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

warehouse

Blimey, 4 pages on what should be complete common sense.

You book first, you get the holidays. Sensible, fair and easy to understand.

OP your HR department are completely bonkers to A: have this policy in the first place, B: to implement it so late and C: to change it again even later. Incompetent would be a better word than bonkers actually. Can I guess you work in retail?

MacMickster

It saddens me that all of this debate has been around family without any mention of religion (which is why we have Christmas in the first place).

That said, I suspect that the OP may find things a bit frosty in the office come the new year, and not necessarily just from those with children.

sangie595

Poppie68 wrote: »

So your saying parents needs are more important than others in the workplace?


Should older parents or child free employees bow down for every parent during Easter, summer and Christmas? Lots of others have many reasons they want to spend Christmas with their families and should be afforded exactly the same opportunity for time off....

It's sad to think people really do believe some people are more important than others.

It is astonishing how people make stuff up when they don't agree with you. So far today I seem to have inherited some children I have never had. Now I have said that parents are more important than others in the workplace. Which I did not say. Nor did I mention Easter or summer.

But if the sheer weight of anger and vitriol being poured out here about things people haven't said is anything to go by, in the OP's shoes I would be looking for a new job about now - because if this is what an anonymous internet can make out of this I shudder to think what the workplace will be like over the next few months.

But it certainly seems like I was right - altruism or having a different opinion are things that are dead. Post an unpopular opinion and just wait for the vitriol and made up stuff to arrive.

kerri_gt

sangie595 wrote: »

It is astonishing how people make stuff up when they don't agree with you. So far today I seem to have inherited some children I have never had. Now I have said that parents are more important than others in the workplace. Which I did not say. Nor did I mention Easter or summer.

And have you asked for Christmas off with those inherited children and planning to do something nice? :rotfl:

Poppie68

sangie595 wrote: »

It is astonishing how people make stuff up when they don't agree with you. So far today I seem to have inherited some children I have never had. Now I have said that parents are more important than others in the workplace. Which I did not say. Nor did I mention Easter or summer.

But if the sheer weight of anger and vitriol being poured out here about things people haven't said is anything to go by, in the OP's shoes I would be looking for a new job about now - because if this is what an anonymous internet can make out of this I shudder to think what the workplace will be like over the next few months.

But it certainly seems like I was right - altruism or having a different opinion are things that are dead. Post an unpopular opinion and just wait for the vitriol and made up stuff to arrive.

I never suggested you mentioned Easter or Summer but you have actually said employees with Children should be given priority over others at Christmas so why not priority over Easter and the Summer holidays? To me personally that is identifying one group more important than the other.


Christmas is about families, and friends for those who are not lucky enough to have a family not just for people with children...



You seem extremely angry with the OP and are convinced they are about to be hung, drawn and quartered, which I think you would be rather happy with.
I've personally never worked for anywhere that has a HR department or managers that breaks confidence.... Obviously your HR department are a bunch of tittle tatlers and can't be trusted, but hopefully the ops will be a group of professionals.

sangie595

Poppie68 wrote: »

I never suggested you mentioned Easter or Summer but you have actually said employees with Children should be given priority over others at Christmas so why not priority over Easter and the Summer holidays? To me personally that is identifying one group more important than the other.


Christmas is about families, and friends for those who are not lucky enough to have a family not just for people with children...



You seem extremely angry with the OP and are convinced they are about to be hung, drawn and quartered, which I think you would be rather happy with.
I've personally never worked for anywhere that has a HR department or managers that breaks confidence.... Obviously your HR department are a bunch of tittle tatlers and can't be trusted, but hopefully the ops will be a group of professionals.

It is my opinion that parents with children should get priority for leave at Christmas, yes. And I also do not believe it is illegal to do so (which is actually what the OP asked). I am also of the view that those without children might show a little... what do you call it... oh, Christmas spirit. You may think that I am saying that one group is more important than the other. I don't, and I never said that.

