Employment question

Gall1987 · 9 Jan 2010 at 14:35

Hi everyone.

I started a part-time job in September and the holiday year runs from the end of March every year.

We are not allowed to take any holidays in December with it being a retail job.

I have already booked one week off in March but I have come to book the other 2 weeks I have left and they have said that they might not be able to fit me in, which is fair enough, I didn't know they had to be booked so early.

I have found 2 weekends that would be ok with my department but they have said that they have to check if they are over the amount allowed on holiday for the whole store and will then authorise it.

They have said that if I can't have it then they don't offer alternative dates, I cannot take it as paid and not have them and I cannot carry them over to the next holiday year!

Are they allowed to do this? I'm guessing they are but it just seems a bit harsh as I didn't know they should be booked early enough.

In my old (full-time) job with a different company we were allowed to carry them over to the next year, or take them as paid.

Thanks for your help

apeZ · 9 Jan 2010 at 14:55

Well, you are entitled to the amount of holiday you have, surely. So if they don't let you have that, it seems a bit silly.

I work in retail too, and if I don't use up all my holiday they just allocate a weekend. It's a bit annoying because we have to book the years holiday at the start of each year, although they are a bit lenient if you mention it a month or two in advance.

Surfer · 9 Jan 2010 at 15:02

They have said that if I can't have it then they don't offer alternative dates, I cannot take it as paid and not have them and I cannot carry them over to the next holiday year!

Are they allowed to do this?

Short answer. No. (but check what your contract says)

Speak to HR. Speak to your union. Speak to CAB.

Gall1987 · 9 Jan 2010 at 15:16

I didn't think they were. I've put my holidays in now for a weekend in February and a weekend in March. They have said that it's fine judging by how many people are of on my department but they think the store hours will be over, so I might get rejected.

If they do, they have said that I'll loose them completly. Hopefully they won't get rejected, but we'll see. They said that as soon as the holiday year starts, people book up for the whole year and if it's over booked it's tough!

I've not spoken to HR yet, that's what my supervisor has said.

I get around · 9 Jan 2010 at 15:34

Don't let them mess you about, get angry and make their life more difficult. It's the best way in retail, I needed to get some time off over christmas for a family thing, asked a couple of months early.
They said no, it's going to be too busy. I then preceded to send loads of requests for holiday, threaten to take legal action, take every innoculous little question to the particular manager, just pile up more work so she had to stay in for more hours.
Eventually she gave me the time off.

The system doesn't really work, you need ways and means to manipulate the managers, they're only co workers anyway, they aren't superior for doing a crappy 2 week course.

Gall1987 · 9 Jan 2010 at 15:38

I normally just keep my head down, get in, work and get out. It's only part-time and paying for my beer until I go Uni in September but it's still wound my up a little.

I'll see if they reject the holidays and then if they do I'll speak to HR and make my feelings known!

It's a stupid system to be honest. I don't understand why they can't pay you for them, or at least let you carry them over!

arknor · 9 Jan 2010 at 15:40

try to haggle for double pay on days which should be holidays

I get around · 9 Jan 2010 at 16:03

I'm only part time in there while at college, I'm more qualified than the managers so why should I let them treat me like a mug.

Thats one thing that grinds my gears, people trying to take me for a ride, I'm not a donkey.

mejinks · 9 Jan 2010 at 17:36

I was rejected days off for doctors appointments when I worked for a company in my early 20s. The final straw came when one of the HR bods told me I hadn't followed a non existant procedure for calling in sick when in actual fact I had spoken to the HR director and my boss about it (I was being courteous)

It ended up my going off on sick because of stress and then me basically advising that I was going to sue for unfair dismissal.

I loved my new laptop and Ipaq....

tres · 9 Jan 2010 at 17:38

You HAVE to take off the minimum holiday now.
No pay in leiu, no pushing it forward to the next year etc. It's the law!

JBuk · 9 Jan 2010 at 17:43

Don't let them walk all over you, you are entitled to your holidays

Morba · 9 Jan 2010 at 17:50

I get around said:
I'm only part time in there while at college, I'm more qualified than the managers so why should I let them treat me like a mug.

Thats one thing that grinds my gears, people trying to take me for a ride, I'm not a donkey.

one thing that grinds my gears is people who think they are above their position. You sound like one of them.
Like it or not, you are student scum and your managers are your peers. Accept it!

MrMoonX · 9 Jan 2010 at 18:36

retail mangers are generally drop outs who couldnt get a better job

Mr. Anderson · 9 Jan 2010 at 18:38

Morba said:
one thing that grinds my gears is people who think they are above their position. You sound like one of them.
Like it or not, you are student scum and your managers are your peers. Accept it!

You know peer means equal don't you?

Mr. Anderson · 12 Jan 2010 at 14:40

well?

Gall1987 · 12 Jan 2010 at 14:44

tres said:
You HAVE to take off the minimum holiday now.
No pay in leiu, no pushing it forward to the next year etc. It's the law!

I've handed in the request now, should get it back in the next week or so. I know quite a few people have had theirs rejected though and have been told that they'll lose any remaining hours/days that they have not taken.

Fegruson · 12 Jan 2010 at 14:56

Morba said:
one thing that grinds my gears is people who think they are above their position. You sound like one of them.
Like it or not, you are student scum and your managers are your peers. Accept it!

Either that was supposed to be a joke but not funny, or it was serious and made no sense.

I get around · 12 Jan 2010 at 16:19

Morba said:
one thing that grinds my gears is people who think they are above their position. You sound like one of them.
Like it or not, you are student scum and your managers are your peers. Accept it!

How so, I've actually got GCSE's and A levels?
Most of the managers don't, I am more qualified, they did some crappy part time tesco value course and now think they're gods gift, when their actual management skills are terrible.

"I'm off now, have a good evening"
"You don't finish for a minute"
"So, it's a minute? I can't do anything in a minute? You're just trying to force more than your moneys worth out of me, get stuffed."
"Do you think thats an appropriate way to speak to your manager?"
"Do you think thats an appopriate way to treat your staff, how is it good for motivation and store morale, is it worth an extra few minutes from your staff? Didn't they teach you about this kind of thing?"
Cue me walking off to clock out.

I don't mind managers when they acknowledge they're only co workers, just with a different job role, when they think they're superior they can get stuffed.
If a manager has real qualifications it's different, but no one that worked at tescos since they were 16 is really manager material.

tres · 12 Jan 2010 at 17:10

You do realise you sound like a right idiot?

aproctor · 12 Jan 2010 at 17:43

I get around said:
How so, I've actually got GCSE's and A levels?

WOW A Levels!

You do realise most people on here have at least a degree/trade.

All A levels say is that you can tell the time and show up.

You sound like a little twerp, every part time student thinks they are better than this, and in the future you may be, but now shelves out rank you,

Shop work you are paid to be a body that does specific tasks.