Problem with booking holidays from work

Southend1

Tracey52 wrote: »

I am also in a union but was looking for a way of resolving things without having to get their involvement.

Why? You pay your subs so that the union is there to advise and support you as required. Contact your local rep for a chat to see what he/she thinks.

Tracey52

tunathe_cat wrote: »

of the two weeks - how many shifts do you cover?
Example
may be you work 10 shifts ask if any dates available for holiday even if its only one or two dates you could strike it lucky and have a few shifts that could be covered by holiday .


Why not ask your manager if you can work together to help resolve. As good as mse forums are we cannot know staffing issues - that have to betaken into consideration
ask to have a meeting together not just chat on shop floor.


then ask colleagues to cover the other individual dates -un paid leave or even swap shifts it may be easier this way.

Can you work hours in lieu -

Stay calm try to be flexible and open minded - A lot of things in life can happen between now and dates booked .

Good luck

I am trying to get cover by asking others, also intend to try get a meeting to talk properly with management, I have already offered to take part or all of the dates unpaid but that has also been refused, I am also trying to see if I can work shifts in lieu but this is difficult because of the shifts I already work & don't really want to have to work 7 days a week for 5 weeks as I did that before and it led to me being ill.I am trying all avenues in the hope it can be sorted.

BoJangles_2

Tracey52 wrote: »

Well I have been working in the 'real world ' as you call it, for nearly 40 years since leaving school & fully understand how things work in regard to booking holidays etc, however as I previously said, since working for this particular employer I have always previously changed my own holiday plans when asked so as to accommodate others, so feel I'm not being unreasonable to expect to have the same treatment as others. I have not 'misinterpreted' the handbook, the company policies are clear its just this particular manager who doesn't abide by them. My original questions were to seek advice, not to be treated like an idiot who doesn't know what they're talking about. I am in the process of following all company guidelines to sort cover myself, whilst abiding with the general practice's in place at this store,although in my experience of working for previous companies the issue of covering staff holidays was down to management and the onus was never on the employees to have to do this themselves, (and I dont know anybody else here who has been asked to sort their own cover for holidays its usually management that will ask other staff to cover, ) so perhaps Ive just been lucky in all the previous employments Ive had, or maybe I have been naive in assuming that this was how all employers worked.I am also in a union but was looking for a way of resolving things without having to get their involvement.

I am quite surprised you have 40 years experience, it doesn't show.

I may have a few less years than you but I have never booked flights/hotel prior to having the time off granted. It just wouldn't happen! Yes I understand it was a *surprise* but you can't just demand the time off, you should understand this with your wealth of experience.

Tracey52

BoJangles wrote: »

The big faux pas here is booking the holiday before making the request (as mentioned so many times but not sinking in). Yes it was meant as a surprise but look how it has turned out. If all staff were to do this the forum would be jammed packed with similar stories!

It makes sense to me and I'd never dream of booking flights before making sure. Plus it is plain courtesy!

Funnily enough this has happened before and those particular colleagues have been allowed to have leave, I don't blame my partner for booking without checking as in his employment the staff book their holidays and it is down to management to sort cover, he didn't understand how my company was so different.

BoJangles_2

Tracey52 wrote: »

Funnily enough this has happened before and those particular colleagues have been allowed to have leave, I don't blame my partner for booking without checking as in his employment the staff book their holidays and it is down to management to sort cover, he didn't understand how my company was so different.

The problem is that all companies will be different and some may have more flexibility over holidays, more staff cover. At my place people have been very lucky when they've done this and they have been told they must get the time agreed first in the future. I have had requests turned down before so I know never to assume. I just think it strange that people would take the chance when spending money on flights etc.

Tracey52

BoJangles wrote: »

I am quite surprised you have 40 years experience, it doesn't show.

I may have a few less years than you but I have never booked flights/hotel prior to having the time off granted. It just wouldn't happen! Yes I understand it was a *surprise* but you can't just demand the time off, you should understand this with your wealth of experience.

Obviously I've been lucky enough to work for employers that are happy to accommodate their staff holidays, having never previously worked in retail I didn't realise employment rules etc were so different in that industry.
I'd also like to point out again, that for the last 4 years of working here I have never asked for time off at a time when the company doesn't allow holidays to be taken, there are specific times of the year stated that we cannot have time off and I abide by them, also as previously said, the company employs seasonal staff in all their stores to cover summer holidays as they know most people want their holidays at that time, in this instance my manager is refusing to do that without explanation.

