Employer refused annual leave

Diamandis

snae said:

cr1mson said:

It is difficult to work out what is going on as it could just be a case that the employer has refused the annual leave at this particular time. If OP had had quite a few days off previously the employer may simply be saying you have had a lot of time off recently so we want you to get a run of work behind you for a variety of entirely valid reasons. So they are not saying no to holiday just no to holiday just now. Really need more info from OP.

And as others have pointed employer can tell you when to take leave.

That's a fairly valid point I had not considered.

However the specific reason I was given is that I have "already had too many days off" and not that I couldn't specifically have them this soon.

You really need to get them to clarify. 

prowla

snae said:

Jillanddy said:

Unless the OP comes back and explains the details, it's all guessing games. The employer may have policy that enables them to offset unauthorised absences against annual leave. The OP may have taken high levels of sick leave, not unauthorised absences at all. All we can be clear about is the the OP asked for leave and was refused it. The employer can do that. They don't need a reason either. But somehow I think that one way or another there's either a lot of confusion in what the OP has already said, or there is missing information, because the few facts available don't make sense.

Nope. I have in the past been on sick leave, however this was not taken into account in relation to my tribunal. My sick leave was two weeks, and is nothing by comparison to the levels of sick leave colleagues who have been given holiday have taken.

I would be willing to present more information, so far as maintaining anonymity. What else would you like to know?

I get the impression that I am not well liked in general by the management, however most people here aren't too keen on them either, including the members of management themselves. Policies are seldom followed, except until a few months ago it appears.

2 weeks hardly seems excessive.

Some years ago someone I know worked at a place where they would factor in their nominal sick leave allowance as de-facto holiday and openly say they hadn't taken all their sick leave allowance for the year yet.

TELLIT01

prowla said:

2 weeks hardly seems excessive.

Some years ago someone I know worked at a place where they would factor in their nominal sick leave allowance as de-facto holiday and openly say they hadn't taken all their sick leave allowance for the year yet.

That used to be commonplace when unions ruled the workplace back in the 70's and 80's but certainly isn't the norm any more.  Many companies have very stringent sickness absence policies.  The last place I worked before retirement had a policy where 3 periods of sickness or 8 days absence, whichever was the lower, would kick the disciplinary process into action.

Jillanddy

I think there is a very simple answer then. The employer said no. They don't have to even give a reason for saying no. So absolutely nobody here or elsewhere could conceivably explain why they said no or what it means. You would have to ask the employer what they mean by what they said.

You may or may not like your employer, you may or may not agree with their actions, but there is little evidence at all that they have actually done anything wrong. Although none of these things are relevant, they don't have to refer anyone to OH, or even have OH available; they have the right to adhere to policy - you don't have the right to not do so; they have, from what you say, an exceedingly lenient disciplinary policy; verbal warnings are usually put in writing as evidence that they happened; and what happens to someone else it not relevant to anything.

You appear to be conflating your real or perceived grievances with a very simple fact - employers do not have to approve holiday dates that you don't. You say you know this fact. So you have come to MSE to ask a bunch of people who aren't the employer what your employer meant by refusing you the leave you wanted and what you should do, when the only people who can answer that question are your managers. We can tell you to keep asking, complain, or whatever, but that won't explain the refusal or get you what you want. 

Savvy_Sue

How else can an employer record that a verbal warning has been given if they don't do it in writing? They can't just put it on your records without confirming to you that they've done that. 

You need to stop being vague about how much holiday you are entitled to (at least 22.4 days including bank holidays if you work days of the same length) and when your leave year starts and ends, and then see if you agree with your employer's assessment that you have taken too much.