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What are my rights in regards to booking holiday?

MattDMattD
in Not Sports Related
So, ideally id like to go on as many short breaks away as I can, typically 4 days or so I can go to loads of different places.
Working on shifts makes this a bit awkward as I dont have set days off.

When it comes to booking time off, a few people have been up to see the boss already about short breaks, 2 days here and there. He has been requesting that they book off the entire week in which they want those days off. Obviously, that a quarter of the holiday allowance gone in one go, which is not ideal.

Just wondering where I stand on this when I go up to speak to him about mine, because I certainly dont want to book full weeks off when I dont need them.

Comments

  • cafc999cafc999
    you should be able to book as much, or as little time off, providing that it is within your allowance as you wish.
  • iainmentiainment
    Depends on your conditions of employment and how much latitude your employer gives to their managers.
    Sounds like it might be a union issue.
  • MattDMattD
    We are only a small company, about 10 us in total working on the floor.

    I think the reason behind it is so that we dont get short of people on the floor and makes it easier for him to sort out holiday. Just wondering if I can say no I dont want that.
  • Henry IrvingHenry Irving
    edited January 2017
    Read your contract first.

    He's entitled to cite company need to cover but it's a bit unreasonable to say you have to take a full week.

    Maybe offer to cover for others or to have a pairing system so you dont take leave when others do.
  • MrOneLungMrOneLung
    Check your contract.
    Mine used to state I had to take at least one full week within the year but that was not compulsory to have five days at a time.

    What about days off for weddings, funerals or medical appointments?

    This sounds unworkable to me unless already in your contract.
  • DaveMehmetDaveMehmet
    The problem may be that booking lots of odd days here and there means that other members of staff are limited when booking whole weeks as you're off?
  • BaldybonceBaldybonce
    MattD said:

    We are only a small company, about 10 us in total working on the floor.

    I think the reason behind it is so that we dont get short of people on the floor and makes it easier for him to sort out holiday. Just wondering if I can say no I dont want that.

    You've hit the nail on the head there. It's easier for the company if the staff are not having random days off here ,there and everywhere. Try adding days to bank holidays.
  • RedChaserRedChaser
    edited January 2017
    You can always say 'No I don't want that' but it depends as others have said what is in your contract of employment Matt. Also if you like your job, you don't want things to get acrimonious especially as it's a small company which relies on a good team spirit. If others have been refused on valid grounds however it's unlikely your boss is going to say yes to your request.

    All you can do is ask for a chat with the owner in private, keep your cool and see if there is an amicable compromise as to the way forward. If no joy and this is the straw that breaks the camel's back in terms of the employer / employee relationship maybe it's time to look elsewhere for another job.

    Drastic action though if you are happy with everything else at work and if it were my son asking me for advice I would say that in the overall scheme of things you are just going to have to suck it up mate.
  • bobmunrobobmunro
    Baldybonce said:

    MattD said:

    We are only a small company, about 10 us in total working on the floor.

    I think the reason behind it is so that we dont get short of people on the floor and makes it easier for him to sort out holiday. Just wondering if I can say no I dont want that.

    You've hit the nail on the head there. It's easier for the company if the staff are not having random days off here ,there and everywhere. Try adding days to bank holidays.
    Yes it is easier for the company, especially a small one of 10 employees where if two are off it reduces the workforce by 20%.

    To your first point - no, you can't say 'no I don't want that'. By law you are entitled to a minimum of 28 days holiday (public holidays can be part of that total) but by law your employer can determine when and how those holidays are taken.
  • cabblescabbles
    2016 was particularly good for me - I took a total of 8 days. 2 for Cheltenham, 2 for Bristol Rovers, 1 for a stag to Cork and 3 were taken off me automatically because we shut for Xmas

    I've got no life
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  • RedChaserRedChaser
    edited January 2017
    cabbles said:

    2016 was particularly good for me - I took a total of 8 days. 2 for Cheltenham, 2 for Bristol Rovers, 1 for a stag to Cork and 3 were taken off me automatically because we shut for Xmas

    I've got no life

    #hownottomakemattfeelbetter :wink:
  • cabblescabbles
    I'm already looking at a brighter 2017. Oldham (Valentine's night) and Shrewsbury in the diary