Torry_Quine

Tracey52 wrote: »

Obviously I've been lucky enough to work for employers that are happy to accommodate their staff holidays, having never previously worked in retail I didn't realise employment rules etc were so different in that industry.
I'd also like to point out again, that for the last 4 years of working here I have never asked for time off at a time when the company doesn't allow holidays to be taken, there are specific times of the year stated that we cannot have time off and I abide by them, also as previously said, the company employs seasonal staff in all their stores to cover summer holidays as they know most people want their holidays at that time, in this instance my manager is refusing to do that without explanation.

It's the polite and normal thing to always ask for holidays before booking as it would be chaos otherwise. My husband has worked for employers who just tell you when holidays are and if you can't get someone to swap then you have no cholice but to be off when you don't want.

pelirocco

Tracey52 wrote: »

Well I have been working in the 'real world ' as you call it, for nearly 40 years since leaving school & fully understand how things work in regard to booking holidays etc, however as I previously said, since working for this particular employer I have always previously changed my own holiday plans when asked so as to accommodate others, so feel I'm not being unreasonable to expect to have the same treatment as others. I have not 'misinterpreted' the handbook, the company policies are clear its just this particular manager who doesn't abide by them. My original questions were to seek advice, not to be treated like an idiot who doesn't know what they're talking about. I am in the process of following all company guidelines to sort cover myself, whilst abiding with the general practice's in place at this store,although in my experience of working for previous companies the issue of covering staff holidays was down to management and the onus was never on the employees to have to do this themselves, (and I dont know anybody else here who has been asked to sort their own cover for holidays its usually management that will ask other staff to cover, ) so perhaps Ive just been lucky in all the previous employments Ive had, or maybe I have been naive in assuming that this was how all employers worked.I am also in a union but was looking for a way of resolving things without having to get their involvement.

I think you have been given advice , its just not the answer you wanted . If you feel you have been treated unfairly then you should go higher then your manager . However as others have said ,what you have experienced is nothing uusual , and if you have been told you cant have those dates , then you cant have them they dont have to justify why.

BoJangles_2

Tracey52 wrote: »

Obviously I've been lucky enough to work for employers that are happy to accommodate their staff holidays, having never previously worked in retail I didn't realise employment rules etc were so different in that industry.
I'd also like to point out again, that for the last 4 years of working here I have never asked for time off at a time when the company doesn't allow holidays to be taken, there are specific times of the year stated that we cannot have time off and I abide by them, also as previously said, the company employs seasonal staff in all their stores to cover summer holidays as they know most people want their holidays at that time, in this instance my manager is refusing to do that without explanation.

Requesting time off prior to booking is pure common sense to me, nothing to do with the rules. Your employer can dictate to you when you are to take your holiday. Everyone should abide by the rules set out so I don't see why you bring that up as if it should count as a brownie point or something?

I can't comment on the cover your employer brings in but there is usually a maximum amount allowed off at the same time.

k3lvc

Tracey52 wrote: »

Well I have been working in the 'real world ' as you call it, for nearly 40 years since leaving school & fully understand how things work in regard to booking holidays etc, however as I previously said, since working for this particular employer I have always previously changed my own holiday plans when asked so as to accommodate others, so feel I'm not being unreasonable to expect to have the same treatment as others. I have not 'misinterpreted' the handbook, the company policies are clear its just this particular manager who doesn't abide by them. My original questions were to seek advice, not to be treated like an idiot who doesn't know what they're talking about. I am in the process of following all company guidelines to sort cover myself, whilst abiding with the general practice's in place at this store,although in my experience of working for previous companies the issue of covering staff holidays was down to management and the onus was never on the employees to have to do this themselves, (and I dont know anybody else here who has been asked to sort their own cover for holidays its usually management that will ask other staff to cover, ) so perhaps Ive just been lucky in all the previous employments Ive had, or maybe I have been naive in assuming that this was how all employers worked.I am also in a union but was looking for a way of resolving things without having to get their involvement.

Some learnings here

1) never expect that changes you make to accomodate others will be repaid in the future

2) if you want advice on here tell the whole story rather than your interpretation of what you'd like the handbook to say i.e. include the paragraph at the beginning that presumably says something along the lines of 'approval for holidays is at the discretion of local Manager/supervisor etc