holidays not permitted

pandora205

DS (20 yo) works for Morrisons as a checkout operator, having increased his hours in September and now works 22 hours per week. He has accrued 88 hours holiday this financial year. When he asked to take some time off over Christmas and New Year this was not permitted as this is their busiest time. He was okay with this and planned to take it February and March.

Today he checked to see when he could book the time (as he can be flexible) but was told that all leave has been booked out until the end of the financial year and he cannot take the time off at all. He will lose all the entitlement if it is not taken before April.

Obviously he should have booked this off before hand but this does not seem fair. Can anyone advise on what he can do? I'm very tempted to go in with him to try to sort it out but he's getting a bit old for that!

Thanks

LittleVoice

Who was refusing to allow any holiday? Was it a supervisor/team leader or someone more senior?

pandora205

Senior checkout supervisor (he doesn't know the exact job title). He obviously needs to speak to a manager - though they seem to have quite a few (about 5) so not sure which one.

SarEl

LittleVoice wrote: »

Who was refusing to allow any holiday? Was it a supervisor/team leader or someone more senior?

I agree entirely. This is obviously someone who "doesn't get it" who has said this. He needs to speak to someone more senior.

And don't you dare go in - good for you for not doing! He needs to stand on his own two feet and we see far too much of "I have to do it for them because my 40 year old doesn't get life" If he needs someone to "do it for him" - they are called "unions"

moose1982

Years ago, I worked for Sainsburys and we had a small HR team. If this is the same in your sons Morrison's, could he not ask them to have a look and see if something can be arranged?

pandora205

Just checked with him - I think they call their HR department Personnel and that he's asked to speak to the manager there. Hopefuly they can sort that out.

And I've just suggested - rather belatedly - he should join a union, not that they would help this time.

SarEl

pandora205 wrote: »

Just checked with him - I think they call their HR department Personnel and that he's asked to speak to the manager there. Hopefuly they can sort that out.

And I've just suggested - rather belatedly - he should join a union, not that they would help this time.

No - but they will next time! Ah bless - and I bet he's the sort of 20 year old who knows it all and hates to ask mum. I have a 20 year old who is just the same! They know all there is to know about life until something goes wrong - then mum is the first place they stop!

pandora205

Thanks - he does know it all though obviously not about work! I must admit I was quite shocked that he's being told he can't take what amounts to four weeks leave and will have to lose it. He was told it was all his fault for not booking his leave earlier and that most people had done it months ago. As no-one actually told him this I'm not sure how he was supposed to know.

Lets hope it gets sorted out - I can't believe they will make him lose it all.

withabix

pandora205 wrote: »

he's being told he can't take what amounts to four weeks leave and will have to lose it.

There aren't many places that will let you take a whole year's worth of leave in a 3 month period.

Why didn't he take some in the other 9 months?

agrinnall

withabix wrote: »

There aren't many places that will let you take a whole year's worth of leave in a 3 month period.

Why didn't he take some in the other 9 months?

If the employer can't deal with an employee taking all of their leave in a 3 month period then it is their responsibilty to ensure leave is taken earlier - as they haven't done that then they have no choice other than to allow it to be taken in the 3 months.

agrinnall

pandora205 wrote: »

Lets hope it gets sorted out - I can't believe they will make him lose it all.

They certainly can't make him lose it all. It may be a bit tricky to calculate what his statutory leave is given there was an incerase in hours part way through the year, but on the assumption that the accrued leave is part of the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks then he has to be allowed to take it.