Do I have to find my own cover before booking holidays?

[treechocred]

Hi,

My working week consists of 2 early shifts, and 3 late ones one week, then the next week 3 earlies and 2 lates.

When I tried to book 2 weeks off for my holiday, I was told that I could only have the holidays if I found someone to cover my late shifts. If I cant find my own cover, I'm unable to book holidays. Thing is, everyone hates the late shift and getting someone to agree to cover is a very rare event indeed!

Can they do this? This is not in my contract and in 4 years of working with this company has never been an issue before. Surely you are entitled to take your holidays whenever (within reason) Is this the case of a lazy manager not doing his duties in rearranging the rota? or can they actually enforce this?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Sounds crazy.

So if you are unable to ever find cover then your employers will not let you take your holidays ever!

It's not your problem. They should find the cover themselves. However, if this is at a time they dictate then you will need to agree to that.

But they cannot just stop your holidays!

[Allwood]

I have had he same problems with my employer they are asking people to book their holidays 2 years in advance for 2008, this to my mind is unreasonable and not workable for employees how can anyone book holidays that far in advance or when there in an emergency and when I have had an emergency I had to provide proof of why I needed to take the holiday that had given three times the notice of of the time that I was taking off. People who have been away for long periods have no change of getting any holidays as the company has book everyone that got in early have the first choices. and if you asked for holidays that does not fit in with their plan for 2 years in advance they you will be given what the company thinks that is good for them, which is very unfair and unreasonable.
When here is an emergency my company will asked for proof of why you want holidays outside the ones that have already been book a year in advance. Even when proof was provided it was still very difficult to get my holidays with a struggle. I have checked in the staff hand book which is a bit ambiguous and wrote to the manager of the store who completely ignored my letter. (pig of a manager). Next they will asked us to work voluntary without pay because these big stores are doing very badly at the moment and they do not want to disappoint their share holders.

[cal37]

They can only make you give
reasonable notice, look here Holiday entitlements: taking your holidays : Directgov - Employment

[Allwood]

Cal, I had give three times the amount of notice to that I was taking as holiday even then they were very difficult and did not want to give it to me. Personnel would not put it down on their computer and on the evening before I was due to take the leave I found out that they had not entered it on to the computer, this put me under great stress and went to get the manager that I had to provide evidence for the holiday and also I had made plans for accommodation weeks after it was agreed. I also told my elderly relative that I was going to visit that I would be there on a certain day to see her in a nursing home as she was been abused there.

It happened to me again when I gave the more notice to what I needed to take again great difficulty and again personnel did not put the leave that I needed on their computer after I had provided evidence why I needed to take the holiday.

As I have been away with an injury I have found out that employees have to book their holidays 2 years in advance but I do not stand a chance because I will be last in the queue after people who have been with my employer for over 30 years and got free share in the company as well as failed managers. I have not chance whatsoever at getting any leave I can see myself having to provide evidence for the next 2 years holiday unless the law changes

[cal37]

Allwood,

With the case you are putting to us, the company are effectively barring you from taking holidays, this would be illegal under the working time regs and you need to put in a written grievance.

[pippadeee]

We have to arrange our own cover too. Usually that takes some arranging and numerous ringing around to find out who's available and agreeable. Management having sight of everyone's holiday calenders etc could allocate cover themselves in seconds, it's ridiculous.

Its all done online too so once you've identified someone to cover you have to email them a request, wait for them to approve the cover request, then the approved cover reply has to be emailed to a manager. They have to approve the leave so you're waiting again then his approval email has to be sent to be logged by admin. Only when admin approve it after logging it is the holiday request actually approved.

[Allwood]

It appears that management of large companies does not want their employee to have holidays anymore or only when they can allocate them to them and then it is very difficult.

Thanks Cal for information, I am nearly finished my Formal Grievance for submission and I will certainly put the statement about being feeling barred from taking my holidays despite more notice that is required under the currently legislation as well as providing proof as to why I needed the holidays for caring purposes. It is a long grievance but I am nearly there.