Hi

I am just enquiring about my employment.

I work in retail and I need 19 days off in October to attend my cousin wedding in Pakistan

I wrote a letter for unpaid leave which to include the rest of my holidays which I needed a week unpaid

but my work said no today as I'm not allowed to use the rest of my holidays until after January

and that there is no one to cover my shift but

I have asked other colleges to cover my shift which they said yes.

They also said as I am taking two week in September I am not allowed to take it off

and if I wanted unpaid leave I had to ask at least a year before for it to be considered.

And if I do Not turn up for work in October I will have a disaplinary action. But

I am a worker who agree to a lot of overtime and I am reliable hard worker who is rarely off ill and I am also punctual.

I am just very upset as I don't know what to do and

my whole family is flying out to attend this wedding

and I will be left behind but I don't want to leave my job

But if I give a couple if days before A sick note in will I still get into trouble

and have a disaplinary hearing when I get back or will I get sacked

It will look dodgy considering they know you want to go away, it depends on how much you want or need your job as to whether you risk it.

But you'd deserve a disciplinary for lying, wouldn't you? Apart from anything else.

You can resign, or go to less of the wedding, or risk a disciplinary. Them's the choices.

Try appealing, stating the reason for needing the time off, and offering to help arrange cover. Offer to postpone the September holiday - I would certainly not be happy about losing an employee for almost six weeks of the next two months!

If they still won't agree, prepare to resign or miss the wedding. People sometimes have to reluctantly decline wedding invitations due to work commitments and it is a fact of life.

It is that simple. The employer has a business to run, and has an absolute right to decide whether to accept or refuse a request to take to take holiday. If you take the time off sick and it is discovered that you falsely claimed sickness in order to go against the employer's wishes (and it WILL be found out) then you WILL almost certainly be dismissed - quite lawfully.

I understand the situation, but two weeks in September and then 19 days in October is a bit much. There are not many full-time employees who would get that approved.

Can you cancel the holiday in September? Or shorten the wedding - more than 3 weeks is a long time!

Unfortunately I have to agree with the advice posted above.

1) Pretending your sick WILL result in GROSS MISCONDUCT charges against you. You will get caught. They only need "Reasonable belief" to discipline you and would not even have to provide much in the way of proof.

Check your contract. Some companies have extra policies for extended time off. Career breaks etc but that will depend IF they exist, on length of service and notice period.

You may try to negotiate by cancelling your Sept holiday and by shortening the time spent away for the wedding and or arranging to get cover etc.

The guys are correct with their advice, have you checked the company handbook, what does it say about 'Exceptional Leave'?

Also, it's good that you've got co-workers who are willing to cover any time off that the company authrorise.

That really depends how much you value your job - people aren't stupid and will know what's going on - they can't prove it, mind. Just don't post any snaps anywhere on social media etc. if you plan to go down this route - you might, on this occasion, have to admit defeat.

In the grand scheme of things, if work wanted to find a way, they would. I mean, they denied me a leave period this month and the irony is, I'm off sick at the moment, so how would they cope in that respect?.... I wonder if one of my colleagues during that period had to cancel their leave.

My advice to you is, be very careful. Does the job mean a lot to you or not? If so, don't do it, if not, then to hell with it. Find something else, is my advice.

I would advise against it. Try and be at the wedding for the important parts but either travel out later or return early. As your employer knows what is going on handing in a dodgy sick note could get you into more trouble than just the sack. I know of 2 cases in the past where the person has been prosecuted for theft-(obtaining money by deception) for similar things. In thoses examples though the people were moonlighting rather than going on holiday.

When did your employer say you couldnt take your holiday? Read up or get advice on the working time directive and see if your employer's refusal has followed the correct procedures. If they havent you can recover any monies you have paid that is conditional to taking this time off.