Holdiday - Can my boss do this?
Discussion
Hi all.
After a bit of advice please.
Holiday procedure at my place of work is that you choose the days you wish to take off, then mark them on a holiday form and hand it to the MD.
He will view the calendar for people who are already on holiday, important business dates etc, then approve or deny the request - fair enough.
2 weeks ago i booked a day off in order to attend a friends wedding, everything went as usual, and i recieved my signed holiday approval back the next day.
Today my boss has called and said I can't have the day off any more as we're going to be too busy now (something has come up after i have booked the day off). When I protested he said "you can choose, you can either keep your job, or you can have the day off".
1) Is he allowed to grant me the day off, then take it away as describe (or does it depend very specifically on my contract).
2) Can he legally make the statement/follow through on "keep your job or have the day off"?
Sadly i think i already know the answer to 1
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
After a bit of advice please.
Holiday procedure at my place of work is that you choose the days you wish to take off, then mark them on a holiday form and hand it to the MD.
He will view the calendar for people who are already on holiday, important business dates etc, then approve or deny the request - fair enough.
2 weeks ago i booked a day off in order to attend a friends wedding, everything went as usual, and i recieved my signed holiday approval back the next day.
Today my boss has called and said I can't have the day off any more as we're going to be too busy now (something has come up after i have booked the day off). When I protested he said "you can choose, you can either keep your job, or you can have the day off".
1) Is he allowed to grant me the day off, then take it away as describe (or does it depend very specifically on my contract).
2) Can he legally make the statement/follow through on "keep your job or have the day off"?
Sadly i think i already know the answer to 1
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
It depends on your contract.
If you have a procedure in place at your firm, and it has been followed then you have done everything you can do. To agree the day off, especially for a friend's wedding - in writing and then to go back on that is very bad form, 'busy' or not.
The legal issues are easy - you have complied, he has not.
The practical issues are more complex though. Making a fuss can sometimes 'brand' you for a while, and in the current climate, that may not be worth it.
As a halfway house I would suggest writing to him personally and explaining your situation about the reason for taking the day off, that you applied properly, and the request accepted and as such you have made plans it will cost you to break.
I would word it as you have discussed the matter informally with him so far, and you have been requested to retract your application but you would be unable to do so in the circumstances. Also, politely request that if this is an issue with him or the company to put any correspondence in writing.
He will have balls of steel to write what he has said to you as he will be the other end of a claim. If he does then I would also suggest you are better off working for someone else.
If you have a procedure in place at your firm, and it has been followed then you have done everything you can do. To agree the day off, especially for a friend's wedding - in writing and then to go back on that is very bad form, 'busy' or not.
The legal issues are easy - you have complied, he has not.
The practical issues are more complex though. Making a fuss can sometimes 'brand' you for a while, and in the current climate, that may not be worth it.
As a halfway house I would suggest writing to him personally and explaining your situation about the reason for taking the day off, that you applied properly, and the request accepted and as such you have made plans it will cost you to break.
I would word it as you have discussed the matter informally with him so far, and you have been requested to retract your application but you would be unable to do so in the circumstances. Also, politely request that if this is an issue with him or the company to put any correspondence in writing.
He will have balls of steel to write what he has said to you as he will be the other end of a claim. If he does then I would also suggest you are better off working for someone else.
stuthemong said:
Could you not offer to work an extra saturday to compensate for the lost weekday?
I most likely could yes. Though as petty as it sounds, I dont really see why i should. Perhaps if he had come to me and said "Look i know i;ve authorised you holiday, but is there any chance of you changing plans (or working extra day etc etc) because something has come up and we're going to be really busy" then I most likely would have been accomodating.However because he has done things the way he has, Im not too keen to help out.
If your boss has signed your holiday request, it is his problem if it's going to be busy on your day off. If you back down, he will surely do the same again. Do you have a HR department? As useless as can sometimes be, they will at least file the issue should you decide to attend the wedding and be sacked for it
Nyphur said:
I most likely could yes. Though as petty as it sounds, I dont really see why i should.
Because life is too short?Just tell the boss you aren't paricularly impressed with how he has handled the issue, but offer to work a day at the weekend to level it out.
Then shake hands and carry on.
Of course, you could get arsey over the issue, and cause yourself grief.....
Edited by stuthemong on Sunday 1st March 17:20
CHIEF said:
Hit him!
Like that will help..... instant dismissal, and throwing a sickie is leading you down a path you don't want to go... as is getting formal and asking for everything in writing etc...Go and speak to the bloke, explain the wedding etc (if you haven't already), and listen to what he has to say (there may be a serious business issue at play here, and ha may be under a massive amount of pressure to get something out to a customer) and ask if there is a way to work around it... or speak to a workmate and ask them for a favour to make up time for you etc.
Please don't hit the self destruct button for something as trivial as this...life is about give and take.
Good luck
Red V8 said:
CHIEF said:
Hit him!
Like that will help..... instant dismissal, and throwing a sickie is leading you down a path you don't want to go... as is getting formal and asking for everything in writing etc...Seriously though, if he is an approachable bloke speak to him maybe out of works time (i.e. in the pub) but to be honest he sounds a bit of a nobber if you ask me, problem is jobs as we all know are hard to come by, does he p**s anyone else off or is it just you? he might have had a particularly bad day. get him when he seems apprioachable and in a good mood, dont be scared of bringing it up. At the end of the day he is a human being after all.
Good luck
CHIEF said:
Red V8 said:
CHIEF said:
Hit him!
Like that will help..... instant dismissal, and throwing a sickie is leading you down a path you don't want to go... as is getting formal and asking for everything in writing etc...Seriously though, if he is an approachable bloke speak to him maybe out of works time (i.e. in the pub) but to be honest he sounds a bit of a nobber if you ask me, problem is jobs as we all know are hard to come by, does he p**s anyone else off or is it just you? he might have had a particularly bad day. get him when he seems apprioachable and in a good mood, dont be scared of bringing it up. At the end of the day he is a human being after all.
Good luck
regards
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