Negotiating Annual Leave

[SharpestBulb]

I am at interview stage for a job I'd really like to get - lots of great things about it - apart from the woeful Annual Leave.

Have you negotiated AL? I'd rather take a slight pay cut and have a few more says AL. Anyone advise?

If you get offered the job you can be very enthusiastic about the job and company but say something simple like your current job has 25 days plus BH and can they match that? If they say no, you can ask about buying some days.

I don't think there is anything wrong with asking politely and at the right stage. Even if they say no it's informed on what their candidates/staff might expected.

That's very poor AL. I would think if they don't value their employees time off and wellbeing is it somehwere you really want to work?

Assuming it's a US company maybe.

Where I work we get 25 days, 30 after 5 years, plus all bank holidays. We also have the option of buying up to an extra 2 weeks, which I always do.

I get that, but why negotiate anything! People negotiate pay, so why not this.

I used to work somewhere where two companies had merged. One had more AL than the other. For several years, they didn't merge the AL allowance, people just accepted they'd come to the merged company with the terms of their original contract. Eventually those with the worst AL were caught up with the others. I was new to the merged company, I got the better AL to start with. Odd!

Everything else is really good! They have health care, and commuity support days, and various team-building freebies (that actually sound excellent!), flexible working, hybrid. I just can't believe the leave.

I am happy enough with the salary, actually, I just want a little extra leave.

It's not a US company, it is British.

I’ve had jobs with 28 days to 43 days leave! It varies wildly.

It is over statutory, but I’d be a bit cautious… in all honesty, even with statutory holiday, you get paid to not be at work for over 10% of your salaried hours, which doesn’t feel so bad to me - my friend in the USA gets 10 days a year, so I feel quite lucky really.

But anyone talking about needing more holidays at interview would put me off a bit… I’d wait until after the offer!

Definitely wait until you get an offer before asking about extra annual leave, otherwise you risk them thinking you want to always be on holiday (even though you don’t, given the low AL).

If you asked at interview, and they were deliberating between two great candidates, they would probably go with the one who didn’t ask, all else being equal.

If you wait until offer stage, it’s at the point that they definitely want you, and will do what they can to make sure their first choice joins.

22 days seems like an odd number of days to me. Are you sure that the 3 days at Christmas come out of the 22 and are not in addition? If in addition that would take you to 25 which seems more normal.

Definitely wait until offer stage. If you do decline the role for it, please give it as feedback. Where I work we finally managed to get a better AL package agreed- in part due to feedback from candidates and exit interviews saying how rubbish our annual leave offering was in comparison to our competitors.

According to Glassdoor, yes, the AL is 22 days with three being used up over Xmas-NY.
I would be fine with working out a day amount to lose in pay, to earn a day of leave, if it comes to it. Some people may value the money more, and whilst I obviously do need the money, I also need time with my children. I am not averse to slogging my guts out when I am in work, and I'd do an excellent job. I think a company that prides itself on family friendliness, and being a great employer, really ought to be a teeny bit more generous with AL,

Thanks for the feedback.