New employer has rejected holiday

livewire_82

I value all of your replies but I think a number of you misunderstand what I've said. She didn't book time off as soon as she started - she had pre-booked holiday which was booked in January.
I appreciate this probably should've been discussed when the job was offered but why should it be discussed during the interview process? It should have no baring on whether you get the job or not. Can you imagine the reason for not getting a job being because you have holiday booked at an inappropriate time? As far as I'm aware, a new employer should honour any pre-booked holiday. It's ludicrous to expect you to cancel a holiday in order to get a job.

glentoran99

livewire_82 wrote: »

I value all of your replies but I think a number of you misunderstand what I've said. She didn't book time off as soon as she started - she had pre-booked holiday which was booked in January.
I appreciate this probably should've been discussed when the job was offered but why should it be discussed during the interview process? It should have no baring on whether you get the job or not. Can you imagine the reason for not getting a job being because you have holiday booked at an inappropriate time? As far as I'm aware, a new employer should honour any pre-booked holiday. It's ludicrous to expect you to cancel a holiday in order to get a job.

Quite simply that is incorrect, They don't HAVE to honour a pre-booked holiday but most do, but as far as the employer is concerned its not pre booked, they didn't know prior to now

livewire_82

They will today as the booking record is on email

warby68

Sorry OP but its just basic common sense, manners, practical, open etc - not what you want to hear but there it is.

Very unlikely to affect whether you actually get a job but COULD affect start date, training plans or need some sort of concession to firm's standard policy to meet it.

If you didn't think it was important enough to mention beforehand why should they?

I quite agree a resentful person might choose to make life difficult for a new employee but your wife really needs to adopt the stance that she made a mistake in not checking beforehand and appeal the decision to management on goodwill grounds as the holiday is booked and paid for (presumably). I don't think it will help at all to maintain the stance that she has done nothing wrong.

Where do you get the idea an employer should honour pre-booked holiday? I suspect most will try (if they actually know about it lol) but no obligation to do so that I know of. Thinking about it that would make someone able to book every popular holiday time at the job they are leaving and jump ahead of existing staff at the new place.

warby68

Seriously OP a defensive, self-righteous stance isn't going to help here.

Humble pie is the most likely chance of success without damaging relationships with colleagues and superiors alike.

Tread softly and ask nicely

warby68

Sorry to bang on but have reread OP's latest post and this comment 'Its ludicrous to expect you to cancel a holiday to get a job'

Simple fact - no, it isn't and it happens plenty

bugslet

warehouse wrote: »

Sounds to me like a power hungry boss, or should I say "thick" boss.

OP she needs to ask why it was rejected, day 1 or whatever, she has every right to an explanation.

We have a policy of no more than two employees off at one time, relatively small company. If a new employee starts and then says that they want the same time off as two already have booked, then I could look at it and see if we could accomodate. If they said they needed time off in August, that's out quiet time so no problem. If they say they want time off in December:rotfl:. It would be difficult enough with two off to juggle work schedule.

Without knowing the boss' reason(s), we can only guess why. In my case it would be pretty thick to allow more people than we can manage to have time off, and fail the customer at their busiest time.

livewire_82 wrote: »

I value all of your replies but I think a number of you misunderstand what I've said. She didn't book time off as soon as she started - she had pre-booked holiday which was booked in January.
I appreciate this probably should've been discussed when the job was offered but why should it be discussed during the interview process? It should have no baring on whether you get the job or not. Can you imagine the reason for not getting a job being because you have holiday booked at an inappropriate time? As far as I'm aware, a new employer should honour any pre-booked holiday. It's ludicrous to expect you to cancel a holiday in order to get a job.

As I said before the time to mention it was when they made the job offer. They can then advise that it isn't possible and then your wife can decide wether she wants to take up their offer of employment or look elsewhere.

prowla

I think it is perfectly reasonable to request holiday three months in advance.

I would have suggested bringing it up during the interview process, but hindsight is a great thing. I've been asked if I have any holiday plans when being interviewed.

Whilst some companies (eg. retail) don't like employees taking holiday in December, others insist on it (eg. my current employer has an office close-down over the Christmas break), so there is no hard and fast rule.

From the employer's perspective, they may already have people who've booked their holidays, so a new starter might be unlucky.

There is also the question with a new starter as to whether they will have accrued enough leave entitlement pro-rata to cover the requested break (ie. 1/4 of their annual entitlement for 3 months); some companies might be reluctant to have a new employee "borrow" from their expected future days.

As far as employer discretion goes, most contracts even give the employer the right to cancel booked leave, if the need arises, though I've never seen it happen and they might find a sudden increase in sick-days if they did invoke it!

All in all, I would say no crime has been committed here and there's no need for lectures, but the employer is in the right.

glentoran99

livewire_82 wrote: »

They will today as the booking record is on email

That's irrelevant, they still don't have to honour it and they still didn't know before starting so they could make arrangements for cover

Kayalana99

Bottom line they don't have to give the holiday, wife should have mentioned it proir to starting if she wouldn't have taken the job otherwise, and no way should have expected it to be given.

With it also being December, a lot of companies get really busy that time of year so may have also been expected?

Cancel the hoilday, call in sick or start looking for another job.