I've in a bit of a dilemma. Im a relief medical secretary who covers annual leave and sickness. I work full time and help people out at other hospitals when Im not covering someone. I've been wanting to go on this horse adult camp since August this year and found out yesterday that the camp is on beginning of August next year. Because I cover everyone else's annual leave I am the only one allowed to be off where as the secretaries can have 2 off at one.

I have emailed everyone asking if they are ok with me booking this camp but 2 have come back saying they have 'provisionally' booked their holidays for this week next year. The supervisor knew nothing of this as they hadnt asked her if they could have these weeks so now I dont know if Im going to be able to go! Im gutted because Ive been saving money in the hope that I can go because its definately what me and Flint need to push us further!

Im hoping the supervisor will just say we can all have that week and I've offered to help them as much as possible when I return. Both these women have children and I feel like Im in the wrong for asking for this week as its in the summer holidays and 'schools are much stricter about children having time off in term time'. Im sorry but my horse is strict about me riding him. Sorry - I just needed to have a rant because Im feeling slightly discriminated against for not having children! :(

If they've 'provisionally' booked it but their supervisor doesn't know, I'd make every effort to ensure my leave form hits her desk first.

M.

I've spoken to the supervisor and left it in her hands. She was going to 'sleep on it' and get back to me but as yet hasnt! I just cant help feeling horrid towards the other secs (and I know its unprofessional) but Im constantly helping them out when they get behind (unbeknown to the supervisor who thinks they are keeping on top) and I was hoping that all the help I give people would someday be returned. Because they havent actually booked the holidays I would have thought they could move it back a week because there are 6 weeks school holidays but no they cant do that!

Sometimes the more you give to people, the more they expect and the less they give back. :rolleyes:

But if your job is to cover annual leave for others - isn't a major part of it that you are available at certain popular holiday times?

But I'm also entitled to annual leave at busy times also!

If the horse adult camp is always going to be August, then you're always going to have this problem whatever year you want to go.  Just because you cover annual leave doesn't mean to me that you should never be able to have a holiday in August.  I think I would just apply for yours to the supervisor and let her worry about everyone else.

I can't see why you can't book it off now before they hand in their holiday forms? :D

First come first served?

You deserve it just as much as anyone else, school summer holidays are more then just a week! :D

I think what will happen is that we'll all be given the week off and I'll just have to take work off them to do when I get back (whilst covering someone else who is on annual leave!) :rolleyes:

I feel the same as you in that those with children get the first bite of the apple,I always work Xmas eve so those with kids get the time off to be with them but when I want time off to be with baby pups it's always " no you can't have time off for a dog!!"Those with kids CHOOSE to have them and must work thier hours around them, why should they always be put above those of us who chose to give our lives to some other love, are we not entitled to spend time with our "children"?? Put your request in and make sure your supervisor knows you are just as needy as the others. Stand up for your rights we are all entitled to some quality time. Don't feel guilty it's not your problem.

Good luck, Tracey - fight your corner ! :-D
Unfortunately there's a tendency by some employees to assume that because they have young children they have an automatic right to take their leave at school holiday time, regardless of any plans their colleagues may have. :rolleyes:

Get yours booked first!!!!! I have to confess I wouldn't have even asked around at work I would have just put my holiday form in and waited to find out if I had got it or not from the supervisor.

Why should you book your holidays round them?? Yeah they may have kids but the holidays are 6 weeks long, plenty of time for them to have a week off!!!

I have a child but have never expected preferential treatment off any employers. Also have dogs and horses and am probably more likely to need time off for them!!!!

Paula.

being self employed   i have no idea how the booking of holidays is organsed, sorry! However  do know that there are several different groups that do adult horse camps so maybe you could source a different one that better suits your rota?

it really annoys me when people 'provisionally' book holidays-most of my team are on warnings now because they always do it, but don't cancel them if they don't need them, which means everyone else loses out. I've had countless days knocked back for this very reason. I would ask your manager/supervisor if you can go ahead and book the week and you know full well you need it, not that you might need it. You never know.........

Sam this camp is literally on the door step so I can still go home at night instead of actually camping out and the grounds are superb with an excellent xcountry course!

Nothing has been said yet about the holidays but Im definately sticking to my guns. If I dont get on the camp then fair enough I wouldnt have the week off but I never normally have school holiday breaks so I think I might deserve just 1 week! lol

Your form was their first!  I think it is very considerate of you to ask them if they were ok with it.  They will take advantage if you let them, be strong and don't help them out when they can't do their workload.  If they do you no favours, then you shouldn't give them any!

Your supervisor would be wrong to let them have the holiday and not you.  Just bandy words like "stress" "discrimination" "unethical" around.  Trust me, as a HR profesisonal, those words send the fear of God into me! :-D.

Stick to you guns and fight for it.  Your supervisor cannot deny you asked first - oh and keep hold of any communications that state that, you might need proof in future!

O h thanks for that. I have saved everything Ive sent/received (comes with being a secretary!). Its nice to hear views of HR because I didnt really know where I stood!

I think I was quite considerate letting everyone else know because its kind of an unwritten rule (or I thought it was!)

Will let you know how I get on!

Maybe consulting colleagues isn't a good idea when you really need to take holiday in August?  If you now get it, maybe your colleagues will be more annoyed than they would have been if not consulted in the first place?  Hope it all works out.  :)

They hadnt even told our manager because when i explained the situation to her she didnt even know they have booked holidays and I think she was quite annoyed they hadnt put forms in first!

