Holiday Restriction

Mrs_Arcanum

The holiday allowance of only 20 days also looks very odd given people are also expected to work some bank holidays.

Minimum is 5.6 weeks including all bank holidays if they must be taken.

provista_2

Where i work no holidays allowed in September, November, December 1st half of January. 80 people work there so holidays are always difficult to get.

elsien

ami66 wrote: »

At my current job we have a member of staff that always wants Christmas and the last two weeks of August for her son's benefit. Except son is now 16 left school and went to France on his own in August.

Reminds me of the colleague who refused to work Christmas as she needed to be with her daughter. Daughter was a perfectly normal fit and healthy 23 year old. Colleauge had booked to go away with daughter despite knowing that it was her turn to work as she'd had the previous 2 Christmases off, and without the leave being authorised. Colleague handed in her notice shortly after being told that she would be expected to work regardless, unless she could persuade anyone to cover for her.
Which no one would as we all felt she was trying to play the system and were fed up of doing more than our fair share.

bluenoseam

If their peak business period is during July & August it's perfectly justifiable, I know several retailers who for example have a block on holidays during December officially & in many cases atleast the back end of November & front end of January "unofficially".

[Deleted User]

I am a payroll administrator and we are not allowed to take holidays during April or early May. I think this is reasonable being the end of the tax year, our work load doubles and we need all hands on deck. Sometimes causes a problem with Easter Holidays but I do get 25 days plus 8 bank holidays plus an extra 3 days between Christmas and New Year when we are forced to close as our building closes (shame!) lol! So it's not a problem. But to ask you not have holidays over the summer is a bit much!

Dangermac

ami66 wrote: »

I recently attended a job interview but suggested to the interviewer we terminate it early and save our time. Simple reason the company's holiday policy BANNED any leave during July & August

I have two children and refuse to take them out of school for holidays especially as they are at the GCSE and A Level years so working for this company would mean no family summer holidays :mad:

When I spoke to my husband after we wondered while it's clearly their policy and we feel it unfair we did wonder if legally a company could make such a restriction?

Perhaps you could get the Local Education Authority to change their fixed holiday dates to suit you.

On what basis do you think it's unfair that a company can restrict holidays at certain times?

Where the need of the business means that holidays have to be restricted, it seems fair to me that they can impose this, in accordance with their contract & staff handbook:

For example:

- Teachers are restricted as to when they can go on holiday because the school closes at specific times

- A fireworks shop might need full staff in Oct/Nov

- A seaside restaurant might need full staff during July/August/Sept

At the end of the day, you need to decide if the company's terms and conditions match your individual requirements.

Just because they dont, it doesnt mean its unfair.

Good grief!

DM

pelirocco

art_for_arts_sake wrote: »

Funny, I was discussing the legality of this with my wife only this morning. We have the opposite problem. Her employer does have children at school so picks the staff holidays to suit himself. We have no offspring of school age but still have to take holidays in school time. It all sounds very wrong to me in the 21st century, more the kind of thing 19th century millworkers would have to put up with or lose their jobs. Bigger firms with more staff are sometimes more flexible, but not always.

Lots of large firms have set holidays , Honda being one of them

19th century millworkers wouldnt have had any holidays ( or any any decent working conditions tbh):(

duchy

cottonhead wrote: »

Probably better you found out when you did. My company is similar. There is a strict number of people allowed off during the summer and xmas holidays and its always the mums who want the time off. I am a mum so I want the time too but I do feel sorry for the people without kids. They tend to ask for the leave not so far in advance as they are not working to school rotas and by then its all been booked by others. Seems rather unfair but I guess business needs have to dictate at the end of the day. Have you investigated term time only contracts ? Depends what job you do I guess but its a good option for some. Means your pay is less but then you dont have to pay childcare so it might even out.

I don't think "The early bird getting the worm" is unfair. If the childless are less organized then that is their lookout. Pre-child I wouldn't have dreamed of going on holiday in school holiday time anyway though-crowded, over-priced and lots of kids. I always preferred June !

ami66

Dangermac wrote: »

Perhaps you could get the Local Education Authority to change their fixed holiday dates to suit you.

Good idea, move the summer holidays to September & October, better weather and i could work for this crappy company and take a family holiday with my kids every year

Dangermac wrote: »

On what basis do you think it's unfair that a company can restrict holidays at certain times?

It's not the restriction as such but when it applies, there normally are rules with every employment but I've never come across a company that basically bans family based summer holidays.

Bear in mind I already work in the same industry and have done for the last 20 years. I feel this company has set out these rules so that it only appeals to non parents therefore avoiding things like parental leave, maternity leave etc.

Can you imagine asking this company for flexible work arrangements as you have a child? :rotfl:

Dangermac wrote: »

Where the need of the business means that holidays have to be restricted, it seems fair to me that they can impose this, in accordance with their contract & staff handbook:

For example:

- Teachers are restricted as to when they can go on holiday because the school closes at specific times

- A fireworks shop might need full staff in Oct/Nov

- A seaside restaurant might need full staff during July/August/Sept

I work in retail in a holiday location which from Easter to October is flat out but we all accept that if we want a summer break so will some of our colleagues and it just makes the summer that little bit busier for all. The boss certainly doesn't ban holidays.

Dangermac wrote: »

At the end of the day, you need to decide if the company's terms and conditions match your individual requirements.

Just because they dont, it doesnt mean its unfair.

Good grief!

DM

Good grief indeed, :eek: my post certainly pushed your buttons didn't it! I was only expressing my view given my experience working in this industry and never having come across such a strict policy before.

No holiday at Christmas, Easter or Summer? So what if a request for half term holiday is turned down due to it being yet another 'busy' period, where does it stop?

ami66

cottonhead wrote: »

Probably better you found out when you did. My company is similar. There is a strict number of people allowed off during the summer and xmas holidays and its always the mums who want the time off. I am a mum so I want the time too but I do feel sorry for the people without kids. They tend to ask for the leave not so far in advance as they are not working to school rotas and by then its all been booked by others. Seems rather unfair but I guess business needs have to dictate at the end of the day. Have you investigated term time only contracts ? Depends what job you do I guess but its a good option for some. Means your pay is less but then you dont have to pay childcare so it might even out.

I'm quite happy to work school holidays and bank holidays have done for some years and currently work Sundays. But I would like at least the chance to take a week during July or August for the annual boat trip bearing in mind we bought it for 15 years and still have 9 years left.