Dodgy / illegal? Employer wants us to take holiday now - or fake it

[Edgyandstressed]

Officially, my employer is asking us take to the bulk of our holiday time in the first half of this year. This will improve reported profitability when revenues return (hopefully) in the second half.

Unofficially, all managers are asking staff to book time off in H1 in our payroll system but have an informal log of when people actually take leave. Eg: officially book time off in May, but actually take it in July. This is being suggested for people like me who have school-age kids.

What should I do? My employer is not guaranteeing future employment, nor if they will stand by their generous enhanced redundancy package. In the worst case, I could lose my job with no payment for accrued holiday time and statutory redundancy which my family can't live on.

there are also barristers who specialise in employment law

I didn't say there weren't, just that personally I would go for a solicitor!

Thanks for the advice and apologies OP for what's turned into a big old hijack of your original thread. But the 2Q 75% vacation 'acceleration' requirement still stands, though I won't be taking it myself.

I'm afraid I don't know the difference between a barrister and a solicitor, but I definitely need to get someone teed up for a letter. Which I won't send until company confirms redundancy. Have asked a colleague (who's also been put at risk) to join 1st consultancy mtg tomorrow which is with 2 x HR + line manager. Yes they are looking to move very quickly.

Surprised they are not obliged to tell us how many are being put at risk though, how will we know if it's over 20 or under 20 (and we have no clue about redundancies in other parts of the company either). Especially when everyone's sitting at home and not together in the office. Ugh.

A solicitor does all the legal work. A barrister presents a case in court. In most employment cases a solicitor is more than sufficient.

Speaking as an accountant of some decades experience, your employer is talking bollocks, and is trying to baffle you with bullshit.