Can never take 2 weeks leave

dayzee_2

Can my employer tell me I can never have a fortnight annual leave?

Last year, I applied for 2 weeks annual leave 7 weeks in advance and after 4 weeks my manager came back and said I could not take 2 weeks because "the new york office would drown if they had to cover me" and "I was not allowed 2 weeks leave for my honeymoon", "You have not accrued enough leave" (by the time I got back, I would have earnt enough leave to cover the 2 weeks)

At the time the senior member of the UK office fought for me to get 2 weeks and in the end his back was up against the wall.

Well here I am in 2014 and I want to take 2 weeks leave in April. I want to book it now, as I know this will be a fight.

Where do I stand, can my employer really say I cannot ever have 2 weeks leave? No where in my contract does it state I can't, it is just the standard, can't take leave if we are busy etc etc.

Torry_Quine

Your employer could if they wanted tell you when to take your holidays so they can definitely say how much at any one time.

GothicStirling

What sector do you work in? Is it April that's the problem, or offer to train someone else to take on the workload when you're not there?

I work in the heritage sector, and I'm not allowed to take holiday in July or August as there's something happening each week, and with school holiday's its just too busy. (That's not in my contract, although that I must be available to work weekends and all BHs is.)

dayzee_2

I work in an industry where there are very few peak times. Last time I asked for 2 weeks it was Nov, this time April, both times are not busy.

When offered to train someone, I was told my manager would be the one doing my job. To which I got the complaint of "I am already busy, I am not someone who has time to take lunch every day".

I almost feel like, I am being punished because I work in the UK and get 24 days a year leave, and his team inc him get 14 days. I also feel like everytime I want to take leave it is a fight - which makes me want to leave.

getmore4less

dayzee wrote: »

I could not take 2 weeks because "the new york office would drown if they had to cover me"

I would counter that with

"what if I got sick, pregnant or left, if the business is that fragile and needs me that much I need a pay rise.............A F*** BIG ONE.

keyser666

getmore4less wrote: »

I would counter that with

"what if I got sick, pregnant or left, if the business is that fragile and needs me that much I need a pay rise.............A F*** BIG ONE.

Yeah lets follow that advice

paddedjohn

Your employer can dictate when you take your holidays as long as they allow the legal minimum (5.6 weeks) within the leave year, any holidays above the minimum are purely contractual.

mountainofdebt

Is this a cultural thing ? I'm not sure but is taking a fortnight's holiday a rarity in US firms?

tbh if not having a fortnight's holiday without a mega fight is a deal breaker for you then perhaps you need to have a heart to heart with your manager

makeyourdaddyproud

paddedjohn wrote: »

Your employer can dictate when you take your holidays as long as they allow the legal minimum (5.6 weeks) within the leave year, any holidays above the minimum are purely contractual.

What nonsense. If I want to take 2 weeks leave I will do so. I couldn't give a hoot what the employers thinks or does. Postpone the carnage.

paddedjohn

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

What nonsense. If I want to take 2 weeks leave I will do so. I couldn't give a hoot what the employers thinks or does. Postpone the carnage.

Yeah right, do you know anything about employment law?

Hermia

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Is this a cultural thing ? I'm not sure but is taking a fortnight's holiday a rarity in US firms?

Most of my friends/family in the US only get a couple of weeks annual leave a year. Presumably many people would not use their annual leave all in one go in case they needed time off later on.