Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

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:
Willow2017 · 09/03/2018 13:26

celesti stop now you are just digging yourself a bigger hole.
Its not for child hospitalisation/illness at all. there is different leave for that. unless of course you can predict in advance when your child will break a leg or get chicken pox.

celesti · 09/03/2018 13:32

Perhaps the acas website is incorrect then.

Parental leave should only be taken to care for the welfare of a child, for example an employee may wish to take leave to:
• stay with a child who is in hospital

m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4347

SleepingInYourFlowerbed · 09/03/2018 13:38

Celesti - again, look at the rest of the thread or the gov.uk site. Or notapizzaeater's post above.

mikeyssister · 09/03/2018 13:46

@bruffin you're right I missed your point totally. Sorry.

mikeyssister · 09/03/2018 13:49

Talk about being selective @Celesti. The line immediately below your cut and paste:
Those who have a child aged under 18 must be the parent:

named on the child's birth certificate
named on the child's adoption certificate
with legal parental responsibility for a child under 18.
If employees are separated or don't live with the child, they have the right to parental leave if they keep formal parental responsibility for the child.

Parental leave should only be taken to care for the welfare of a child, for example an employee may wish to take leave to:

  • stay with a child who is in hospital
  • spend more time with a child
celesti · 09/03/2018 15:16

I wasn't being selective, I was responding to willow who said it wasn't for hospitalisation.

Oxfordblue · 09/03/2018 15:32

I don't understand why some posters are so cross with the OP for asking for something she's entitled to?

Could you answer angry posters? Confused

Oxfordblue · 09/03/2018 15:34

PS I'm desperate for an answer & planning my PL for next year when my DC finishes her GCSE's. And guess what, I work term time only 👯

Willow2017 · 09/03/2018 15:36

celeste you said it was for things like hospitals. Its not only for that.

Original poster
user1471461798 · 09/03/2018 15:54

Still no update, I shall involve HR if I haven’t heard by Monday! I’m not going to argue with posters who don’t agree with the reasons i’m doing this, as a) I really can’t be bothered b) they obviously haven’t read the post properly or don’t understand it and c) they are obviously a better employee than I am😏. I’ll think of them all when Im holiday with an extra £4500 pounds to spend- not!! I am now just doing it for the principal, I like and get on with all my colleagues, if they don’t have a problem, why should I worry about strangers opinions. I came on here to ask how to sort this, now I have realised hardly anyone knows how to use Parental Leave, I’m more determined to make sure my colleagues know about it.

OP posts:
FlippingFoal · 09/03/2018 15:59

You're not taking it in the spirit it is meant. It is there for you to attend appointments with school if your child is being bullied, help your child revise for exams, support them through crisis not related to sickness, take them to visit sick relatives - not to take a fucking holiday

RandomMess · 09/03/2018 16:03

@user1471461798 I am really glad you posted, I hadn't realised that the age limit had increased to 18. I am thrilled that if I want to spend extra time with my DC that this option is open to DH and I.

I work for a large employer and their policy is ask your head of department Confused

Original poster
user1471461798 · 09/03/2018 16:15

Flippingfoal, how do you know what the spirit intended was? Did you write it, because if you did, perhaps you should have written- You may take Parental Leave to attend appointments, but obviously you have to be a mind reader, as you have to give 3 weeks notice and you can only take it in blocks of weeks! Have you seen the new gcse papers? My daughter needs a break straight after her exams , not 3 months later, when she’s waiting to see if she’s got into the college she wants. Also the money we save can be used for all the things she requires for college, including the 1100 bill for bus fares a year, so if I can save a small fortune then I will try.

OP posts:
Original poster
user1471461798 · 09/03/2018 16:18

Forgot to add, all the things flippingfoal mentioned, ie bullying, helping to revise etc, don’t they all require time of in term time? So how would I be able to use it for that?

OP posts:
leghairdontcare · 09/03/2018 16:35

You're my kind of woman, OP. You should join a union and be a rep!

RandomMess · 09/03/2018 16:54

Tbh the only quality time I would get with my teen DC is if I took them on holiday!!! Not to mention time with each other etc

By the time DH and I have used leave for hospital, dental, orthodontists compulsory leAve over Easter and Christmas, family holiday would involve me taking PL!

EggysMom · 09/03/2018 17:29

A 3 week holiday to Florida really isn't in the spirit of what parental leave is intended for.

Celesti you are entitled to your opinion, but unpaid Parental Leave can be taken for any reason. You don't have to give a reason. You can simply request it. So it is entirely up to the OP whether she wants to take Parental Leave for a family holiday or not.

EggysMom · 09/03/2018 17:31

It is there for you to attend appointments with school

FlippingFoal you are entitled to your opinion, but unpaid Parental Leave can be taken for any reason. You don't have to give a reason. You can simply request it. So it is entirely up to the OP whether she wants to take Parental Leave for a family holiday or not.

Original poster
user1471461798 · 09/03/2018 17:33

UPDATE!! email from Manager, she acknowledges my email, but has to take advice and will email again next week, but she does want to see an amicable end apparently! So sit tight ladies, the end is nigh.

OP posts:
Willow2017 · 09/03/2018 17:33

Why would you take a week off work unpaid for one appiintment?

AlexanderHamilton · 09/03/2018 17:34

Keep us posted OP

celesti · 09/03/2018 17:35

I am now just doing it for the principal

I'm sorry, I didn't realise it was an American school. I thought it was UK parental leave, realise we've been talking at cross purposes.

Slightlyperturbedowlagain · 09/03/2018 17:35

Good to hear your update Smile

titchy · 09/03/2018 17:36

It is there for you to attend appointments with school

Given that parental leave has to be taken in one week blocks I'd say that it almost certainly isn't for school appointments.

titchy · 09/03/2018 17:37

It is UK celesti - lots of schools have principals. Confused