Boss not approving Holiday as a have a young child?

[dhutch]

StuTheGrouch said:

It looks like he is now approving this as you're clearly not going to drop it, and he can't be bothered to deal with HR.

You need to think about moving jobs though.

Its all hard work.

The job isn't amazing, but its certainly not awful, and I can do a reasonable amount without talking to the guy.
Even after all this, he appears to have a friendly but superficial chat about life times and other such corridor topics.

Hopefully it settles down again now, but what a fk about.

The irony is I must have spent one of the two days worth on manhours researching my rights, talking to him, talking to HR, ringing Acas, and generally ensuring that I know what I am entitled to, so can firmly and politely (and successfully) challenge it.

Now I just need to get my four day working sorted long term for the new year.

HR have asked further questions of the Occ Heath doctor, who is now asking for permission to see my GP/NHS medical records.
I dont really know what exactly they have asked, but it appear they want medical evidence of my 'Aspergers' diagnosis as well as Occ Heaths opinion on my mental health. All good stuff I am sure, and I have nothing to hide tha I know of, but even it its only Occ Heath who see the records, its all quiet personal and invasive stuff for 'I would like to work for days a week to better balance my work, life, mental health' .

As as wise colleague once told me, big companies have big company politics, small companies have small company politics!

[was8v]

Christ, you are contractually entitled to the holiday in your contract! If he won't let you take it he is in breach of contract.

Book your annual leave, never ever give a reason it's none of their business.

If your child is sick it is emergency care for a dependant. - UK law entitles you to this. May be unpaid. INAL but AFAIK you DO NOT take annual leave to provide emergency care for a sick child. Equally you don't take annual leave when you are sick yourself!

The 4-day request is likely only temporary (?), your child will be going to school soon

His attitude is hardly motivating for you, are you going to be working as hard as you could be when he is forcing you to work!? Terrible boss.

Start looking for a new job and lodge a grievance about being refused annual leave. People don't leave jobs, they leave managers.

[asfault]

raceboy said:

asfault said:

Remind me never to hire you.

If you plan on being a bit of a dick about my holiday entitlement remind me not to apply for a job under you.

It's entirely cause and effect,

OP waited until there was about 9 weeks of the year left to book a day off every Friday for the remaining 8 weeks. That's a bit last minute for a company to deal with don't you think? Even worse if they are a company that has big trade in the Xmas period.

[snobetter]

Entitled to annual leave, not always entitled as to when you take it, such as trades which have to take xmas off or set summer weeks, let alone fitting in with business needs. As long as all treated same etc.

[raceboy]

All boils down to the wording in the contract with regard to the holiday booking procedure.
For instance I am required to give 5 days notice of a holiday, so if I wanted the 24th off I have today and tomorrow to get the paperwork in, if I wanted the following Friday off as well I can wait again until the week before or I can pile all the days in now giving a lorry load of notice, there are no restrictions as to what days can be taken other than not more than 2 off in the team at once.
Previously I've arrived at December with quite a few holidays left so booked every Monday off.....just because I don't like Mondays.

[dhutch]

asfault said:

OP waited until there was about 9 weeks of the year left to book a day off every Friday for the remaining 8 weeks. That's a bit last minute for a company to deal with don't you think? Even worse if they are a company that has big trade in the Xmas period.

Not quiet. The OP (me) booked 6-7 Fridays, over the last 12 weeks this side of Christmas, to use up the remained days allocated to him, and bridge childcare cover of his 20month old toddler, after the company unexpectedly u-turned on their decision to allow him to work four days per week Mon-Thursday at short notice in September.

We develop industrial equipment, manufactured for us by a 3rd party, and do not have a 'xmas trade period' as such.

[The Selfish Gene]

it's irrelevant - you are entitled to your holiday, and unless the contract actually says you aren't allowed to take it unless the big boss man says it's ok, then you can take it when you want.

I have never, ever turned down a holiday request ever.

IF, on the rare occasions 2 or 3 key people want to go at the same time, I try and negotiate it with them.

As the business owner, or a SLT member, it's my responsibility to solve this problem, not the individual member of staff.

The only issue is, and I see this a lot, some people are petty as fk, and it could cause you problems later with things like promotions etc, as you will be seen as 'not a team player'.

I personally do not subscribe to that old fashioned bullst.

Team culture and the people's well being within the business is number one priority, even before customers. Without the people you don't have a business.

[Cats_pyjamas]

What I don't get is that your APL has to be taken at somepoint. Therefore the end result is the same. Managers who have this short sighted outlook, quite frankly come across a bit thick.

[Olivera]

dhutch said:

HR have asked further questions of the Occ Heath doctor, who is now asking for permission to see my GP/NHS medical records.
I dont really know what exactly they have asked, but it appear they want medical evidence of my 'Aspergers' diagnosis as well as Occ Heaths opinion on my mental health. All good stuff I am sure, and I have nothing to hide tha I know of, but even it its only Occ Heath who see the records, its all quiet personal and invasive stuff for 'I would like to work for days a week to better balance my work, life, mental health' .

These are signs of an idiotic employer. Working four days per week (for pro-rata pay) is hardly a huge ask, it's common for lots of parents and you have extenuating circumstances (mental health). Many employees are now requesting a four day week on *full* pay, albeit with longer days. Trawling your health and GP records for evidence is petty and pernicious.

[dhutch]

Cats_pyjamas said:

What I don't get is that your APL has to be taken at somepoint. Therefore the end result is the same. Managers who have this short sighted outlook, quite frankly come across a bit thick.

Bonkers. Although as said, because some of my AL is 'bonus' over stat mini it's not compulsory to give it to me.

[dhutch]

Olivera said:

dhutch said:

HR have asked further questions of the Occ Heath doctor, who is now asking for permission to see my GP/NHS medical records.
I dont really know what exactly they have asked, but it appear they want medical evidence of my 'Aspergers' diagnosis as well as Occ Heaths opinion on my mental health. All good stuff I am sure, and I have nothing to hide tha I know of, but even it its only Occ Heath who see the records, its all quiet personal and invasive stuff for 'I would like to work for days a week to better balance my work, life, mental health' .

These are signs of an idiotic employer. Working four days per week (for pro-rata pay) is hardly a huge ask, it's common for lots of parents and you have extenuating circumstances (mental health). Many employees are now requesting a four day week on *full* pay, albeit with longer days. Trawling your health and GP records for evidence is petty and pernicious.

I agree. But what can you do?