Can you be forced to take Annual Leave?

Post by **wacko74** » 23 Sep 2017, 19:32

Probably a stupid question but can you be forced to take your unused AL in a specific week?

i.e. in a ''strike week'' which I highly suspect my DOM will try on.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 23 Sep 2017, 19:41

Yes within certain limits they can tell you when, and when not, to take leave. However, I couldn't see Royal Mail doing it as it's cheaper to show you down as striking. (No pension payments, no wages, no allowances etc).

Also, the notice to tell you to take leave is at least twice as long as the leave they are enforcing. So for a week, they have to give you 14 days notice, the same length of time as the CWU have to give RM for the strikes.

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 23 Sep 2017, 20:11

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Yes within certain limits they can tell you when, and when not, to take leave. However, I couldn't see Royal Mail doing it as it's cheaper to show you down as striking. (No pension payments, no wages, no allowances etc).

Also, the notice to tell you to take leave is at least twice as long as the leave they are enforcing. So for a week, they have to give you 14 days notice, the same length of time as the CWU have to give RM for the strikes.

TBT,
But no matter which is "cheaper" Royal Mail will again want to quote the maximum number NOT on strike and that will include those off sick, those on holiday, etc.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 23 Sep 2017, 20:28

Yeah, but I cant see Royal Mail organising 1000 offices to put people on leave, tell them in such a short time that Plan strike is a go, and the managers (the link most under pressure) identifying who they can put on leave for a week and inform the said victim, and all within a single working day.

Most likely it'll be OPGs asking for, and probably getting a day or 2s leave to cover the strike days. Its not something I could bring myself to do, but I recognise its something people will want to.

Creditshampoo · Post by **Creditshampoo** » 23 Sep 2017, 20:36

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Yes within certain limits they can tell you when, and when not, to take leave. However, I couldn't see Royal Mail doing it as it's cheaper to show you down as striking. (No pension payments, no wages, no allowances etc).

Also, the notice to tell you to take leave is at least twice as long as the leave they are enforcing. So for a week, they have to give you 14 days notice, the same length of time as the CWU have to give RM for the strikes.

Do you have a source for this rule please would love to print it out and save it

The Postman · Post by **The Postman** » 23 Sep 2017, 20:47

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only advises on how much notice the employee should give for booking leave not the employer enforcing it.

Edit: In actual fact section 4 : Booking Time Off states;

When leave can and can’t be taken
Employers can:

tell their staff to take leave, for example bank holidays or Christmas
restrict when leave can be taken, for example at certain busy periods
There may be rules about this in the employment contract or it may be what normally happens in the workplace. The notice period for this is at least twice as long as the leave they want their staff to take.

Post by **aiden01** » 23 Sep 2017, 21:42

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Yeah, but I cant see Royal Mail organising 1000 offices to put people on leave, tell them in such a short time that Plan strike is a go, and the managers (the link most under pressure) identifying who they can put on leave for a week and inform the said victim, and all within a single working day.

Most likely it'll be OPGs asking for, and probably getting a day or 2s leave to cover the strike days. Its not something I could bring myself to do, but I recognise its something people will want to.

Neither could I tbt but know of a few in our mc who have done in past strikes least said about them the better.

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 24 Sep 2017, 01:33

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:Yeah, but I cant see Royal Mail organising 1000 offices to put people on leave, tell them in such a short time that Plan strike is a go, and the managers (the link most under pressure) identifying who they can put on leave for a week and inform the said victim, and all within a single working day.

Most likely it'll be OPGs asking for, and probably getting a day or 2s leave to cover the strike days. Its not something I could bring myself to do, but I recognise its something people will want to.

TBT,
Yes, that's right.
With strikes before I think I remember Royal Mail saying that leave would not be granted for individual strike days which would have been the cowardly option for those wanting neither loss of pay nor crossing a picket line.