And actually I deal with HR departments from many different employers every single working day. They leak like sieves, and that is when they are trying to keep a secret. If they aren't trying, then it's usually pinned on the notice board by lunch time. But there you go again making more stuff up. Describing how many HR departments operate (to say nothing about the manager who almost certainly knows now who complained) is an opinion based on substantial experience- and supported by more than one poster here, so why do you have to then make it about me being "happy" about it? Did I say that? Would it be sensible not to warn someone of the can of worms they open going to HR? And would you possibly like to insult everyone else expressing the same opinion? It's hardly fair that you are prioritising me over everyone else who has said the same thing, is it? Oops - I guess I am just not as important as other posters. Really, kettle, black?

sangie595

kerri_gt wrote: »

And have you asked for Christmas off with those inherited children and planning to do something nice? :rotfl:

I was thinking of setting up a daycare centre for all those selfish parents who will insist on working and getting in the way of people who make "lifestyle choices" not to have kids.

Spendless

bossymoo wrote: »

However on a practical note, often a lack of childcare availability in the christmas holidays can prevent a parent from working.

I wondered if this was the reasoning behind giving the people with children time off. I've been using childcare since 2002 and haven't found anywhere that opens between Christmas and New Year and it will be the managers problem if they find themselves with staff not coming in or, phoning in 'sick' etc because they have a child too young to be left alone and can't find anyone to have them, especially now they have little time to put a plan into place.

The OP's workplace does need a better system. No, I don't think people with children should have exclusive rights but that has to be teemed with practicality for both home and work.

I've had jobs in retail, where you are only off on Christmas Day, sometimes the Manager has timetabled the rota so some get a few days around Christmas off and some get a few days around New Years Day but no-onegot from Dec 24 - Jan 2nd. Or as suggested it could be done as alternative years which at least gives parents 12 months notice to find a babysitter.

Mine are at Secondary school now, but the youngest still needs a little bit of holiday childcare. My workplace is open between Christmas and New Year but we don't work full-days, just go in do the jobs required and leave, usually around early afternoon. That is manageable now given my kids ages, but as they break up from school a week before Christmas, we are having to rope in family help combined with DH taking leave before Christmas.

Rosemary7391

sangie595 wrote: »

It is my opinion that parents with children should get priority for leave at Christmas, yes. And I also do not believe it is illegal to do so (which is actually what the OP asked). I am also of the view that those without children might show a little... what do you call it... oh, Christmas spirit. You may think that I am saying that one group is more important than the other. I don't, and I never said that.

If one group isn't more important than the other, what is your basis for thinking they should have priority over another group?

Also, with regards to this `Christmas spirit' or altruism, being nice, whatever you want to call it. I understand this discussion is about time off around Christmas, not the day itself (guess the workplace in question is closed on that day). In that case, one could argue it would be more altruistic for parents to let single people have Christmas eve/boxing day/the day after off. Parents have a family Christmas all set up where they are - I have to travel 400 miles by public transport to be with any of my loved ones. Not gonna happen if I only get Christmas day off work! Thankfully my workplace is closed for the entire period.

Takeaway_Addict

sangie595 wrote: »

It is my opinion that parents with children should get priority for leave at Christmas, yes. And I also do not believe it is illegal to do so (which is actually what the OP asked). I am also of the view that those without children might show a little... what do you call it... oh, Christmas spirit. You may think that I am saying that one group is more important than the other. I don't, and I never said that.

And actually I deal with HR departments from many different employers every single working day. They leak like sieves, and that is when they are trying to keep a secret. If they aren't trying, then it's usually pinned on the notice board by lunch time. But there you go again making more stuff up. Describing how many HR departments operate (to say nothing about the manager who almost certainly knows now who complained) is an opinion based on substantial experience- and supported by more than one poster here, so why do you have to then make it about me being "happy" about it? Did I say that? Would it be sensible not to warn someone of the can of worms they open going to HR? And would you possibly like to insult everyone else expressing the same opinion? It's hardly fair that you are prioritising me over everyone else who has said the same thing, is it? Oops - I guess I am just not as important as other posters. Really, kettle, black?

If you are saying one group of people should get priority then you are saying that they are more important on this decision.

I disagree with your sentiments that its not Christmas spirit to split Christmas holidays in the fairest possible way, without pandering to one group of society.