    Big things
  • Covered EndCovered End
    cabbles said:

    2016 was particularly good for me - I took a total of 8 days. 2 for Cheltenham, 2 for Bristol Rovers, 1 for a stag to Cork and 3 were taken off me automatically because we shut for Xmas

    I've got no life

    You must be owed 20 then. Take a month off.
  • RedChaserRedChaser
    Covered End said:

    cabbles said:

    2016 was particularly good for me - I took a total of 8 days. 2 for Cheltenham, 2 for Bristol Rovers, 1 for a stag to Cork and 3 were taken off me automatically because we shut for Xmas

    I've got no life

    You must be owed 20 then. Take a month off.
    A bit harsh I've heard the phrase 'have a day off' levelled at me a few times, justified mind you :wink: .
  • bazjonsterbazjonster
    Send him for some Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness training!! As long as he gets the time off he wants though!!
  • HartleypeteHartleypete
    Come on Katrien you can't keep buggering off every other weekend.
  • creepyaddickcreepyaddick
    You must have a shift pattern though, don't you? What about those working opposite shifts, can't they cover for you?
  • ricky_ottoricky_otto
    Put your dates in for the time you want off and see what happens.

    It's unreasonable to expect you to take an entire week when you only want a couple of days off. It's your annual leave - does the boss take an entire week off when he only wants a couple of days off?

    F**k it, just go sick.......
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    working for a small firm myself my boss prefers me to just let him know when im not here at the start of the year, end of the day its my annual leave think the only legal requirments for holiday are you have to give 4 x the holiday amount of notice to request and they have to give you 2 x the holiday amount if its denied.
  • AlgarveaddickAlgarveaddick
    When I was single and had no interest in going on holiday as such, I used to do the same - book days for recovering from all-dayers, going to football, going to weekenders etc. I always made sure my job was covered. When it was questioned by others who had families, I pointed out that I didn't go away at all during the school summer holidays, or Christmas or Easter, and that I would be happy to use my seniority over them to book a couple of weeks in July or August, and one at Christmas if my lifestyle was upsetting them. They never complained again...
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  • IAIA
    MattD said:

    So, ideally id like to go on as many short breaks away as I can, typically 4 days or so I can go to loads of different places.
    Working on shifts makes this a bit awkward as I dont have set days off.

    When it comes to booking time off, a few people have been up to see the boss already about short breaks, 2 days here and there. He has been requesting that they book off the entire week in which they want those days off. Obviously, that a quarter of the holiday allowance gone in one go, which is not ideal.

    Just wondering where I stand on this when I go up to speak to him about mine, because I certainly dont want to book full weeks off when I dont need them.

    Are you tied down to dates for these short breaks? If not, you might be able to negotiate with the boss to take the short breaks at a time that suits the company, ie whenever everyone else is in or enough people are in.
  • rikofoldrikofold
    edited January 2017
    It's not unusual for all sorts of reasons for employers to require a minimum period of a week or even 2 consecutive weeks as part of your leave entitlement my last 3 permanent jobs had a requirement for one period of leave to be 10 days written into the T&Cs, and my current client even requires the same from my professional services engagement as furlough.

    All sorts of reasons including health and safety, and even security. Not unreasonable in my view.

    That said, shift work can't be a reason to deny you leave if enough notice is given.
  • BaldybonceBaldybonce
    Algarve has made a point. If your workmates have children try and arrange for you not to have school holiday time (this should suit you as travel will be cheaper) so that they can have the holiday they want.
  • FiiishFiiish
    What kind of company isn't able to handle breaks of less than a week with plenty of notice? How do they handle ill-health at short notice? What if, like me, you had 2 days notice for an operation and needed 2 weeks recovery time?

    When I worked in financial services we were required to take 2 business weeks off consecutively once per year. The official reason was too avoid burn-out; the actual reason was because if someone else is doing your job for two weeks, and you've been up to anything dodgy, it generally gets exposed. It also serves to highlight if anyone can adequately cover your role in case you scarpered (in a lot of cases, this is an issue and I've seen cases where ex-employees have had to be tracked down because no one knew how to do some business-critical task).
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