Can my boss prioritise annual leave allocation for those with kids first?

Takeaway_Addict

custardy wrote: »

Deary me. Thought people would simply work this amongst themselves.
Over the years I generally took the new year over the xmas with no kids.
Now I have a kid I would prefer the xmas.
Regardless of method,no doubt someone will be put out of joint.
I assume it will only be seen as 'fair' if no parents get xmas off.

It will be fair if the holiday choices made were not down to who has kids or not. Remember, there are people without kids that have dependants still.

richdeniro

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Fair play but I hope it doesn't come out that it was you that mentioned it!!!

I mentioned to HR that I wanted to see them in confidence.

tomtontom

richdeniro wrote: »

I mentioned to HR that I wanted to see them in confidence.

I'm going to assume a little naivety here. You are aware that HR represent the employer and not the workers? Your chat "in confidence" was in effect between you and the employer's management team. Some might say brave, some would say foolish.

Is this the job you've only been at a few months?

richdeniro

custardy wrote: »

Deary me. Thought people would simply work this amongst themselves.
Over the years I generally took the new year over the xmas with no kids.
Now I have a kid I would prefer the xmas.
Regardless of method,no doubt someone will be put out of joint.
I assume it will only be seen as 'fair' if no parents get xmas off.

Believe me, if I thought it could be done any other way rather than getting HR involved I would have done that but our manager is a nightmare, she has her favourites in the department and is quite blatant with the way she treats those over the rest of us.

When it comes to things like holiday bookings she just figures the younger crowd can be more flexible than her favourites and does not treat everyone the same in any way at all.

Last year she got wind that the reason I wanted a day off on annual leave was because I had plans the evening before and didn't want to come in with a raging hangover - she cancelled my leave as someone with kids put in leave (a month after I had mine confirmed) and deemed that a more important reason than me recovering from a hangover. It may have been more important but I had put the leave in way before the parent and it had been approved.

custardy

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

It will be fair if the holiday choices made were not down to who has kids or not. Remember, there are people without kids that have dependants still.

So whats the fair allocation?
No axe to grind for me. However is first come first served,draw straws?
No method will make everyone happy

Takeaway_Addict

custardy wrote: »

So whats the fair allocation?
No axe to grind for me. However is first come first served,draw straws?
No method will make everyone happy

I would not do first come first served but I agree, you won't be able to please everyone.

richdeniro

custardy wrote: »

So whats the fair allocation?
No axe to grind for me. However is first come first served,draw straws?
No method will make everyone happy

I would have been happy to do one day over Xmas or if I work this Christmas then I get it off next year if everyone else had been in the same boat but she approved the three days for people with kids without a seconds thought without even considering those without kids.

Was the same last year, the year before, etc....

sangie595

richdeniro wrote: »

I mentioned to HR that I wanted to see them in confidence.

Good luck with that. I estimate that it will take two days to reach everyone - two hours for those in work and the rest for anyone off.

I find it perverse that people still think other people having children is a lifestyle choice. You do know how your future pension is funded, don't you? Because it doesn't come from all those taxes you pay, which are funding things today. Your pension will be funded by the products of those lifestyle choices. So when you are 70 and have no money at Christmas, do remember not to complain about the choices you made today. Why should todays children and tomorrows workforce want to pay for you?

Yes, of course other people have families or even dependants. But I am pretty positive that my gran, and my two elderly aunties, don't really believe that Santa will be arriving. So being with them on any other day of the year won't really cause them much distress.

martinthebandit

richdeniro wrote: »

Believe me, if I thought it could be done any other way rather than getting HR involved I would have done that but our manager is a nightmare, she has her favourites in the department and is quite blatant with the way she treats those over the rest of us.

When it comes to things like holiday bookings she just figures the younger crowd can be more flexible than her favourites and does not treat everyone the same in any way at all.

Last year she got wind that the reason I wanted a day off on annual leave was because I had plans the evening before and didn't want to come in with a raging hangover - she cancelled my leave as someone with kids put in leave (a month after I had mine confirmed) and deemed that a more important reason than me recovering from a hangover. It may have been more important but I had put the leave in way before the parent and it had been approved.

I have to say you are not painting yourself in the best light here nor as a 'team player'

You may want to think about dusting off your CV

Takeaway_Addict

sangie595 wrote: »

Good luck with that. I estimate that it will take two days to reach everyone - two hours for those in work and the rest for anyone off.

I find it perverse that people still think other people having children is a lifestyle choice. You do know how your future pension is funded, don't you? Because it doesn't come from all those taxes you pay, which are funding things today. Your pension will be funded by the products of those lifestyle choices. So when you are 70 and have no money at Christmas, do remember not to complain about the choices you made today. Why should todays children and tomorrows workforce want to pay for you?

Yes, of course other people have families or even dependants. But I am pretty positive that my gran, and my two elderly aunties, don't really believe that Santa will be arriving. So being with them on any other day of the year won't really cause them much distress.

Totally irrelevent- If you don't like working Christmas then find a job that gives you the time off guarnateed, because you have children should not make you a priority for holidays.

And of course having a child is a choice (for the vast majority of times)- Nonsensical to say otherwise.