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

TBagpuss

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.

By saying that parents with children should get priority you are saying that one group is (at least in this specific scenario) more important than another, whetheryou use those speicfic words or not.

and the comments about Christmas Spiruit etc are another way of saying the same thing. You're basically saying that even iofthe employer doesn't prioritise parents, it's mean of co-workers not to do so.

Have you considered the points people have made about the reasons why time of may be just as important, or even more important to other groups as well?

Henrick_2

It is legal since "he/she" remains your boss but it is somehow unfair though you will also have children one of these days and will be given holidays
Keep smile

GlasweJen

It wasn't the OP who cancelled holidays, it was HR. It seems like an extreme move for one complaint so it could be the case that other people have also complained and HR had already investigated and made a decision that something could get the company into trouble and so took drastic action.

Perhaps all the complaints came from men?

bugslet

sangie595 wrote: »

. But I guess altruism or being permitted a different opinion are things that have died out since then.

Sangie, a lot of your posts I have really enjoyed and I don't normally expect that from you:(. You are permitted a different opinion and people are permitted to disagree with you. As for altruism, can't say that people aren't altruistic based on one scenario.

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.

I disagree with they should get priority though as I said earlier, but I would be happy to work on Xmas Day so that parents could spend the day with their children. But any other day is just a day and I wouldn't be willing to work between the two Bank Holidays just because someone has children. So there goes my 'little' Christmas spirit.

Really, the people who should have priority over anyone are the practising Christians, it is their big day after all; the present giving and all that is just a by-product. (I'd still be working on that basis, as I'm an atheist).

Poppie68

Christmas Spirit is for all to show and not just childless people....I would be more inclined to swap with a colleague who has a partner at home alone over Christmas or single colleague who needs to travel to spend Christmas with friends or family than I would a colleague with kids who has a partner sat home with them.

SandC

I have a friend who is a nurse and she prefers to have time off in the run up to Christmas, so that she can attend her childrens' plays etc., take them to parties and to see Father Christmas and all that jazz, as well as go to her own parties and Xmas do's. She then works Christmas Day, generally noons or nights so always gets to spend most of the day or all the day with the family (then whatever else she is rota'd in for). This works for them - they have Dad with them all the way through as he doesn't work shifts. She reckons she gets the best parts of the break that way as really there's far more going on before the big day than after it.

Just a thought, it really is what you make of it! Personally I also feel that come the evening on Xmas day it's all over - the fact that I've got time off work is a lovely bonus break

FBaby

I have to say that reading OP's previous posts makes this one quiet confusing. It would seem that OP started his job in July, so clearly hasn't been affected personally by previous year's arrangements. He also says that his boss is in the US and he is the only one of his team in his office, so again, no clear how this is affecting him.

lazer

This policy used to annoy me at my old work.


We always had to be on call over the week between Xmas and the new year, however those with Children were exempt from being on call. If you were called in it would only be to authorise a few payments or sign cheques.


There was 10 of us in the team, probably about half and half with and without children, 7 of the team lived within about 5 mile of the office and so did there extended families.


2 of us childless workers lived over an hours drive away, and our families an hour the other side.


So someone with a child was exempt from being on call because it would interrupt there break with their child for all of 10 mins, but it was ok to disrupt my break with my family for 4 hours instead.


I have now moved and live near my family, and am working Christmas Eve and New Years eve by choice.


I think all situations should be considered when deciding who gets leave, children, availability of alternative childcare (Spouse, parents etc), distance to where the employee spends Christmas, Family visiting, Religion, family circumstances (Eldery sick parents, recent bereavements etc).
It is difficult to get right

Guest101

richdeniro wrote: »

Spoke to HR and it wasn't company policy so they spoke with the manager and have cancelled everyone's leave and asked everyone who wants the three days over Xmas to submit it and I guess its going to be a lottery as to who gets it rather than based on lifestyle choices.

So people with kids cant really take holidays during term time.


So you decided that they shouldn't out of term time too?


Wow, you'll be popular...

Takeaway_Addict

Guest101 wrote: »

So people with kids cant really take holidays during term time.


So you decided that they shouldn't out of term time too?


Wow, you'll be popular...

No HR did, and they can still book time off, just with an equal chance of getting it as the OP, and quite rightly so.