Can they contact me during annual leave?

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Blackcat82
Blackcat82 Posts: 1 Newbie
in Employment, jobseeking & training
Hi I work for a company where we all expected to jump whenever they say jump. I don't mind too much as that's the same anywhere in our industry but I am struggling to get a break even during using my toil or annual leave. I had toil today and had constant messages from my boss asking me to contact him about a project he wanted me to cancel toil for...while I was out using it as agreed!

When I ask for annual leave I'm asked if I can take a laptop with me just in case they need me and am told I need to minimum reply to emails for things they need urgent answers too.

Surely it can't be legal to demand that? I'm made to feel if I say no then I am not working as part of the team/committed enough when I work above and beyond the rest of the time and just need to be able to give myself (and my family) a break when on leave. I always leave information on current work projects available to them should they need and give advance notice of my leave.

I've tried googling for any government rules on this but can't find anything to specify it?
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Comments

  • sangie595
    sangie595 Posts: 6,092 Forumite
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    It's not illegal. And plenty of people do it. I'm not saying you should. I don't think you should. But it's up to you to set the boundaries on your time, not the law.

    Take lots of holidays where the email service is rotten. I can recommend Cuba, parts of Central Africa, and the foothills of Nepal. Nigh on impossible to get a signal!
  • TELLIT01
    TELLIT01 Posts: 16,479 Forumite
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    If you're a senior exec with a company that expectation possibly isn't unreasonable. Much lower down the pecking order and I believe it is totally unacceptable. It says more about how poorly the company is run than anything else if they have to contact staff during their time off.
  • ThemeOne
    ThemeOne Posts: 1,471 Forumite
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    sangie595 wrote: »
    Take lots of holidays where the email service is rotten. I can recommend Cuba, parts of Central Africa, and the foothills of Nepal. Nigh on impossible to get a signal!

    Great idea!
  • foolofbeans
    foolofbeans Posts: 385 Forumite
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    sangie595 wrote: »
    Take lots of holidays where the email service is rotten. I can recommend Cuba, parts of Central Africa, and the foothills of Nepal. Nigh on impossible to get a signal!
    Also very little (if any) signal in the South West of England, particularly where I am. We see lots of visitors walking around waving their phones in the air in the hope they will see two bars. It does have the positive effect that work can't contact me easily.
  • ElefantEd
    ElefantEd Posts: 1,189 Forumite
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    sangie595 wrote: »
    Take lots of holidays where the email service is rotten. I can recommend Cuba, parts of Central Africa, and the foothills of Nepal. Nigh on impossible to get a signal!


    You don't have to go that far - the Scottish Borders (where I live) would be entirely suitable! I have to say that if it were me I would make sure I didn't switch my mobile or laptop on whilst I was on leave. I wouldn't make a big fuss, I would just be "unavailable due to lack of signal".
  • warehouse
    warehouse Posts: 3,362 Forumite
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    sangie595 wrote: »
    It's not illegal. And plenty of mugs do it.

    Fixed.

    Illegal? No. Would I work on my leave? Also no. Try not being taken for a mug and you won't be treated like one.
    Pants
  • Lorian
    Lorian Posts: 5,706 Forumite
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    Sounds like you need to discuss the forming of a standby/call-out rota, with appropriate remuneration.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
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    I got sent a 'hangout' yesterday about going in to cover on day off which took me over 4 hours to see as I'm more attached to my iPad then my PAYG mobile. When I saw it it was to late but it did start the whole, do I enjoy my job, got to say.
  • andygb
    andygb Posts: 14,631 Forumite
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    No way Jose!
    I would never agree to a firm contacting me on holiday.
    I work long hours doing a good job, so I enjoy MY time.
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
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    Get another phone... leave the one the boss knows turned off unless you're on your way to work, or on your way home. Off. In the drawer. Out of sight entirely.

    Find activities you can pretend you were doing why you didn't have the phone with you ... I worked with a chap who used to holiday in ski resorts doing "avalanche training" where they were effectively learning skills on survival if you were buried when skiing.

    Closer to home... scuba diving, water polo, general swimming .... anything water based if you feel you have to build a web of lies.

    You are called because you are available. Once they get the hang of the fact it's hard to get hold of you .... they'll start bothering other people.

    Also - it might be that a lot of the time they don't expect to get hold of you, but to leave a message so they don't forget they want to ask you something ... but as you answer you're sucked in.

    Just turn the phone off...
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