Annual leave/ part time

[Firsttimmummy]

Hey guys I need some advice so after maternity I returned to work part time all agreed etc however they seem to really hate the fact I am using annual leave.

All my work is up to date and they have said before "that I work full time x days a week" I work in a highly competitive job where I do work with clients etc and I do always email my clients on my days off and something with annual leave in the past however since having my LO I just don't have the time especially as I am now studying to qualify within my field (solicitor) so it's alot on.

My main issue I never been able to say no in the past and now I need too but my question am I entitled to annual leave because I do work part time? I had a few comments saying i don't work enough even tho I'm in the office for the days I'm in. I ask for cover also when I'm on annual leave and my emails are ignored and I get it's frustrating for my colleagues and that's why I sometimes work on my day off to avoid any more strain.

Are you in the UK? And employed by this company? Eg not a contractor etc

If yes to the above, of course you're entitled to annual leave. It will be pro rata due to the part time.

If you work 3 days and a full timer gets 30 days, you would be entitled to 18 days. If the length of your days isn't the same as a full timer, it's probably best to work in hours rather than days.

When you went part time you should have signed a new contract that set out your holiday entitlement.

Is someone actually telling you you aren't entitled to annual leave? Or are they telling you you've taken too much? What do HR say, or the person who you are booking this annual leave with say?

Of course you are entitled to annual leave as a part timer. You should get a proportion of what full time staff get. How many hours/days do you work?

If for e.g. you work 3 days then you'd get ⅗ of the holidays that full time staff get including ⅗ of the bank holidays

Sorry, just picked up that you've said 'they said ' I work full time over X days'. Do you do compressed hours, so full time hours but over less days, so maybe 4 longer days that add up to the same hours as 5 standard days?

In which case you get the same number of annual leave hours as a full timer.

I'm surprised a solicitor doesn't know how annual leave entitlement works - I thought that was a legal thing?

Beyond the legal requirements it sounds like you have a work culture expectation to be 'on' even on non working days. Have you spoken to any other women at your firm who are further down the family route? They may have useful advice on how to manage expectations. One thing I would consider is going back to full time - why get paid part time if you are working more?

but my question am I entitled to annual leave because I do work part time?

I thought you said you are using annual leave?

You can't possibly think part time workers are never entitled to it?

Of course you're entitled to PTO. However, is their complaint more related to team capacity? Plenty of teams need to ensure there's adequate cover at all times/during busy periods. Try to get to the root of the issue. In terms of your clients you do need to be clear when you're unavailable (at least where I am) as a matter of courtesy. It's not that you always have to be on call but it's best to clearly communicate when you're unavailable.

I'm constantly being harassed on annual leave and I had a few comments saying I'm hardly there and now they are nick picking everything I am doing so I suspect they're trying to get rid of me as they started doing it with someone else too.

Time to look for a new job. They are not respecting your right to able to switch off from work on days off or annual leave.
They are not respecting you have other priorities in your life as well as work.

You are absolutely entitled to the same number of weeks annual leave (pro rata) as someone full-time.

Get out as soon as possible, they don't like part time workers and it's not going to get any better

If you work in the UK you have a legal entitlement to annual leave.

This should be allocated to you pro rata to your full time hours.

E.g if you were entitled to 28 days leave full time and you now work 3 days per year your leave should be 0.6 x 28 = 16.8 days per year.

I'm still waiting for my contract and they seem to think that my full time hours can be worked in 3 days which isn't possible. I'm feeling rather drained. I have been looking other jobs but it's hard to find one with my LO xx