Refusing to work notice period

[quakerapple]

A member of my team has handed in her notice today. She is required to work a 4 week notice period.
She has 5 days annual leave left and has requested to take them before she leaves, meaning she wouldnt work the full notice period.
I have refused this as we need her in, we are incredibly shortstaffed.
She will be paid the 6 days annual leave in her final pay.
We are NHS. is this unreasonable ?

Do you need her to work the next 3 weeks? If so, I'd be inclined to approve the 1 week leave, otherwise you risk her leaving now.

I wasn't going to come back , but to clarify. She has leave oweing because she was on long term sick leave for a lot of last year and as a gesture of good will and to support her, I worked hard to make sure she could carry over more then the usual allowed. Because contrary to popular opinion, I am NOT an arsehole. I didn't say this because I don't want to be accused of drip feeding...again.
The leave she wants to take now is this years entitlement owed. She hasn't put in a leave request, she's just told me she's going.
I will allow it. I give in. You're all right, there is NOTHING I can do.

I will cover as I have been doing. In my own time and after hours. Im at work now and yet I finish at 5. I too have been in the NHS 25 years plus and I work hard, and value my staff.
I am hurt that I tried to accommodate and that I am trying to mitigate extra on my remaining poor team.... again.
I will leave the thread for good now.

When I've worked in the NHS and people have had leave remaining, they've taken it at the end of their notice period and its countrd toward the notice period. It was never an issue. I've never heard of anybody being told they couldn't do that, and I was there almost 20 years. I know things are more pressured now, but if she takes those final 5/6 days at the end of her months notice, you'll still have her for another 3 weeks. I do think it would be unreasonable not to allow this.

Edited to reflect the correct board

Your approach is wrong

Gosh its 5 days, let her go

I will cover as I have been doing. In my own time and after hours. Im at work now and yet I finish at 5. I too have been in the NHS 25 years plus and I work hard, and value my staff.

Stop being a martyr.

I’m assuming you are corporate based with the 5 o’clock finish. Yes understaffing in admin can be awful, but it’s not rare.

I am hurt that I tried to accommodate and that I am trying to mitigate extra on my remaining poor team.... again.

That is not the staff members fault. You can all only do what you can do. You need to get a grip and find a way to prioritise tasks. Look for any opportunities to streamline processes and workloads. I’ve had to do this in previous NHS roles.

Can you ask senior management for some admin bank staff? Also, have you informed HR/Workforce and recruitment that this staff member has handed their notice in so they can get the ball rolling with advertising the role on NHS Jobs? You know how slow they can be so you need to let them know now.

Stop staying late. This will have a knock on affect of your wellbeing and will trickle down into your team making the environment worser for everyone.

I’d be surprised if your NHS trust would want to pay annual leave considering the current finances of the NHS. It’s tough on the team
but you’ll be short staffed anyway until you can recruit and that will probably take 3 months by the time you get agreement to recruit and go through the process.

I wonder which NHS trust it is…

And ensure all the other staff are even MORE stressed & up against it?

Are you joking? We’re not all sit on your hands because we’re leaving, never felt happier. I’m going to a part time job my Employer was to short-sighted to ever entertain.

I offered more notice to my existing employer and am being so civil, only because they shall be entitled to deduct over payment of holiday come next month, who enjoyed starting an argument this morning. I’d like to work my notice in peace.

Feel for you op - if only the nhs was as hard to get out of as it is getting into it.

That's not her fault or her problem

My understanding is yes it’s common in the NHS to do this, however if it really doesn’t fit the service you can decline and just pay the extra. I may be wrong though. It’s often easier just to ok this. I think you need advice from HR

I am sorry I was just about to ask the poster who asked this question, if all trusts work the same with a/l

Incredibly kind to carry over leave, my public sector wouldn’t have allowed such a thing to begin with. Was off sick last year for a short period and was stripped of any remaining leave come the 31st March.

Sounds more that op doesn't like the person that's departing.

Saw the update
Thanks.

You're part of the problem - the reason why NHS staffing NEVER improves. Because people like you do the extra work on top of your own.

Stop it, they will never replace staff whilst they have existing staff playing martyrs and doing it on top of their own work (probably unpaid to boot).

More fool you.

Have some self-respect and stand up to your awful employer.