should colleagues with kids get preference for holidays?

Humphrey10

laurel7172 wrote: »

Am I the only one thinking that my biggest issue with some of the workplaces on here would be the level of petty backbiting?

Nope you're not the only one.
Where I work it's first come first served for holiday, works fine for us.

pinkladyof66

i have worked for 30 years with no children at no time did i want or apply for school holidays why would i want to go away when there is loads of kids about and it is dearer. I was always fair to others in our office who had children. Now this year is my 1st year with my 4 year old adopted son and guess you wants the holidays ME I am lucky that my childminder will work school holidays however I have to fit in with her. My Manager is really good and gives me first priority or as I have only just gone back to work will work with being short if I want time off. I think that for 30 years I have been fair to my other colleagues so now it is my time for them to be fair towards me.

pinkladyof66

Of course I did have some days off in the summer period but tbh i took my summer holiday in sept oct or nove as we always went abroad. i rarely take time off with my hubbie i like my own time to do my things and he him. As long as we have 1 week together and a few odd weekends that works fine with us.

Grumpygit

In my workplace it's a bit of both - first come first served but also some common sense in that you can't be expected to have the same 2 weeks off every year if someone else wants it.

A lady who works for me moaned at me because I had the cheek to want the time off that she usually had because of the nature of our holiday - her childminder was on holiday at that time every year so she would have to sort something else out in respect of child care - now before you say I was being unfair, I have had to do this many a time because my child minders holidays were at the same time - so I used to give in and let her have the time off, but not that time. She didn't understand the concept of give and take!

In my workplace, it does seem as if there are quite a few of us who can only really take their long holidays during August - this is when we are quietest which is unfortunate, but myself, a colleague and our boss frequently clash with holidays and find that we overlap but there's nothing we can do as we can't take the time off because of reporting requirements and deadlines.

NoreenOMS

Luella-14 wrote: »

Out of curiosity, when your child is ill how is the time taken off? Do you take annual leave or flexi time/ make the hours up? At my place parents are entitled to 5 days a year (paid) to look after sick children, that an breed some resentment.

It's been taken as unpaid leave. My 12 month old son has been sick with vomiting and diarrhoea since Monday. My dad doesn't work so was able to look after him Monday and Tuesday, but then fell ill with it himself so I took weds and thurs off, and my dad had him Friday again. 6 days later, he still may not be able to go back to childminder again tomorrow. I hate letting work down- but having not taken any time off like this in the 3 years I have worked there- not a single day sick myself - work are being understanding at the moment.

persa

I live quite far away from my family and I can't take any time off over Christmas because it's our busiest time of year and one of my co-workers takes 3 weeks off without fail, leaving the rest of us to manage our own deadlines and provide cover. FWIW, this person is childless and doesn't have an OH.

Last year, when faced with the possibility of spending Christmas Day by myself, I hit upon the idea of working throughout the festive period, but doing so remotely. Our company is geared up for flexible working, I just don't normally exercise the option.

Given clients never want to pop round in December anyway, I don't think any of them realised I wasn't in London - I was picking up calls on the usual numbers, replying to emails promptly, carrying out work as usual - but I wasn't in the office. I was at the family home, being brought endless cups of tea by my lovely mother, working away in the day and then spending evenings with my nearest and dearest.

I don't object to working over Christmas, it's just horrid when it means you have to spend it on your own, meal for one, with the snow and rain beating down outside. Working remotely won't be possible for everyone (e.g. shop workers), but it makes an awful lot of sense in my case as it lets both me and the company meet our different objectives.

I don't think people with children should automatically get priority over the school holidays so they can jet off somewhere - to me, that's not a priority commitment. However, if someone needed the time off to look after their child(ren) because couldn't arrange childcare, that would be totally different in my book. Caring commitments are a need, not a want. Holidays, with kids or not, are a want.

Otherwise, first come, first serve, subject to not hogging the best dates every year.

Starrystarrynight

Drawing names out of a hat seems the only fair way to me.

nickj_2

whilst it should be on a first come first served policy , i can't think why anyone in their right mind would want to go on holiday when the kids are off school, not only do you have crowds everywhere but you're paying a premium price for school holiday time breaks , i can't wait for my girls to leave school , only another couple of years and then i'll be quids in

LoopyLil_2

I don't think they should have priority at all! I would regard that as 'special' treatment. I agree to a first come first served basis.

ziggy2004

We had a very simple system. Summer leave opened at the start of October. Everyone could book 2 weeks. Those of us who did not have children were asked if we could book leave outside school holidays where practical. Those 2 weeks were then booked off and other time could be booked only once everyone had their 2 weeks confirmed.

The year I got married ( during summer holiday as my sister was still in school) I just said I could not be flexible and the reason was taken into account and I got my leave.

School holidays are 6 weeks so unless parents want to book that entire time off or the company does not allow enough people off at the same time to give everyone who wants it at least 2 weeks during that time it really should not be a problem.