How is requesting four weeks’ unpaid parental leave after starting a new job viewed?

[Tryingtohelp12]

Hi
I’m currently in a FTC that finishes in May so on the look out for something new.

I’ve seen something I’d like to apply for but the issue is the summer holidays would start about 8 weeks after starting. I would need to request 4 weeks unpaid parental leave, as I have 3 children and my wage would not cover the cost of the childcare, plus due to my eldest sen needs he can’t go to a general summer club as it’s too overwhelming and can only go to family or my childminder (she’s known him since before he was 1), and last year she decided to cut down her working hours and only work 2 weeks in the holidays so she is unavailable for a big chunk of summer.

from 6 April requesting parental leave becomes a day 1 right but I just wanted opinions on how it will really be recieved?

Pretty poorly. Normally it has to be taken at a time mutually convenient, within a time period of when you ask for it (six months I think) if the employer postpones it. You're basically taking a job you can't actually do.

I dont no if you can force your employer to accept 4 weeks in one block like that so id double check that. And id say it’d be viewed quite poorly, its a big block when you are new in a job

Would it not be better to simply give your starting date as 1 September or whenever you can start?

tbh most new jobs take a fair while to get the paperwork started.

You can’t force an employer to take it when you want to, block or not. And people have likely booked up the summer holidays already so the chances of approval are slim.

Why don’t you discuss this at application? Then they have the full facts and can decide from there? You won’t know if you don’t ask, some employers are very flexible for the right candidate.

Extremely poorly - th company will be hiring because they need someone to do the job and it delays you becoming effective for a month.

Also how will it work going forward? Are you likely to need all school holidays off?

are you a lone parent? Can’t the children’s father take on some of the holidays?

when you say “my wage doesn’t cover childcare” does holiday care exceed your entire monthly income?

In my area of the public sector the manager might sigh a bit internally but honestly they wouldn't hold it against you as it's your right and people do stuff like this all the time. Unless there was a really strong reason why it was essential you were in the office during August compared to a different month then it would be approved.

Badly. We hire because we need someone to do the job.

It's not great. They aren't obligated to oblige. It's not a medical emergency for example. I would suggest delaying your start date? What happens with your workload during these holidays? There could be other parents there who have annual leave booked already. How are you going to manage all the holidays moving forward?

You wouldn't be entitled to parental leave under 1 year of service anyway.

Edit - ignore! Just seen this changes as of 6th April 2026 where you are entitled from day 1 of employment 😊

Well, they’re not going to welcome the idea with open arms.

Holiday rotas will already be worked out for the peak time and you’d be leaving them short. That would be a reasonable reason for them not to accommodate it at peak time.

Just because you have the right to request it doesn’t mean it has to be given on those dates. They can ask you to take it at another time within six months if they have a valid reason.

Is this your plan for every holiday? How much does dad cover? I think you’d be better looking for a new childminder who can do all the hours as previously.

There’s 13 weeks of school holidays, what is your plan going forward. It isn’t your employers problem so you are likely to be look down upon

Woukd you expect this every summer? Are you a lone parent - if not then why can’t your DP request AL? You could request AL too

This changes in April this year and become a day 1 right.

If you started a job in May would you need half term off too?

Can you afford to start a new job in September instead?

You can request it from day one of your employment but the employer doesn’t have to give it at the time you want if it disrupts the business needs.

A right to request, but the employer has a right to decline

For those asking where they’d go the other weeks of the year, presumably the childminder that she mentions in her OP, who has decided to do two weeks in summer holidays - hence why OP needs four weeks, to cover the six week summer holidays.

I work public sector, and I don’t think it’d be frowned upon in my organisation. They’re very family-friendly.

I’m confused why it’s becoming a day 1 right if the overwhelming view is it would be perceived poorly. Re the rest of the hols, yes but I would then also have my annual leave to use on other hols rather than using it all in the summer if that makes sense. Yes I have a partner we each get 5 weeks, so there are still 3 weeks not covered, and it means we would never be off together.
re childcare yes childcare costs would be approx £125 a day (using tax free childcare), and my daily wage would be £124 per day before tax (it is a 9-3 role), so after tax -£25 per day.

thanks for the feedback, it’s very hard to balance it all.

It’s becoming a right so you have the right to request it. Bizarre that you think that would change everyone’s opinion towards it. And it’s the fact that it’s 4 weeks all at once so soon into a new job, it’s not like you are even a single parent or have no other options.

I can’t imagine it going down well. I believe they can refuse it and it’s not going to look good, especially as there’s a chance a lot of staff have already booked holiday.

Also depending on the role, expect a fair bit of eye rolling from your colleagues.

I presume you have a probation period - it’s going to be awkward if those weeks are during that, plus, whilst they can’t actually discriminate, they may feel it impacts your performance.

I wouldn't have a view other than that it might be slightly non-ideal from a settling in perspective. It's not something I would get very excited about though and I don't think many or any of my colleagues would either.

I wouldn't necessarily take the vociferous responses you have had so far as being statistically representative.

Probably be best to be upfront at application. Also do you have any flexibility over the 4 weeks you want to take? As August can be quiet in many firms anyway so they may not mind or find it difficult to work around. Obviously if it’s your legal right to request this leave there’s not much they can do, but I think better to be honest as most managers appreciate that.

Maternity leave is a right as well but many employers don’t like it either, especially when people take back to back leaves.

You have a right to ask for it but I don’t know a single employer who would consider it a positive