Holiday woes. Inflexible employer?

consumers_revenge

Hi,

Wondering is I would have a case here?

Worked for a company for 4 years now, all good until last few weeks. Then one of the four members of the team left. The other does 3 days a week, two of us full time.

In order to cover school holidays until now I have taken a half days holiday in the morning till 1.30 pm then swapped with my wife in the afternoon, she works mornings. Hence only using a half days holiday ( only during school hols and max of 2 half days a week ). We have cover the rest of the time.

Now talking to my boss today he heavily suggested that this would likely be refused from now on as it would be a problem for them. Can they do this? Legal recourse at being a parent.

Not trying to make a big deal but would like to know where I stood if needs be?

Thanks for reading

CR

paddedjohn

the company can make you take your holidays as and when it suits their needs, unless otherwise written in your contract.

Googlewhacker

Business needs come above yours, your choice to be a parent I'm afraid

consumers_revenge

I have no contract that says when I have to take them TBH

Superbiatch

I'm not sure of the rights and wrongs of an employer, but when my staff have found themselves in these situations I offer them the option to work flexibly (within reason). Can you do a full day and start at lunchtime? or can you work the time back? or better still work from home?

That way it keeps everyone happy and you get to keep your leave.

I have on one occasion had to bring a staff member back in off leave as I knew he wasn't away due to someone else going off sick, whilst this caused quite a lot of bad feeling only a senior manager can authorise our work schedules being cancelled. We now have a contingency in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.

consumers_revenge

place closes at 5.30 so cant do a full day.

as said not trying to force an issue, just wanted to know.

bluenoseam

Your boss i'd imagine is perfectly entitled to do this, they can legally decline this (although i'd suggest maybe there might be a precident set - one of the employment lawyer types will come along shortly) - or the other way to look at it is this. Say your company bent over backwards to help you and gave you the half day holiday as and when requested, but Jim from Admin who doesn't have any kids gets refused - would you see that as fair on him? Might be an idea to suck it up on this one and see if you can get a childminder to cover those 2 half days, but it's certainly NOT discriminatory in my eyes.

McKneff

Red_Shoes_No_Knickers wrote: »

Well deary, having littl'uns doesn't mean you can take holidays as and when you wish! Have you looked at holiday schemes?

:j
:j:wave::dance:
Absolutely agree with this.
It was a nightmare for me when mine were growing up, friend
and me shared jobs, her mornings, me afteroons tatie picking, swapping about the following weeks, I did night jobs, evening jobs ,
cleaning jobs where I could take them with me, to keep the roof over our heads. We got jobs to fit round the kids. No choice then.
No nurseries, no child care vouchers, no nothing.

tizerbelle

The operational needs of the business take priority over your needs for holiday regardless of whether you are planning to look after your kids or spend the afternoon in the pub.

Your employer wouldnt be doing anything wrong / illegal to refuse a holiday request (unless they refuse all of them so you cant take your statutory minimum leave in a year). It has nothing to do with discrimination.

But on the bright side, you have been forewarned so at least you know that you need to be sorting out some contingency so that if your requests are refused you have someone in place to provide the childcare

clairec79

Thing is would you having 2 half days each week of the holidays prevent someone else from having a week off during that period? due to minimum staffing.

consumers_revenge

on the days that someone else needs the time off Im happy to work and the wife will use one of her hols.

my hols are also already booked to cover august and the half term at october. These were booked well in advance and still provide cover now.