Can you be forced to change booked holiday?

[Alrey87]

Due To the virus situation, I’m being told at work I MUST bring forward my Pre booked annual leave from later in my year and ‘use’ (waste) it NOW while business is slow but conversely while there is nothing to do other than sit at home. The business doesn’t want to furlough employees as we are still working albeit with a lesser demand for field workers. I’ve offered to take unpaid leave now as many days as required, I’m being told no I MUST give up my annual leave which has already been booked for later in the year. I’m told everyone else is complying and I have no choice. Thoughts please?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

In the spirit of helping the firm out through tricky times it sounds like a reasonable request. Hopefully you'll be thought of well when normality returns.

[Brainpox]

As I understand it, it is essentially a luxury that often we are often given the ability to choose when to take leave.

As long as you get the minimum legal requirement over the year, your employer can tell you when to take it.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Back in the day I worked for a furniture manufacturer. All the holidays were set by management as the factory shut down on certain dates. I guess there are parallels with today's crisis.

[markiii]

not going to help if hes has stuff booked and paid for though

[Pothole]

markiii said:

not going to help if hes has stuff booked and paid for though

He's not said that he has.

[markiii]

well if its prebooked i assume it was for a reason, therefore stuff is likely to have been paid out

[Brainpox]

markiii said:

not going to help if hes has stuff booked and paid for though

And that won't matter if the business falls through!

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

markiii said:

well if its prebooked i assume it was for a reason, therefore stuff is likely to have been paid out

Perhaps he's just organised?

But yes, chances are. In that case I'd have an open & honest discussion with the firm.

[towser44]

markiii said:

well if its prebooked i assume it was for a reason, therefore stuff is likely to have been paid out

Could be childcare? I've got holidays booked for later this year purely to look after the kid in school hols

[Alrey87]

Got stuff planned that can’t be moved but not paid for. Have looked at the law side and apparently, yes they can do this. Not happy about it when friends in the same industry at other companies have been furloughed on a rotational basis (3 weeks for one employee then 3 weeks for another) and it’s business as usual for us and we are expected to fund it from our annual leave. Can’t believe my request for unpaid time off was rejected!

[Pothole]

Alrey87 said:

Got stuff planned that can’t be moved but not paid for. Have looked at the law side and apparently, yes they can do this. Not happy about it when friends in the same industry at other companies have been furloughed on a rotational basis (3 weeks for one employee then 3 weeks for another) and it’s business as usual for us and we are expected to fund it from our annual leave. Can’t believe my request for unpaid time off was rejected!

Sounds like you might want to look into moving to one of those companies when this is all over...or maybe wait and see and try not to get wound up about stuff you can't control and the grass looking greener somewhere else.

[Jasandjules]

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/1833/regu...

[anonymous-user]

Our plant shuts down in the summer, normally, for 2 weeks maintenance. This year it was brought forward to the last two weeks, through which I worked, and I have been asked to take this week off.

Every year we have 13 days taken from our annual leave to coincide with the plant shutdown and Christmas, leaving 12-20 (dependent on service / buying 5 days) + BH floating through the year.

Do I want to be off when lockdown is on? No. Can I go anywhere? No. Can I do anything? No. Would I like the company i work for to survive? Yes, so I am willing to give up a little flexibility for that past 12-13 years of flexibility they have given me, imho play the long game.