Need advice Holiday issue

GTR_King

So I work for a local facilities management company that works with local council been there for years, 

In our place we are allowed 2 (Indoor) 1-2 (Drivers) off at any one times leaving us with sufficient cover. 

for example I asked my boss (lady) for Friday 16th off as planning on moving to flat that day (Can do weekend as well) she said is diary free I told her yes as only one person is off I checked, response was wait for team leader to be in Thursday to check if you can have that day off as I don't have access yet (New manager) but as ***** is off sick (Had op in August & should be back soon) and not sure when back, we might be able to approve your holiday but if they are not back might have to cancel it at short notice. 

are they allowed to do this? seem unfair I can't have day off due to staff member being off sick which we can't predict 

StevenB12

Unfortunately I would assume said staff member being off sick is an unfortunately circumstance that does ultimately effect holidays in some companies. 

All depends on their policy. If there is sufficient cover for the day you want off, a long with the person being off sick, then there is no reason to hold your holiday and you would have an argument to take it. 

If the company requires, as you said, sufficient cover, and if you go on holiday and the said person is off sick which would leave the company short, then unfortunately that appears to be the companies policy. 

If you have a contract it may be worth reading what it says about your holiday entitlement. 

Undervalued

GTR_King said:

So I work for a local facilities management company that works with local council been there for years, 

In our place we are allowed 2 (Indoor) 1-2 (Drivers) off at any one times leaving us with sufficient cover. 

for example I asked my boss (lady) for Friday 16th off as planning on moving to flat that day (Can do weekend as well) she said is diary free I told her yes as only one person is off I checked, response was wait for team leader to be in Thursday to check if you can have that day off as I don't have access yet (New manager) but as ***** is off sick (Had op in August & should be back soon) and not sure when back, we might be able to approve your holiday but if they are not back might have to cancel it at short notice. 

are they allowed to do this? seem unfair I can't have day off due to staff member being off sick which we can't predict 

Short answer - yes.

Unfair - maybe, that is in the eye of the beholder. Not however unlawful.

Unless there is a contractual agreement allowing you to book holidays (unlikely) then the legal default applies. You have a right to your holiday at some point during the year but the employer can totally dictate when you can and cannot take it. They don't need a reason.

So, taken to extreme, they could close for 5.6 weeks of the year and insist that all staff take that as their holiday and allow no other time off at all. Obviously they might struggle to recruit and retain staff but that is another matter!

GTR_King

Contract says that if you request holiday & there is sufficient cover (Excluding sickness) then your allowed it off and once booked they can’t make you cancel it, 

with this staff member off we are 1 down & struggling as it is lol 😂 normally we are fine. 

All the management are worried about is getting complaints that the work ain’t getting done, 

if I can’t have the Friday off will they ask for the Monday

but wanted the Friday off so can I move to the flat & get things sorted as got help that day,  

Undervalued

GTR_King said:

Contract says that if you request holiday & there is sufficient cover (Excluding sickness) then your allowed it off and once booked they can’t make you cancel it, 

with this staff member off we are 1 down & struggling as it is lol 😂 normally we are fine. 

All the management are worried about is getting complaints that the work ain’t getting done, 

if I can’t have the Friday off will they ask for the Monday

but wanted the Friday off so can I move to the flat & get things sorted as got help that day,  

OK, that helps. Not all that common!

74jax

GTR_King said:

Contract says that if you request holiday & there is sufficient cover (Excluding sickness) then your allowed it off and once booked they can’t make you cancel it, 

with this staff member off we are 1 down & struggling as it is lol 😂 normally we are fine. 

All the management are worried about is getting complaints that the work ain’t getting done, 

if I can’t have the Friday off will they ask for the Monday

but wanted the Friday off so can I move to the flat & get things sorted as got help that day,  

Is that the wording as its rather poorly worded. It's unusual for a contract to state that the employer can not cancel holiday, it's usually just never mentioned. It opens them up to so many issues, maybe the rest of the contract is badly written too, doesn't help here I know but it's worth going through your contract closely for other issues. 

GTR_King

Contract not worded like that at all, Just that's what they are saying in better wording lol. I am not good at writing things lol. but been told they can't cancel your holiday at short notice only ask you to cancel if desperate...

I fully understand if I wanted 16th off and there was 2-3 people already off on holiday and it was rejected that's fine.. 

but what annoys me is diary is completely free except for one indoor person/staff being off on Annual leave but due to staff member being off long term sick (No return to work date yet) higher management are reluctant to let me have that day off or holiday till he is due back to work due to work load etc but team leader happy to let me have it off and assistant manager should be fine... 

if my holiday was for me doing naff all at home then not fussed but as moving that weekend really need that day to get things going. 

will see what assistant manager who authorises annual leave says tomz

MalMonroe

You should still be allowed to have your holidays, whether or not anybody else is off sick. That's not your problem and your employer should pay for temporary cover if necessary.

You cannot be held responsible for the health of any of your colleagues, it's up to management to sort out that problem. In fact, it sounds to me as if they should have employed someone on a temporary basis to cover your colleague's duties in the first place. What does your contract say about covering for long-term sick colleagues? 

I'd be tempted to have a word with acas tomorrow, too. 

https://www.acas.org.uk/contact

GTR_King

I don't know, this colleague should be back soon had an op in august waiting for all clear from doctors...

was off sick before few years ago with same problem, but seemed fine after it got sorted. 

Seems like company I work for either says no to your annual leave because staff is off sick as will be really short or let you have it off but leave the office with bare staff and stuff don't get done. 

when fully staffed we are fine and no problems happen 

as I say normally we are allowed 2 (indoor) 2 (Drivers) off at any one time which works, excluding sickness we don't count that... but as we are nearing new school term starting to get busy and with staff holidays and sickness we are struggling... so they reluctant to let more than 1 indoor staff off at any one given time 

will ask my office assistant manager tomz for day off as moving and wanna plan things hopefully they will say yes.. tuff luck if they are short staffed I need /would like the day off and it's not like I am doing naff all at home but if can’t have that off will try for the Monday 

MovingForwards

You could always ask for a half day as a compromise. It's what I did when moving and I had a full property of furniture and possessions to move.

GTR_King

Thank you assistant manage going through holiday requests this afternoon, if can’t have full day will ask for half day, 

but will politely say that’s the only Friday I can get help with moving (Family) until end of October due to work/holiday & don’t really wanna wait another month to move in can do that Saturday/Sunday but would like extra day to get this sorted, 

hopefully will understand