This will be relly interesting ot see how the manager handles it.  In my (HR) opinion, I think it would be totally unethical for her to deny you your holiday!  But them admitedly, managers aren't always the best at ethics

*sits in her chair, squinting and screwing up her face, waiting for the barrage of abuse from all you managers out there*

:-D

lol, I've been training to be a manager but with the NHS the way it is Ive taken a back seat!

She's in a sticky situation because I dont think she's going to want to upset any of us.

I've been talking to my parents (who own their own business) and they've said to send in the annual leave form when I send in my time sheet on Monday and just see what happens.

Fingers crossed I dont get shouted at!!

I'll keep it all crossed for you!  Let us know what happens!

My OH gets alot of flack for not taking all his holidays each year..
But his manager's 'forget' all the times when he puts in requests for
holiday - which they reject because there are too many 'higher' grade chefs off...:rolleyes:
(he's one of two 'second' chefs- just below head chef)
I think he's being allowed to carry forward 8 days (I know the legal max is 5 but they've
been given 3 hol days back as they aren't getting an xmas party etc).
So he's got 33 days hols to take next year.

Just hope we fare better when we want to take hols this coming year.

Best of Luck with getting your hols request approved!

My daughter age 17 and still at school, works weekends in a very large department store. She has never been off ill, late for her shift or asked for time off without good reason, 2 weekends off in the last year to go on school trips. We are going away for New Year in Spain and when she asked (in October) for 1 weekend and 1 Saturday off, the fuss they made was unbelievable. Bearing in mind that she is working the entire Christmas week including BOXING DAY for this lot, they have said that she can have the time off but it is on her card as unauthorised and if she does it again she will be disciplined! This completely infuriates me, little wonder kids get fed up. What is she supposed to do - stay at home herself for New Year at 17? She only works 4 hrs each day in the cafe for goodness sake, hardly vital to the operation of the store!

How can it be unauthorised if they have agreed it?  If the try to discipline her, they will be so far in the wrong it is ridiculous! :rolleyes:

Big companies try to scare poeple in this way but they cannot discipline her for this, especially when her conduct and performace in all other areas is excellent.  Tell her to conatct ACAS and return the scaremongering.  Tell her employer if they discipline her and she leaves, she will seek guidance and take them to a tribunal for constructive dismissal!

I hate companies like this!  Tell her to get another job.  There are loads out there!

Unfortantly Jennyrose there arn't always jobs for students only wanting to work 4 hour shifts a couple of times aweek as they tend to be only short term staff, not always able to do extra shifts etc etc etc.

My brother has a part time job where he works saturdays and one evening a week for 4 hours (2 at the moment with christmas arriving)  He couldn't get a job anywhere in our town and also the next town.  He takes a 45 to 60 min journey to work just for part time.

Apparently none of the staff get holidays at Christmas/New Year, her immediate boss wasn't too bothered but this seems to be store policy. Anyway she would be coming with us even if it meant giving up the job. She is off to Uni after the summer so she will be leaving then anyway but until now it has been a good place to work and they pay above minimum for 17 year olds so she was hoping for a transfer to a store near her final choice of uni wherever that may be! As you say Ice queen, weekend jobs are getting harder to find. Anyway, she had to ask for time off next Sunday as she has to go for interview at Oxford Uni and they were all really pleased and excited for her (me too :-)), it just annoyed me that the management felt they had to make such a fuss over 12 hours off!
Marion

No holiday over xmas/new year is common in retail.  I work in well know pet stores and they state no holiday to be taken in december as staff are needed, however normally if you talk to managers really nicely they are fine with it although will normally only let one person have time off.  However when they change the rules for one person then you have to be very careful as everyone will want the rules changed for them.

I can't see why they can't let your daughter have just 12 hours off even if they wanted to come to an agreement that is was autherised although maybe not paid (I'm not being paid this christmas, it's just being put down as day's off and I simply won't get paid but won't loose anything :)  TBH I don't mind as I'm going to Thailand :D

I think it's the same for my brother and his expected to work the extra hours, although he doesn't mind as it's extra money in his pay packet!!!

Good luck for your daughter in her interview!

Thanks Rox, we didn't expect her to be paid and provided they don't start making life difficult for her it will be Ok. Fortunately she is in a position where she can leave but I do feel sorry for anyone who really needs the money. All this nonsense about wanting shops to open on Christmas Day is just ridiculous, this kind of thing starts off as 'on a voluntary basis' and ends up with people being forced to work which is ridiculous. I worked in a shop when I was at school too and always feel for the staff at this time of year- long hours, grumpy customers and little thanks for all your hard work. I always try to be extra nice to shop assistants at this time of year :D . Have a great time in Thailand you lucky thing :D

Marion

Surprisingly many Customers are nice over christmas which does make the work abit better.  WHere I work I've only got good things to say about the company but then they did get me a transfer in stores (which isn't normal in the company) and they have always been supportive of my school work and dog showing :)  Do feel I'm taking a little bit of an advantage this christmas but I won't be going away now during christmas or summer untill I have finished my degree so hopefully they won't complain! :D

Hope that where your daughter works see's abit of christmas sprit for her and they relise they don't want to loose a staff member!

Just a quick update. I saw my manager today and said 'Have you had a think about the holiday situation'. She said she hadnt and if it was down to HR then the other 2 wouldnt be allowed to take the holidays because they havent had signed forms back so I said - well can I put my form in then? And she said YES!!!!

Thank Goodness!

So - Im putting it in and if I get on the camp then Im going!! :D

back in the days when I worked in retail (in a well known department store) it was a sackable offence to be off on boxing day.  My boss phoned in sick (with what turned out to be a self inflicted hangover) and was promptly sacked.