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Original poster

parental leave denied

675 replies

user1471461798 · 03/03/2018 20:23

I work term time only and requested parental leave for 3 weeks as my daughter leaves school this year and we plan on going to Florida as it’s less money than school holidays. Anyway my employer has rejected it , stating I have enough holiday throughout the year. My argument is I am entitled to this leave and have spoken to Acas who agree with me. I should add that my job entails covering for others, sickness, days off to look after their children and also holidays! How do I deal with this?

OP posts:
backaftera2yearbreak · 07/03/2018 13:03

Thank you for highlighting this. I’m hoping to take a week unpaid parental leave next year and my manager said it’s unlikely to be authorised. From what I can see here it’s not really up to him. Dates yes but paid leave no.

mikeyssister · 08/03/2018 16:51

@user1471461798 any update??

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 17:27

Latest update, finally got a letter- not from HR though, this came from my managers manager. Stating my unpaid holiday has been denied and if I was absent during the dates, i may be subject to disciplinary action! So sent an email in reply, stating I had never asked for unpaid leave and both requests were for Parental Leave, I also included the government guidelines and my own company guidelines on Parental Leave for her to refer to. I also mentioned that I had taken guidance from ACAS. No response yet!

OP posts:
RandomMess · 08/03/2018 17:40

FGS how thick are your management being!!!

SauvignonBlanche · 08/03/2018 17:41

What's your notice period?

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 17:42

Also, dusted off my CV, have applied for 8 jobs all ready😆

OP posts:
Aridane · 08/03/2018 17:51

How strange

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 17:56

Aridan, What do you mean?

OP posts:
Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 17:57

Notice period is 1 month!

OP posts:
Aridane · 08/03/2018 17:59

Sorry - I meant how strange they should send such a response missing the point you were asking for parental leave and instead treating it as a request for unpaid holiday.

youarenotkiddingme · 08/03/2018 18:04

What dickheads 🤦🏼‍♀️

I'd like to see their response to yours!

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 18:18

I don’t think any one has used parental leave before! having spoken to other colleagues, they didn’t know it existed. Just found out today that the person I covered to go to Australia 2 years ago, also went for 2 weeks last year, someone else covered her!

OP posts:
Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 18:28

Going back to the pension contribution posts, the leave I want to take straddles 2 months pay, also I have worked since I was 16, so actually all ready have 35 years national ins contributions, for what its worth when I’m 67!!

OP posts:
Thingvellir · 08/03/2018 18:28

They really are being idiots!

Did you cc HR in your email OP? If not I would suggest you share the email with HR now asking for a joint meeting with the dumb managers and HR to discuss.

Thingvellir · 08/03/2018 18:30

Thinking about it, I'm also quite concerned at how competent you HR is, given today's letter has been written post their involvement..maybe the ACAS reference will wake them up.

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 18:34

I was waiting to see the response, then I will involve HR, I’m not going until June, so have a few weeks, i’m not sweating about it, My husband is happy to go with the flow, he knows he cocked up, but was thinking of his family, so I cant be cross with him. Just hope it doesn’t make too much of an atmosphere in the meantime

OP posts:
Icomehereseekingpeas · 08/03/2018 18:37

I really think you need to involve HR OP and potentially a union rep if you're a member. This is ridiculous. You'd think they'd be sh*t hot on the legalities of employee rights.

Fingers crossed they realise they've messed up and sort this out for you.

Original poster
user1471461798 · 08/03/2018 18:44

i’m not part of a union. But when I asked for a copy of the company parental leave guidelines, she did ask my name and my managers name, and of course I do have dates and times on emails and texts, so hopefully that’s enough evidence. It’s got a bit silly now, if they had just talked to me , something could have been sorted. I know I can’t stay there now, but if I don’t see this through, they’ll deny other people.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 08/03/2018 18:50

I would check their policy on taking paid leaves owed in your notice period. I would think you have the right to take it rather than being paid??? So resign 3 weeks before holiday ad you will have to work 3 weeks and then take 1 weeks paid leave?

Policy where I worked was that it had to be taken rather than work the full notice and get paid for leave owed instead.

Willow2017 · 08/03/2018 21:50

God how thick are they?
Other people have had it, other people have taken other leave but they are stuck in the mud deliberately misunderstanding your request op!

Hope HR can sort them out. They will be gobsmacked with the latest cock up.

MachineBee · 09/03/2018 08:45

I’m another that’s gobsmacked at this response OP. Surely a proper understanding of employment law is a fundamental part of management and HR roles?

I need a good understanding of laws relevant to my job otherwise I could be subject to a gross misconduct disciplinary. Although thinking about it, it was our HR department who informed me of that, when the last updated policy on data protection was sent round, so perhaps I do have some wriggle room for transgressions after all. 😂

Teateaandmoretea · 09/03/2018 08:57

Stating my unpaid holiday has been denied and if I was absent during the dates, i may be subject to disciplinary action! So sent an email in reply, stating I had never asked for unpaid leave and both requests were for Parental Leave, I also included the government guidelines and my own company guidelines on Parental Leave for her to refer to. I also mentioned that I had taken guidance from ACAS. No response yet!

While I completely believe you are in the right..... my employer who I have never had any issue with authorising parental leave refer to it on all internal systems as 'unpaid leave' so I think you may be over thinking that one.

AnoiaUnstickMyDrawers · 09/03/2018 09:08

You would think that it being under a different section on the portal would give them a heads up that it was not normal holiday, paid or otherwise. If they didn't know what it was you would think they would ask HR before wading in neck deep Hmm

Can I ask people that know how it works - if I ask for a weeks parental leave but work say I have to use holiday entitlement instead - can they do that? I can see my work responding that way.

celesti · 09/03/2018 09:09

You're outrageous OP.

A 3 week holiday to Florida really isn't in the spirit of what parental leave is intended for. Would your child's welfare be affected if you didn't go? Thought not.

Add to that you have, what, 13 weeks a year in which to go on holiday?

The mind boggles.

bruffin · 09/03/2018 09:11

Op wont be entitled to it in her new job as she wont be there a year