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Original poster

Pre-booked holiday I forgot to mention

38 replies

Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 06:50

Hi,

I'm starting quite a big new job at the beginning of August. I have a holiday booked in early September for one week and I completely forgot to mention it during the interview and negotiation process. There was quite a lot of other stuff to sort out as part of the negotiation, and the holiday was booked ages ago and just slipped my mind. It is a week in UK staying at a few Airbnb (most of which can be fully cancelled for free).

This is a big opportunity for me and I want to really live up to it and don't want to make wrong impression early on. But I also don't want my family to miss out on the holiday - I have a small child.
What would you do ?

OP posts:
Flipslop · 07/06/2025 06:52

How long into the new job would it he until the holiday?

Mumdiva99 · 07/06/2025 06:52

Let family holiday without you or move the holiday to before the job starts.

LlynTegid · 07/06/2025 06:53

Have a conversation, have a plan if the answer is no to the September leave (which you seem to have in any case and will not lose much money).

MascaraGirl · 07/06/2025 06:53

tell them immediately, its only one week!

Hadalifeonce · 07/06/2025 06:53

I would let them know asap, the longer you leave it, the worse it will feel.
Just say, that wth everything else happening with the new start, you completely forgot to mention you had a family holiday booked from X date to y date.

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 06:55

Flipslop · 07/06/2025 06:52

How long into the new job would it he until the holiday?

6 weeks

OP posts:
WaltzingWaters · 07/06/2025 06:55

When you say small child, how small? Are they old enough to realise? If you can cancel and get most of your money back, could you just rearrange it for another time? Or is that going to mess up other people’s already booked AL?

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 06:56

Mumdiva99 · 07/06/2025 06:52

Let family holiday without you or move the holiday to before the job starts.

Would be sad not to go and the Airbnb which are a little special to us (not fancy but places that mean someone to us) aren't available at other time

OP posts:
Hercisback1 · 07/06/2025 06:56

Tell them now.

Flipslop · 07/06/2025 06:57

Rather than say you forgot which might sounds disorganised, could you tell a white lie and say your other half booked it as a surprise and has just told you? Also say you understand if it has to be cancelled

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 06:59

Yes you are all right - I just need to tell them and see if/how we can work this. I'm just annoyed at myself for forgetting.

OP posts:
beasmithwentworth · 07/06/2025 07:02

How long ago did you accept the job? I work in recruitment and at offer / acceptance stage we always ask if someone has holidays booked and just send the dates over. They are always honoured even if someone hasn’t accrued enough holiday by the time the holiday takes place.

That said this is normally done at the paperwork signing stage. I still think it will be do able but yes saying you forgot might look a bit forgetful. There will be a way round it but you just need to think about how it’s presented.

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 07:06

WaltzingWaters · 07/06/2025 06:55

When you say small child, how small? Are they old enough to realise? If you can cancel and get most of your money back, could you just rearrange it for another time? Or is that going to mess up other people’s already booked AL?

Nearly four. Just feel family time extremely important and the following year they'll be at school so booked to make the most of doing a trip out of term time.

But I really think first impressions are important in the new job and I'll possibly be mentoring people and taking on new people into my team by then.

OP posts:
MsBette · 07/06/2025 07:12

Did they not ask you if you have holidays booked? I always ask my interviewees at the interview.

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 07:14

beasmithwentworth · 07/06/2025 07:02

How long ago did you accept the job? I work in recruitment and at offer / acceptance stage we always ask if someone has holidays booked and just send the dates over. They are always honoured even if someone hasn’t accrued enough holiday by the time the holiday takes place.

That said this is normally done at the paperwork signing stage. I still think it will be do able but yes saying you forgot might look a bit forgetful. There will be a way round it but you just need to think about how it’s presented.

I accepted it about a month ago and am working my 3 month notice with current employer. Yes I think the difficult bit is how to present it - as I don't want to be that person bringing problems before I even start, but then I'd have no problem with anyone else starting and have a pre booked holiday shortly after.

OP posts:
EleanorReally · 07/06/2025 07:15

you will have been working 6 weeks, it is fine imo

Hercisback1 · 07/06/2025 07:16

Good idea to present it as a surprise. Say he was going to keep it a secret but told you now because of the job?

MissHollysDolly · 07/06/2025 07:17

just let them know that the week has become available for you to go on holiday when it wasn’t before. Give them options - let them know you can take it from your annual leave allowance, you’re open to taking unpaid leave for the week if that’s a problem (eg parental leave) or you can delay your start date.

Original poster
Multiplenames3 · 07/06/2025 07:18

MsBette · 07/06/2025 07:12

Did they not ask you if you have holidays booked? I always ask my interviewees at the interview.

No they didn't ask. The whole offer process was a bit weird and very slow. They use HR contractor in US ( the company is based there) and she was very slow at getting contract to me and getting the verbal offer in writing took a while (their legal team was very busy) .

OP posts:
lilydragon · 07/06/2025 07:23

I do find it really annoying when people we hire don’t mention anything about upcoming holidays at the interview stage and then arrive and announce it, usually it also coincides with Christmas or other peak periods where we have had to tell some existing team members they can’t take holiday as not everyone can be off at the same time so it then seems really unfair that the newest hire is getting leave at a popular time. That said, September is out of term time so it’s probably fine. I would tell them asap but at the same time offer to cancel it if it’s not convenient for them etc etc. 99% chance they won’t make you cancel it but I think it sounds better/less entitled than just saying you forgot to mention it but need to take it.

user1471465608 · 07/06/2025 07:28

Can’t you just request the leave now without mentioning you have already booked a holiday? If you’re worried about that looking bad. Presumably you can either take it or not? It’s only June now so plenty of notice.

Handbagcuriosity · 07/06/2025 07:29

Why don’t you say that you’ve been looking at holidays as it’s your last chance for a term time holiday and you’ve found a week I. September and would they be happy for you to book. That way it doesn’t look like you’ve forgotten? When I started my job I had a week in then a week on leave and they were fine with it. I did tell them at interview but jay sharing that as I don’t think it’s unreasonable to go on leave 6 weeks into a job.

Bellavida99 · 07/06/2025 07:34

I’d put it back on them and say “I realise you haven’t asked me if I have any holidays booked but just to let you know I’m away from x-x September “

GAJLY · 07/06/2025 07:34

They will honour it because it was booked before you took on the job. I'd contact hr and explain that you're informing them of a holiday that was already booked before you accepted the job offer. You need to do it now, otherwise it looks too suspicious if you leave it until your start date. It also give them plenty of time to arrange cover, if any is needed.

NomNomNominativeDeterminism · 07/06/2025 07:55

Less is more. Don’t present at it as problem or a slip-up (yours for not raising it or theirs for not asking you) and it won’t leave that impression. ‘Dear HR / boss, I am looking forward to starting this job on blah date. I have a pre-booked family holiday in the UK on blah de blah dates, may I take it, I can cancel it if necessary but I would appreciate it if I could take this time as annual leave.’ But with punctuation.

If they ask why you didn’t mention it before - but why would they waste their time on this, when you haven’t made an issue out if it - you were focussed on the job opportunity, interview process and meeting them, and not on your holiday. You would be very grateful if they can accommodate your request but understand if it is not possible.