Have to Cancel Holiday due to work is there anyway to get a refund? HELP PLS!!

PolishBigSpender

Perhaps people should consider that telling work 'get lost' right now might not be the smartest thing to do when there's over 2.8 million unemployed people in the UK?

bagand96

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Perhaps people should consider that telling work 'get lost' right now might not be the smartest thing to do when there's over 2.8 million unemployed people in the UK?

And play right into the hands of hundreds of bosses and companies that are trying to use this credit crunch to screw staff that little bit more?

Just because its tough times, companies can't just decide to disregard employee handbooks, and even emplyment law. I doubt the OP's employer would have a leg to stand on if they tried to discipline them...

To the OP... have a look at your employer handbook and see about booking leave etc etc and if and when they can cancel it. There is no need to be funny with them; just go in, state the facts and be reasonable. "I've had the leave booked since March and I booked a trip away on that basis. I know stand to loose £xxx by cancelling and coming to work...."

Incapuppy

Is there no way you could compromise and spend extra time working on the project either before or after you go? £600 is a hellish amount to lose.

simongregson

I would expect them to compensate you for your financial loss. Totally unreasonable attitude from the employer, but sadly more common in a recession. If this project is so important that it generates money for the company, it is worth them ensuring you are there by making up your loss, right?

Now would be a good time for you and your colleagues to join a union, money well spent as I'll bet that if you were to respond collectively to your employer they would soon change their mind.

DCFC79

OP you ought to ask work about compensating you for the loss of some of the money you spent on the holiday, surely theres someone else who could have done what they wnat you to do

PolishBigSpender

bagand96 wrote: »

And play right into the hands of hundreds of bosses and companies that are trying to use this credit crunch to screw staff that little bit more?

Just because its tough times, companies can't just decide to disregard employee handbooks, and even emplyment law. I doubt the OP's employer would have a leg to stand on if they tried to discipline them...

They may not have a leg to stand on, and yes, they might be able to win at an employment tribunal - but would anyone really be silly enough to lose their job right now if they could help it? It strikes me as a dangerous game to be playing at the minute - being unemployed right now and not earning could have far more serious consequences, just for the sake of having the upper hand.

To the OP... have a look at your employer handbook and see about booking leave etc etc and if and when they can cancel it. There is no need to be funny with them; just go in, state the facts and be reasonable. "I've had the leave booked since March and I booked a trip away on that basis. I know stand to loose £xxx by cancelling and coming to work...."

The best approach is to see if the work can be done either side of the holiday. Any reasonable employer would find a way, and I certainly wouldn't complain if someone wanted to work late into the night and early mornings to ensure that it was done.

All this 'asking for compenation' simply won't work - there's no guarantee that the company has the money to actually pay it!

What is the rough nature of the project?

Voyager2002

Seriously, if the project is sufficiently important for the company to be canceling booked leave, then it is going to bring in plenty of money for the company. Six hundred pounds will surely be absolute peanuts in comparison. So long as the OP explains the situation clearly and politely and documents the holiday booking, I cannot imagine that there would be any difficulty in getting the company to cover the loss.

pineapple123

I would look into seeing how much and if possible to change your flights and accommodation to a later time, hopefully you may not incure too much fees then speak to your employer and explain this to them, see if they are willing to pay you extra pay since you would be working in your booked holiday time and would be left out of pocket and also get them to agree for you to have more leave as soon as its convient to you both.

bagand96

All this 'asking for compenation' simply won't work - there's no guarantee that the company has the money to actually pay it!

My thoughts exactly, I wouldnt expect the employer to stump up £600 either. But any half decent employer would try and be flexible with the leave allocation if this situation was presented to them....

SandC

I agree with the others, you must tell your employer that you have done everything you can do to cancel the holiday without penalty but have been unable to do so. Actually I think cancelling the first flight was probably a mistake but it's done now.

Did you not say anything at the time or just go off and try and sort something out without bringing the subject up when you first knew about it?

They should refund you the cost of the holiday to take another time because not only will you have been unable to go when you want but potentially could not then afford to book another.

I know it's tough times etc. but I've been in enough jobs to know that giving up your holidays (even without booking stuff and losing money) will not get you a better pension or any preferential treatment when it comes to redundancy situations. Nobody ever sat on their death bed wishing they'd not taken their holiday entitlement when they were working.