Advice needed.

[PrettyPinkFlowerss]

I’m just in a bit of a pickle, in hopes some of yous can help a woman out!

so Iv been working for a company for 2 years, we had a new manager 1 year ago and since it’s been unbearable!

hours needed to be cut, so without my knowings my manager was putting holidays in to make up the hours that I had lost, when it came to my attention I asked her to stop as I needed the holidays for personal use.

roll on a year later, I am currently on sick leave as the place is mentally destroying me.
im not entitled to sick pay 0 hour contract and they don’t pay it but the first week of my leave I had a unexpected pay, phoned payroll to pay it back as I know I wasn’t entitled to it, they told me they’d sort it and haven’t heard anything back.

spoke with the area manager and said if I can’t move stores I feel my only option is to leave for my own sake.
they tells me I’m in a negative in my holidays and if I left I owe them x money.

i actually owe them ALOT for negative holidays I did not ask for, asked them to take the money back and they never did and it’s causing me unnessasary stress, so my question is would I have to pay this back in full like they are asking? I’m currently on benefits and can not afford the full amount they are asking for.
would it go to a debt collectors?
I plan on calling them back but would like to know where I stand before hand.

im aware I have to pay it back, but them demanding it in full is my issue here.

How would you normally book holidays , does it give you a way you can prove you didn't book them ?
Ie no email / text sent .

While on the face of it , it looks like your manger was trying to be helpful by making sure you didn't go short on money , this would be classed as misconduct in my ( and I suspect many other) companies protocols .

You have a couple of points you could argue;
Even though you dont have a set hours contract you should of been informed that your normal hours have been reduced ( presuming you do on average the same hrs each week )
The hrs that you were in work that your were not meant to be means you will not of been insured or protected by any work regulations, that could of caused huge issues if something went wrong/you / someone was hurt.

Email payroll and your manger re the overpayment and the fact that you tried to sort it out then but was ignored.

I'd fight it if I was in your position .
Whether you leave or not it needs to be sorted out.
If they absolutely insist on the money been paid back make sure it's on your terms, even if that's just £1 a week / month.

We book holidays through paper BUT the manager insists on doing it. So haven’t filled out a paper holiday in a year.
so I don’t have proof of any of this.

discussed this with area manager, he just said they are your holidays to take when need and nothing further.
my manager never seems to get any consequences unfortunately.

but will do that, thank you!

So if you book them by writing it down ask them for proof , where is the copy that you signed?. Obviously they won't have one so you can say you did not authorise you taking them ( badly worded but you know what I mean )
Or even worse your signature has been forged !

Your area manager is right they are your holidays to take when you need them , not for someone else to decide you need them to make up a shortage of hrs.

Just think if you had been aware of your cut in hrs you may of wanted to look for another job so they have taken that choice away from you , stand your ground !