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?

They can decline the time requested - they don’t have to agree to those dates

The issue here is trying to match a day's wages to a day's childcare costs. In reality, wages are earned across the month/year and childcare should be budgeted across the whole year as well. So that you're outting some earnings aside in January to cover childcare costs in August. In the same way as you might save some money towards a summer holiday.
At lower wages, this becomes more difficukt when living more hand to mouth.
But it's choices like this (childcare costs outweighing primary carer daily net pay) that lead to primary carers dropping out of careers and winding up with poorer employment prospects and pension provisions.
To the OP - in my organisation it would be considered, but if I had just recrtuited you into a role that needed doing, and had turned down other employable candidates, only to have to try and find another way to cover a whole month just after you'd started and got up to speed, I'd likely be regretting my decision.
If you have a partner, maybe they should be the one taking extended leave this year while you get off to a good start.

It wouldn't work in our team ( nhs). Annual leave for the summer holidays has been fully booked since January. No one would be given unpaid leave if they requested it, we are at capacity.

Why can’t you take 2 weeks AL each? You’ll still have 3 weeks AL to use elsewhere -

2 weeks AL it much easier to accommodate that a 4 week block

So his salary more than covers childcare.

why doesn’t he pay so you don’t need leave?

why does the childcare have to come out of your salary?

I agree with this. He should do it if affordable. Or at least split it between you.
unless you work in industry that’s very quiet in August

I think as long as you’re transparent at the interview stage, and let them know that you’ll need regular time off during school holidays due to childcare issues, then there shouldn’t be a problem, because they can take it into account when making their decision on the successful applicant. By you taking a chunk of the school holidays it might affect those having to cover, who might also have wanted time off with their children. The employer will want to be fair to all their employees I would imagine.

There's nothing wrong with the reason you're requesting it, but most employers would delay the leave until after the summer holidays for (entirely valid and legitimate) operational reasons of needing cover over the summer holidays.

You are unlikely to bevallowed to take a block of 4 weeks parental (or annual) leave in one go in the summer holidays this year or any other year.

You need to put money away to cover holiday childcare year round, and you need to split leave (including parental leave) with your partner.

Edit: Sorry, just realised you're not the OP

I work in public sector and OP would not be able to take this leave in the summer holidays where I work. In exceptional circumstances with a lot of notice, perhaps yes.

DH on the other hand works in the private sector and would most likely have the leave approved, if he hasn’t just started the job.

Not sure why you’re trying to generalise over a couple of comments?

Tbh if the new team’s work practices allow 4 weeks off unpaid in the summer chances are they’ll be fine with a sept start.

i am public sector and we are only allowed a certain number of staff off at one time. August is booked a year in advance. So it would not be allowed here.

i know your dh is higher paid but look at the options- he loses 3 weeks pay. If you don’t get this job because you need leave then you aren’t working and you’ll soon be down more than those 3 weeks. So you’re better off if you are working and he takes the three weeks unpaid, than you are if you aren’t working at all.

@PinkFrogss it just felt like the general consensus from public sector was give it a try. Having said that I’m in Agriculture and it’s not exactly an industry known for its forward thinking family policy!

I hire lots of people and this wouldn’t cause me any concern at all. If it does, is that the kind of employer you want to work for?

Surely it depends on the role though?

we provide a service and we can’t just have everyone up and leave in August. People still need us to be working.

Your DH earns £100k yet you can’t afford holidays clubs for a few weeks?

My eldest cannot go to holiday clubs and our childminder is unavailable for 4 weeks of this summer. So while the cost is a factor we would pay if that’s all it was.

You need to either arrange childcare or put back your start date.

Because labour hate businesses

It may be a day 1 right but dont be surprised if your new employer finds a 'reason' why you didn't pass probation
You're setting yourself up to be screwed over basically.

Thanks all. Lots to consider, people very firmly in one camp or another, not many in the middle ground. I’ll have a think 🙂

It doesn't sound as if you can do this job OP. It's not just the summer holidays, it's all of them. They go on and on.

Does your childminder cover the other school holidays?

So you take 2 weeks a/l and your DP takes 2 weeks a/l, childminder covers the final 2 weeks.

They are much more likely to be OK with a fair 2 weeks annual leave than 4 weeks parental leave. You are highly unlikely to be able to take large chunks of parental leave in the prime, desirable school holiday period, because it is unfair to other staff.

I had holiday booked when I took on. My last job. I suggested starting after my holiday, which was a month in Thailand. They said no start Sap and take that time off. I worked 6 days then was off for a month. I didn't receive holiday pay which was 100% right.

Can I suggest you say you have holiday booked ie don't request parental leave? If they want you they'll either wait until after your hols or like my ex-employer, get you in asap.

This will sound daft, but this makes sense and hadn’t really occurred to me. I suppose I can alway use parental leave later in the year if absolutely needed, but probably wouldn’t as childminder would be available for a lot of it.

Luckily I’m on the leadership team and this will approve my own leave and happily lead by example for junior staff to follow

Pretty poorly. Parental leave is not there to cover holidays- giving the message that school holidays are very difficult for you will be detrimental.

the employer legally has to grant parental leave but not necessarily when you choose it

sorru to be blunt but how to cover holidays when working is something that you need work out before you have kids. Appreciate that circumstance can change. We have spent a fortune on holiday clubs over the years. Eventually when kids get to 8+ (assuming you can wfh) it gets easier.