leave entitlement for employees with young children?

Post by **patrickstar** » 13 Nov 2008, 01:03

i just wondered if anybody could answer this question?

we submitted our annual leave applications in our mail centre for april 09/10 and i put down down for the week after xmas for next year ,knowing that my child is still off school .Got told by the shift manager that this week,it is over subscribed and i would have to look for another week.If you have small children are you not entitled to be off with them ? .i thought there was a family friendly policy? does anybody know of the rights for employees with children

cheers patrick

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Nov 2008, 06:26

As far as I know Workers with Children do have certain rights, however they are mostly concerned with Parental leave when a child is sick or there is a welfare issue, and there are both Paternal and Maternal rights around the birth of a child. There is also the right of request for flexible working conditions when you have children under a certain age, but by law business do not have to grant your request, they just have to consider it.

With regard to normal leave - sorry your rights are exactly the same as all other workers so if the period is oversubscribed no-one should be allowed to pick into it.

The others that have picked into the period do they have more seniority than you if so then this is one drawback of the system, but you could try to find out who they are and see if they are willing to swap.

Post by **baldrick** » 13 Nov 2008, 07:34

I don't think that is entirely accurate TBT, in my MC I believe there is provision made for parents with young
children to be able to take their AL during the summer school holiday period, even if their seniority wouldn't
normally get them that period. I don't know whether that applies to the Xmas school break - I don't think it does.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 13 Nov 2008, 07:41

That sounds like a very good local arrangement and should be applauded. I think the 6 week summer holiday period being left for families is a good idea and one that I do on an individual basis (meaning I don't pick any holidays between July and September). But I also think that single people who live some distance from their families should be given priority at Christmas so they can spend a decent amount of time with them. A sort of Quid pro Quo. I live quite near my family so this would not affect me personally but it is an idea similar to one that the Forces use on an unofficial basis.

Post by **dvbuk55** » 13 Nov 2008, 19:35

Well I don't think it is a good idea. It is yet another practice for discriminating against older people, childless people, carers for the elderly who may like a break for respite in the summer months - personally I get a little bit tired of people who consider that the employer should bend over backwards to fit in with their lifestyle. I have spent over forty years in work and at no time whatsoever has there been any special entitlement for family reasons be it children, sickness to a partner or whatever. When my children were born I took annual leave, if my wife was ill I took annual leave, if there was a family crisis I took annual leave - I always felt that it was MY responsibility to organise my life not my employers. Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating. Perhaps we should have a pop in to work when your commitments allow you scheme.

glenfiddich · Post by **glenfiddich** » 13 Nov 2008, 20:36

dvbuk55 wrote: Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating.

they already do its called sick leave

Post by **dvbuk55** » 13 Nov 2008, 20:42

glenfiddich wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote: Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating.
they already do its called sick leave

I've already had that, so what other excuse is there - she wants the kitchen doing next. Perhaps we should have a new thread - "excuses for not being at work because I am a special case"

phantomshare · Post by **phantomshare** » 13 Nov 2008, 22:41

Annual leave should be allocated on a rotational basis not on seniority, speak to your rep this should be the case in all RM work places.

paul_skinback · Post by **paul_skinback** » 14 Nov 2008, 19:23

dvbuk55 wrote:Well I don't think it is a good idea. It is yet another practice for discriminating against older people, childless people, carers for the elderly who may like a break for respite in the summer months - personally I get a little bit tired of people who consider that the employer should bend over backwards to fit in with their lifestyle. I have spent over forty years in work and at no time whatsoever has there been any special entitlement for family reasons be it children, sickness to a partner or whatever. When my children were born I took annual leave, if my wife was ill I took annual leave, if there was a family crisis I took annual leave - I always felt that it was MY responsibility to organise my life not my employers. Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating. Perhaps we should have a pop in to work when your commitments allow you scheme.

"Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating" My dad was a gynacologist and could decorate the front room through the letter box so ner ner!

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 14 Nov 2008, 19:26

paul_skinback wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote:Well I don't think it is a good idea. It is yet another practice for discriminating against older people, childless people, carers for the elderly who may like a break for respite in the summer months - personally I get a little bit tired of people who consider that the employer should bend over backwards to fit in with their lifestyle. I have spent over forty years in work and at no time whatsoever has there been any special entitlement for family reasons be it children, sickness to a partner or whatever. When my children were born I took annual leave, if my wife was ill I took annual leave, if there was a family crisis I took annual leave - I always felt that it was MY responsibility to organise my life not my employers. Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating. Perhaps we should have a pop in to work when your commitments allow you scheme.

"Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating" My dad was a gynacologist and could decorate the front room through the letter box so ner ner!

It's a good job he wasn't a proctologist

Post by **dvbuk55** » 14 Nov 2008, 19:36

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:
paul_skinback wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote:Well I don't think it is a good idea. It is yet another practice for discriminating against older people, childless people, carers for the elderly who may like a break for respite in the summer months - personally I get a little bit tired of people who consider that the employer should bend over backwards to fit in with their lifestyle. I have spent over forty years in work and at no time whatsoever has there been any special entitlement for family reasons be it children, sickness to a partner or whatever. When my children were born I took annual leave, if my wife was ill I took annual leave, if there was a family crisis I took annual leave - I always felt that it was MY responsibility to organise my life not my employers. Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating. Perhaps we should have a pop in to work when your commitments allow you scheme.

"Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating" My dad was a gynacologist and could decorate the front room through the letter box so ner ner!
It's a good job he wasn't a proctologist

I knew it wouldn't take long - tut tut

paul_skinback · Post by **paul_skinback** » 15 Nov 2008, 07:32

disgruntledpostie1 wrote:
paul_skinback wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote:Well I don't think it is a good idea. It is yet another practice for discriminating against older people, childless people, carers for the elderly who may like a break for respite in the summer months - personally I get a little bit tired of people who consider that the employer should bend over backwards to fit in with their lifestyle. I have spent over forty years in work and at no time whatsoever has there been any special entitlement for family reasons be it children, sickness to a partner or whatever. When my children were born I took annual leave, if my wife was ill I took annual leave, if there was a family crisis I took annual leave - I always felt that it was MY responsibility to organise my life not my employers. Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating. Perhaps we should have a pop in to work when your commitments allow you scheme.

"Pretty soon there will be two weeks DIY leave because the wife wants the front room decorating" My dad was a gynacologist and could decorate the front room through the letter box so ner ner!
It's a good job he wasn't a proctologist

A Prickologist what? I have never heard crozier called that before. I must get some new galsses!!

Big Daz · Post by **Big Daz** » 21 Nov 2008, 20:03

The WF aggrement did away with seniority for leave picking did it not?

Post by **baldrick** » 22 Nov 2008, 20:55

Big Daz wrote:The WF aggrement did away with seniority for leave picking did it not?

In a sense yes, first choice for leave should be rotated on a three yearly basis.
But that would mean that if you had got your first choice for AL last year, you might not get it for Xmas
this year, if that is your first choice.