Can your employer force you to take annual leave?

isplumm

Just think of the money you are giving them!

TBagpuss

Not only can they, they should.

It could cause them huge problems if you were to claim that you had been unable to take your statutory entitlement, so they probably want to ensure that they are not putting themselves in a position where that might be a risk.

Things you could consider, as you prefer routine:

- could you take your holidays on a regular basis - for instance, if you took every other Wednesday off, that would be 26 days so you could use up your allowance that way.

- Another (and probably healthier, long term) option is to start to address the reasons why you are unhappy in your home life - short term this might involve starting a hobby which takes you out of the house on a regular basis , and where you could add to it when you have time off - it could be anything from walking, cycling, bird watching, gardening, beekeeping (although that's mostly seasonal) or could be something you can do at home such as sewing, painting, etc.

Look at why you are unhappy. If it is due to a family relationship the start to think about whether that is likely to change, and if not, what steps you would need to take to leave or move on. You might find it useful to talk to a counsellor.

Think about what you enjoy about your job. How could you find similar pleasure in your free time? Again, holidays and volunteering opportunities are worth thinking about.

If you are unhappy at home, could you book time of and go away somewhere by yourself?