My boss is a total cow

[babycham75]

Evening.
I'm seething.
My "big" boss has informed me and my colleagues today that we won't be allowed to apply for any leave over the Christmas period until one of us volunteers to work on Boxing Day, outside our contracted hours. It wouldn't be paid and we would only get the time back.
Can she legally do this?

Who would normally work in Wednesday’s? Should they not be doing it if neither you nor colleague normally work that day?

Sorry, no idea about the legalities though, hopefully someone likeFlowery will be along soon to help

Cheeky, why can't she work it, sounds like blackmail and a cheap option, normally you'd be paid, unless the time back day is a day you want off like n.y.e, or n.y.d, then I would just keep quiet. If it's in the care sector or public sector then many places don't allow annual leave over the Christmas and N.Y. holidays which always pisses the staff off. Legally I'd get in touch with your union or ACAS.

I'm calling my local UNISON rep tomorrow

Exactly what does your contract state about bank holidays?

I'll have to dig it out

Is someone already on shift to work that day, why do you have to volunteer.

Why can't the staff member/s who usually work that day of the week work on boxing bay?

An employer can refuse applications for annual leave if it wants to.

This is very bad practice, better practice would be to incentivise someone to work by paying extra. But if your employer has the right to refuse holiday requests, which it will do, then you can't force anyone to approve them.

I assume there is a good reason the person who would normally work Boxing Day can't do it?

It's a bit of a story.
This was only put in place a few years ago - we were asked to volunteer and did so - it's just that no one is able to this year, and boss is refusing any Xmas leave requests until someone steps in.
It just strikes me as very unreasonable

What sort of work is it. Why can't the boss step in this year.

Why is it unreasonable? It sounds like whatever she does, she will make someone very unhappy. At least this way she is allowing for staff to discuss between themselves and come up with a compromise that is the less of two evils.

Is the business opened every bank holidays? Maybe you could agree amongst yourself that whoever works that day gets the two Easter Bank Holiday off or even these two and May Bank Holidays?

What do you expect your boss to do if closing on boxing day is not an option?

What kind of business is it? Who is her boss?

If it's a business it should shut on boxing day!! Is it a hospital

Probably a shop. People love to say businesses should shut yet set their alarms up to be first in those shops to get 'bargains' :(

Read your holiday procedure, most will state that leave will only be granted if it suits the business.

As to be expected to work without pay, that's the thing to go after.

Suin. Just because it's a business it doesn't mean it should or could shut all day on Boxing Day.

What about 24 hour banks, manufacturing of essential products, farmers who produce milk etc. The country doesn't shut because it's Christmas.

As others have said you'll bees to check your contract. Have you done your fair share? Use that as an extra excuse if you have
Can you leave? What sort of work is it?

Don't really want to say to much as it could be very outing.
Yes it's NHS.

If it's nhs you need to read your contract about bank holiday working, rates of pay, time in lieu. Your unison rep will know all this. I am surprised the nhs even allow annual leave over the bank holiday,days, IME they don't grant it unless it's for very special circumstances. If you have to work bank holiday then you would normally get paid extra, what about transport or childcare issues. Maybe there should be a Rota system, if this is a regular thing each year.