Help regarding privacy and statutory annual leave

[masterc05]

Hi everyone, I did my research as much as I could but could not get a straight forward answer.

I will also make this as short as possible.

 

Well I moved with my husband after getting a transfer to my village hometown as we realized we are getting old to live in the city.

I was asked to book my statutory annual leave by my manager for the next 12 months and hand over the leave form within 3 days. I did hand it over within 1 week and then was told that the dates cannot be given as it is already taken and I also gave the reason to my manager as I did not want to cause any friction.

So then me and my husband planned to take a 3 week for our sons graduation and engagement party and then I gave the leave form again to which I was refused and then was told by my manager, that I need to give the exact reason of my leave (all over again) and request it from the regional manager giving the exact reason by sending a post.

In a way I also feel upset about being accused of being dishonest.

 

Mind you I have never had any problem regarding leaves as my previous manager had utmost good faith and vice versa. Even there I have never taken a leave for 3 weeks for 2 years and never seen my son who depends on me during these two years while working with same organization in my previous workplace.

 

And also I got to know that Im the only one who has booked holidays during the requested period so the business can still function normally as my floor manager told this to me, who is a kind young person.

It is also quite depressing and worrying as I work in a environment where Health and Safety is vital, and a situation like this never came up before and also upsetting me as I feel like my privacy is being breached.

 

I would like to know if Im obliged to give the reasons to my regional manager??

I think its personal and I would not like someone I do not know to know my personal reasons as it is indeed private and confidential.

 

I hope someone can please help me here as I do not know how to go forward with this. Feel free to ask for any necessary info required.

Thank you so much.

Edited April 21, 2012 by masterc05
spelling

[assisted blonde]

Hi Does your contract state how much leave you can take in 1 go, many compamies say that you can take 2 weeks at any one time? as for reasons if it is because of your sons graduation/engagement that you need these dates then I dont see why nyou have a problem telling your regional manager if it is for other reasons and its really personal then I understand you may not want to say why, I dont thinkl there is any law that says you have to tell your boss why you want leave but where you need to take a longer period iin 1 hit than is the norm than, it seems sensible to give a reason if the co have asked why.

I would also say that if you are wanting to take time off at a busy period or when a lot of people may want holiday such as School breaks then your employer may feel 3 weeks is unfair to others which is why they would like to know why.

[lbruk]

Hi,

 

I have never heard that the regional manager needs reasons for holiday! To be honest it is none of their business! As it is paid leave then you are entitled to have it and unless they give you a specific reason you cannot have it then it is to be granted.

 

It just sounds like they are trying to not grant your entitled leave. That's not allowed. Also giving you only 3 days to work out your holidays is unreasonable, you are entitled to the leave, and you are entitled to keep why you want that leave to yourself.

 

Hope that helps.

[sequenci]

If it's any help, at my place any more than two weeks requires special authorisation. It *does* sound like they are being a little unreasonable in how they are approaching this, however.

[goboy]

It sounds like a company where my aunt works, she wanted leave years ago to help a sibling that was in a care home and was being abused there. She initially asked for leave and gave a months’ notice for a week, she put in a request for it as normal, but did not say why she needed it as she had given the required notice for it. She was told by manager that evidence would have to be provided why she need to take leave. She did provide evidence but as it was of a sensitive nature she wrote to store manager enclosing evidence why she needed a weeks holiday which was due to a home that her sibling was in and was under investigation she also put private and confidential on the letter and specially asked for the information to be kept private. Of course this was not kept private and confidential as the store manager passed the letter to my anut's manager therefore it was not confidential anymore. My aunt's manager said that the store manager did not deal with things like that and they still give her a dreadful time getting the leave she was only told the day before the leave that it was granted.

 

To cut a long story short she put in a grievance and the outcome of that was that there was nothing in the staff handbook for the staff to book holidays in advance and the handbook said that it would be refused if it was not in the business interest and also it was up to the manager to approve it. Her company wants to keep a good outward appearance as been a good employer when nothing could be further from the truth.

[masterc05]

Thank you for the replies Blonde, sequenci and goboy.

Well Blonde there is nothing mentioned in the contract saying how many days can be taken in one go and it says that 28 days paid leave entitlement.

When checked the handbook it says more than 2 weeks special permission may be granted by your (which I believe is my manager) manager.

 

I was also said to book my holidays on a first come first serve basis 2 months before the start of the working year,practically meaning I am supposed to give the notice period way longer than twice the leave requested. This is not mentioned in my employee hand book nor my contract mentions this.(as goboys case mentions)

 

I will take assisted blondes advice and I think I will write a letter to the regional manager mentioning the reason. I would like to know if its also important in mentioning how things contradict with the policies in the handbook and the statutory laws (like giving a notice period of more than what is required as circumstances are not favourable) ??

And do I also have to send a copy of the post to my own manager?

 

Thank you guys, I just would like to have this over with as it is quite stressing.

[lbruk]

No you don't have to show your manager a copy of the letter, but to ensure relations it might be worth mentioning that you are going over their head, they might not like it and might like it less if they are told by their manager that an employee has gone over their head.

[masterc05]

Thank you Ibruk, well my manager was the one who asked me to go over the head by asking for leave from my regional manager.

 

They eventually would come to know it as the regional manager would also let them know about the outcome. My concern is to whether to let them (regional head) know about how there is a major communication breakdown as well as informal policies (such as forcing to give dates before notice period which is against statute) and how these are forced up by my manager...

 

Will this make the situation muddy or just ask request only for my leave?

 

Thanks

[lbruk]

I would just ask for your leave, and state that you are not happy about the conditions attached to your holidays and how they have been explained. The employer can always decide your leave dates as long as they give you the correct number of days. Bt there has robe some communication with when you need/want holidays.

[masterc05]

Ibruk, That was very helpful. Thank you. I did need some advice as Im composing my letter since 05:00 am and still doing it , it is quite complicated thats why

 

Will also be happy if anyone else got any points regarding the situation.

 

Thank you.

[goboy]

Masterc05, since my aunt put in her grievance all manger cling together to bully her. As for the handbook the looser the terms and conditions are it give the manager more opportunity to discriminate. My aunt place of work the manager gave leave to their friends and when my aunt booked holiday they let her take it and stopped it from her salary. They also told her that she would have to take any leave outstanding while on sick note leave on and submitted a medical certificate but that is not true as you can carry over holiday leave but she had to replace that sick note with outstanding sick leave or she would have lost the leave. They are so sneaky you would not believe it.:-x:-x

 

Best of Luck and let us know how you get on....

[assisted blonde]

Master05 just a quick word when you write to put in your leave request, keep the letter as friendly as possible and if you want to mention compnay policy etc frame it as a question for clarification not as a "this is not right/fair" senario, plenty of time to get into an argument over policies whan you have had your leave granted.

To some extent it always help to let the boss think he is being kind/magnanimous when granting a special( I use this term loosely) request and if it means a bit of sucking up to get what you want without falling out its worth it.

Good luck

[masterc05]

Well received the mail atlast from the 'top', wanted to inform you guys that leave was granted. Thanks for your input assisted blonde, goboy, ibruk and sequenci.

At least glad its sorted.

[assisted blonde]

Pleased to hear it hope its all been sorted amicably, have a great time at the Graduation and engagement.