New job and requesting holiday

[BeBe32]

Hi

I know it may depend where you work etc but just looking for some general views on this as I haven't worked in many places so I'm not sure. As some of you may know from earlier threads I have recently been offered a new job which I will start in a month's time. A friend and I usually got away for a week at the start of December but have not yet booked anything for this year as we have been deciding on where/what we're going to do.

The place we usually go to and have been thinking about going to again as emailed with an offer if we book before the 14th February which is the day before I start my new job and I'm not sure what to do. I want to make a good impression and I feel like asking about holiday before I even start would look bad (even the though the holiday itself wouldn't be until December), I don't want it to look like all I care about is taking holiday before I even know much about or have started this new position. I can't just book the holiday and assume I will get the annual leave as some departments where I work sometimes don't allow staff to take holiday at particular times of the year and I don't know if this is the case where I will be working. Even if I accept that I will miss out on this deal, I'm not sure what the etiquette is for booking holiday when you've just started somewhere, how soon is too soon? Does it look bad to request holiday when you've only been somewhere a week?

I want to make a good impression at my new job but I also don't want to mess my friend around or cause us both to miss out altogether. Just wondered what you guys think?

Thanks

x

Hi BeBe, I can quite understand how you feel, asking about holidays early on in your new role.

If your start date is tomorrow, and given the 14th Feb is the deadline I'd be inclined to ask soon after you start. Let's face it you're going to have to ask in the next 2 weeks but if you leave it until the 11th hour, you'll be putting yourself under pressure worrying about it when you need to focus on settling into your role.

Why not be upfront and say you have an opportunity to go on a trip in Dec but you need to book your place by mid - February, can you explain how the annual leave process works please ?"

As the new person it's a perfectly legitimate question to ask.

I understand why you might feel uncomfortable but it's a perfectly reasonable question to ask. They may even cover it as part of your induction.

The OP says she doesn't start until 15 Feb.

I think you're going to have to let this particular offer go, OP. Once you've started your new job you will be in a position to know what's what in terms of holiday and should be able to ask pretty quickly.

I am currently dealing with a new intake of staff. The ones that booked their holidays before knowing their start date and have made a financial commitment have their holidays honoured, however I can clearly see on the paperwork that they booked before knowing that they would be starting with us. If I could see that they had books after they knew their start date I don't think we would have to honour them. Also, December leave where I work doesn't go through the normal channels. We have to email our requests and it gets decided on what you have worked before. We work 24/7 including all bank holidays.

You either forgo the holiday or ring them and ask what their leave policy is because you can get a good deal.

I'd ring and ask them. They'll either say "Yes, that's going to be fine, we'll mark you as annual leave on xyz date in Dec" or "To be honest, you need to start first and then sort out annual leave" in which case you can reply either great thanks, I'll email you confirmation or absolutely no problem, will sort when I start.

Worth an ask, it's not like you're starting 15th Feb and asking for annual leave starting 28th Feb etc

I'm in the same position starting a new job in Feb except it's a wedding abroad in June that I needed leave for. I work in a field where I have to be there for certain meetings and the prep for them. I just asked upfront if it would be OK and got an email back saying it was fine. I would have been fine with it if they'd asked me to wait though, I don't think it's rude to ask - in fact it can make you look conscientious and respectful of your new team's time.

Thank you for all of your advice. The new job is actually in the same organisation that I currently work but in a new department. I completely understand if the answer was no, I just didn't want to look rude asking so soon.

Thanks again

xx