Purchase of Annual Leave (POAL) (The cut off is the end of February)

IcanthelpthewayIam · Post by **IcanthelpthewayIam** » 03 Feb 2016, 23:08

Getting to that time of year for the POAL (purchase of annual leave) cut off, the cut off is the end of February, so if you would like to increase your annual leave allowance up to the maximum of 6 weeks, now is the time to speak to your manager about it, he must enter it on the psp system before the end of this month for it to be put in place for this year

your dom may say he doesnt have space for you etc, thats not your problem, he doesnt have the right to refuse you the option to purchase it, if he tries to stop you getting it, get your rep to help you lodge a grievance

Post by **POSTMAN** » 03 Feb 2016, 23:42

Nice one.

Shaders · Post by **Shaders** » 04 Feb 2016, 15:24

Yeh, that way you can have another week off in the middle of winter when you dont want it, because thats all thats available.

Ive bought extra for years and every year i say im not bothering again, but always do

IcanthelpthewayIam · Post by **IcanthelpthewayIam** » 04 Feb 2016, 15:32

Shaders wrote:Yeh, that way you can have another week off in the middle of winter when you dont want it, because thats all thats available.

Ive bought extra for years and every year i say im not bothering again, but always do

Does your office get extra summer leave slots with summer staffing?

Shaders · Post by **Shaders** » 04 Feb 2016, 16:43

zx135 wrote:
Shaders wrote:Yeh, that way you can have another week off in the middle of winter when you dont want it, because thats all thats available.

Ive bought extra for years and every year i say im not bothering again, but always do
Does your office get extra summer leave slots with summer staffing?

Nope.

IcanthelpthewayIam · Post by **IcanthelpthewayIam** » 04 Feb 2016, 17:06

Shaders wrote:
zx135 wrote:
Shaders wrote:Yeh, that way you can have another week off in the middle of winter when you dont want it, because thats all thats available.

Ive bought extra for years and every year i say im not bothering again, but always do
Does your office get extra summer leave slots with summer staffing?

Nope.

in that case get on to your rep to get leave slots opened up in the summer, its part of the BT2010 agreement, if you are currently lapsing duties during the summer months to cover sick or abscence instead of to cover extra annual leave then you are simply helping the dom to earn his bonus, part of the agreement that brought in lapsing allowed extra leave slots to be opened up during the summer period, its coalled summer staffing and summer staffing is only used to allow extra leave slots, its a different part of the same agreement that allows lapsing to cover for other stuff ie sickness, the rep should insist on this happening, far better to be working to give yourself or a colleague a chance to have an extra week off in the summer than to cover sickness instead and help the dom make his bonus

Post by **bustedflush** » 04 Feb 2016, 19:28

Be aware that if you are on the Wally Week (rota week off) you only get 5 weeks off as you have to book 6 days for one week off.

wannabeek · Post by **wannabeek** » 04 Feb 2016, 22:08

How does this process work to begin with? Let's say I started purchasing the extra leave weeks this year, do I get to select more weeks in this year's leave, even though all the leave selection was finished months ago? Otherwise I suppose I'd be paying out all this year but not recouping it until the following leave selection, i.e. in 2017/18?

IcanthelpthewayIam · Post by **IcanthelpthewayIam** » 04 Feb 2016, 22:34

wannabeek wrote:How does this process work to begin with? Let's say I started purchasing the extra leave weeks this year, do I get to select more weeks in this year's leave, even though all the leave selection was finished months ago? Otherwise I suppose I'd be paying out all this year but not recouping it until the following leave selection, i.e. in 2017/18?

you get it this year, yes leave should have been sorted out in October but any dom with an inch of sense would have got this sorted out at same time so as to cut down on problems for himself, if he hasn't he still has to accommodate your leave this year

Post by **bustedflush** » 05 Feb 2016, 01:19

wannabeek wrote:How does this process work to begin with? Let's say I started purchasing the extra leave weeks this year, do I get to select more weeks in this year's leave, even though all the leave selection was finished months ago? Otherwise I suppose I'd be paying out all this year but not recouping it until the following leave selection, i.e. in 2017/18?

I do the LP scheme. You pay the extra days over your usual entitlement/52 and have it deducted each week. The payments start week 1 of the new financial year. You book the first 4 weeks as usual on the picks system, then the 5th week (and 6th if not on wally week) you book separately like the time-served 6-weekers do. So the chances are the 5th. (and 6th. if applicable) will be the crap times nobody wants. Yes, you book them after everybody else has picked 4 weeks so the chances are if your office is quick sorting leave out, you will book them before the new leave year has started, so before you even start paying for them. Most keep them back as ad hoc leave where there are spare slots/weeks on the office calendar so they can't reasonably be refused unless a load of sickness at the time.

If you don't book them in Feb/March they simply show up on your leave sheet as unused spare days.

peshwaarinaan · Post by **peshwaarinaan** » 05 Feb 2016, 07:16

I only started in July. Do I have to be in for 12 months before I can apply to purchase extra A/L? I mentioned it to my DOM yesterday and he said he didn't think I was eligible but would check. Can anyone clarify this for me please?

Post by **bustedflush** » 05 Feb 2016, 08:12

peshwaarinaan wrote:I only started in July. Do I have to be in for 12 months before I can apply to purchase extra A/L? I mentioned it to my DOM yesterday and he said he didn't think I was eligible but would check. Can anyone clarify this for me please?

I believe so, yes. It used to be longer, but 12 months minimum service nowadays is correct I was told by our office admin. I also believe permanent OPG contract may be necessary.

Post by **IloveMYredTROLLEY!** » 05 Feb 2016, 16:49

It's amazing how many full timers are oblivious to POAL, nevermind part timers, all for the sake of not much more than CWU subs!

I wish this benefit was given far more publicity in every depot, I suspect a vast majority would use it, which would then mean there are better odds of more desirable POAL holiday weeks.

Rather than currently planning a holiday strategy for basic entitlement weeks that keeps after Xmas free to add two POAL weeks, that's if you like spreading your 6 weeks out roughly equal each year.

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 05 Feb 2016, 17:19

I've had POAL this year.

Just to be sure, you don't have to apply for it every year do you ? I was under the impression that you continue with it (once you've opted in) until you notify them that you wish to opt out.

ziggy · Post by **ziggy** » 05 Feb 2016, 18:27

jetblack wrote:I've had POAL this year.

Just to be sure, you don't have to apply for it every year do you ? I was under the impression that you continue with it (once you've opted in) until you notify them that you wish to opt out.

Once you apply it just keeps going until you tell then otherwise :)