Employment contract restricts holiday

TELLIT01

The OP will also need to factor in that if this affects all staff, not just a range of jobs, everybody will be fighting to fit 12 months worth of holiday into 9 months of the year.  That could create additional problems assuming the company also limits the number of people who can be off at one time.  Is leave granted on a 'first come, first served' basis, or do staff have to put in leave requests by a certain date and management then decide who gets it?

Undervalued

twopointfour1980 said:

55ryan said:

I've had jobs which restrict holidays, particularly around the end of the tax year. One job there was no holiday allowed unless in exceptional circumstances between 1/4 and 15/5. 

The fact that it doesn't sit well with you answers your question. I'm reminded of a quote by Billy Joel - 'if you wonder too much about what you should be doing then you probably shouldn't do it'. 

If it is concerning you now, it will be much worse in the job when friends/partner etc want you to go on holiday or you have won a holiday competition for example.

That's what I'm contemplating. I have young kids and much of my holiday is used for school holidays which typically land in Feb, April June/July, Oct so the reality is that 90% of my holiday will have to be then and the restriction won't have much impact on me. This will be the case for at least the next 10 or 12 years.
I think there is a bit of flexibility for a day here or there and if I can improve the department to have more cover, I think it can be better too so I almost see it as a challenge to overcome.

Ultimately only you can decide what it is worth to you to have as much flexibility as possible regarding holidays.

Do remember, as I said earlier, an employer can dictate when you can and cannot take holiday, unless there there is a contractual agreement giving you specific rights.

Also, legally, having young kids doesn't give you any additional rights over and above childless employees regarding holiday.

twopointfour1980

TELLIT01 said:

The OP will also need to factor in that if this affects all staff, not just a range of jobs, everybody will be fighting to fit 12 months worth of holiday into 9 months of the year.  That could create additional problems assuming the company also limits the number of people who can be off at one time.  Is leave granted on a 'first come, first served' basis, or do staff have to put in leave requests by a certain date and management then decide who gets it?

Good point. They ask for 4 weeks notice typically

twopointfour1980

Undervalued said:

twopointfour1980 said:

55ryan said:

I've had jobs which restrict holidays, particularly around the end of the tax year. One job there was no holiday allowed unless in exceptional circumstances between 1/4 and 15/5. 

The fact that it doesn't sit well with you answers your question. I'm reminded of a quote by Billy Joel - 'if you wonder too much about what you should be doing then you probably shouldn't do it'. 

If it is concerning you now, it will be much worse in the job when friends/partner etc want you to go on holiday or you have won a holiday competition for example.

That's what I'm contemplating. I have young kids and much of my holiday is used for school holidays which typically land in Feb, April June/July, Oct so the reality is that 90% of my holiday will have to be then and the restriction won't have much impact on me. This will be the case for at least the next 10 or 12 years.
I think there is a bit of flexibility for a day here or there and if I can improve the department to have more cover, I think it can be better too so I almost see it as a challenge to overcome.

Ultimately only you can decide what it is worth to you to have as much flexibility as possible regarding holidays.

Do remember, as I said earlier, an employer can dictate when you can and cannot take holiday, unless there there is a contractual agreement giving you specific rights.

Also, legally, having young kids doesn't give you any additional rights over and above childless employees regarding holiday.

Thanks. I think it's okay with me on this. 
Noted on the having young kids front - I'm not the kind of person that would put myself in front of someone else just because of this - I completely recognise that everyone needs holiday irrespective of personal situations