Working from abroad, manger refused request

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Talking to a fav nephew last night who works in the public sector and office based on his request for a 6 weeks away from the office.
My nephew said he would take take the odd few days off and a week when over there for 6 weeks and hoping to travel on Friday after work and return on a day off. He works flexi hours, office based inc making phone assessments and almost always chats with other colleagues/clients via phone/emails etc and face to face is via choice only and they have video chat facility. He can work between the hours of 7-30am and 7pm and min of 4 hours daily and doing a 35 hour week Mon to Friday.
Nephew said to the manager that MP/Matt Hancock is half way across the world and on tv and can manage, why can't he be allowed the 6 weeks away from his desk. ATM, he is allowed for WFH one day a week when others get more and the manager's response is, "we need someone in the office." However, there are always other staff there inc the manager most of the time.
I've told him to counsult his union rep on how to put in a written request for 6 weeks away from the office and he is only going to Portugal where I think there is no time difference and even if he went to another country that was a 4/5 hour difference he'd managed
So he is to consult his union rep and use Matt Hnacock as an example and demonstrate his work not be affected.
What do you think, any tips/etc, please?
(I said go for it and encourage others but be warned they may see him as a trouble maker)
My nephew said he would take take the odd few days off and a week when over there for 6 weeks and hoping to travel on Friday after work and return on a day off. He works flexi hours, office based inc making phone assessments and almost always chats with other colleagues/clients via phone/emails etc and face to face is via choice only and they have video chat facility. He can work between the hours of 7-30am and 7pm and min of 4 hours daily and doing a 35 hour week Mon to Friday.
Nephew said to the manager that MP/Matt Hancock is half way across the world and on tv and can manage, why can't he be allowed the 6 weeks away from his desk. ATM, he is allowed for WFH one day a week when others get more and the manager's response is, "we need someone in the office." However, there are always other staff there inc the manager most of the time.
I've told him to counsult his union rep on how to put in a written request for 6 weeks away from the office and he is only going to Portugal where I think there is no time difference and even if he went to another country that was a 4/5 hour difference he'd managed
So he is to consult his union rep and use Matt Hnacock as an example and demonstrate his work not be affected.
What do you think, any tips/etc, please?
(I said go for it and encourage others but be warned they may see him as a trouble maker)
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Thanks,
I don't think it's unreasonable for his employer to say no to be honest, it's all very well to say others can go into the office but by your Nephew being away for 6 weeks that may mean that someone else has to cover his time in office.
In the department I'm in there is more of a push now to get people back into the office more regularly and the union reps I know certainly aren't entertaining people's tenuous reasoning for not going into the office.
Sounds more like an immature stroppy teen than a mature adult who could manage a workload combined with holiday while abroad for 6 weeks. No wonder his employer has said no!
If it's to look after someone that is ill that's somewhat different than if he wants a holiday. If he wants a holiday he should take annual leave and for comparison purposes I've seen no indication that Matt Hancock isn't taking annual leave to be in Australia - I would certainly be expecting him to be, but again not really wise to bring up someone who is being derided for going abroad as a comparison.