I'm just taken for granted that I will always be there. I won't put my reason for wanting the time off on here but it's very important to me

Sadly you can't insist when your leave is taken.

I have to request my leave for the year in Jan. all of it. And there's a fair chance I won't get half the weeks I asked for and I get allocated other weeks instead.

Have spoken to my boss and he is doing all he can to sort it which I'm really grateful for

That sounds positive, I'm sure as it's important he will sort it if he possibly can for you.

Hi,

I hope you get the days off you need. I know what you mean about covering for someone who is always on the 'sick'. We have a couple of people like that and there is not a lot wrong with them! Constant sickness. One of them can't even go a week without ringing in 'sick'.
I always feel for the hard working employees who have to pick up the work of the one off.

Hi supermum, I got my days confirmed my boss surprised me, he was great and found cover from another office. It really is annoying when it's alway the same people off, I wish I could post the reason so you could see how ridiculous it is but better not.