holidays

[knoxycube]

hi guys, i have been in the job for 4 months now and really enjoying it, my summer holidays are a nightmare, the day i go on holiday is the day the kids go back to school after there easter holidays,i cant get anyone to swap with me and i asked the dom about changing them and he said he would get back to me but never has, then on this site i found out you could purchase extra holidays,as far as i am aware you cant choose when you get them but i thought the more holidays i have the better chance i have of them being the same time as the school holidays,so i have enquired about purchasing them and been told no one in our office does that so they dont know anything about it,i kept at them and then they said i cant get anything this year as the form had to be filled out and put in by december last year,so i asked about next year and now there saying i havent been in the job long enough to purchase them, is that correct? and if it is why didnt they just say that in the first place.

[Thunderthighs]

After being off twice on AODs, the leave list has been completed by the Lads!
Was told, "It was supposed to have been put thro your door to fill in."
Well, if the Lads don't know where I live...No One does!
Oh well, a week or two in November for my "summer" hol's no doubt. I can't wait.

[delboy]

The last day to buy extra a/l was the 28/02 so you might be a bit late..

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I started the job in February (after a brief spell as a Christmas casual) and I applied and got the 6 weeks holiday for the next year (ie 14 months after starting) so I can see no reason why you cant apply for 2011 as its still 13 months away

The Way Forward Agreement (2000) says on this subject: (The pay figures are from 2000 but the % figures will be the same)

Leave purchase option

Over and above standard entitlements, employees with less than 20 years’ service will have the chance to increase their holiday entitlement to (or towards) 6 weeks per year, by foregoing an element of basic pay. This will offer those employees who might find it attractive to take more time off from work, earlier in their career, additional annual holidays in lieu of pay. This choice must be exercised for at least one whole leave year, and for each whole week of additional leave the basic pay will be adjusted by 2%. The maximum holiday entitlement that may be gained in this way is six weeks per year. Obviously once the higher level of leave becomes an entitlement through service, or if the employee opts to return to their standard entitlement, pay is then adjusted back upwards. There will therefore be the following options for the new operational grade (at national rates, with similar proportionate options for Inner and Outer London and for the support grade, and pro-rata options for part-time employees) for full-time employees with less than 20 years’ service:

Standard on entry = basic pay £218.48 pw with four and a half weeks’ holiday
Option 1 = basic pay £216.30 pw with five weeks’ holiday
Option 2 = basic pay £211.93 pw with six weeks’ holiday

Standard at max = basic pay £242.76 pw with four and a half weeks’ holiday
Option 1 = basic pay £240.33 pw with five weeks’ holiday
Option 2 = basic pay £235.48 pw with six weeks’ holiday

Standard after 5 years = basic pay £242.76 pw with four weeks 3.5 days’ holiday
Option = basic pay £236.45 pw with six weeks’ holiday

Standard after 15 years = basic pay £242.76 pw with five weeks 1 day holiday
Option = basic pay £238.87 pw with six weeks’ holiday

These options are provided entirely as a choice for the individual employee, and this is agreed without prejudice to any future discussions on enhancing national entitlements generally. In no circumstances may leave from the standard national entitlements be reduced, neither may un-taken leave or other time off in lieu be “sold” or converted into pay. Exceptionally for the first year only, any employees opting for additional leave in this way will have their basic pay adjusted from Monday 8 May 2000.

It does mention "on entry" so as far as I am aware there is nothing to stop you applying for it on joining.

BTW the "Way Forward Agreement" can be seen in downloads just use the search feature to locate it.

[knoxycube]

cheers m8,

[baldrick]

If you do buy extra weeks you will probably not get them in the school summer holidays.
It depends on the local agreement/arrangements in your office, but in mine you can only
take a maximum of 4 weeks during the summer leave period (April-October).
Any leave over the 4 weeks has to be taken in the winter leave period.

The only consolation is that leave allocation is supposed to be rotated, so if you didn't get
your first choice this year, you should get it next year (or the year after if you have a 3 year
rotate).

[coxie]

you either have to just wait your turn or get your holiday forms in asap each year. In my office we have 4 leave groups 1 2 3 and 4, this year im in group 1 which means i get priority along with anyone else in group 1, if there are still spaces left for the summer holidays then leave group 2 gets the pick and so on, because im in group 1 this year then next year i'll be in group 2. Check your holiday form and see if your sheet has a leave group. But for me when all else fails then i use some sick, thats what its there for :) extra holiday in my eyes.

[knoxycube]

yea i am in section 2 and next year i move up to section 3,what makes it harder is we been told part timers can only swap with part timers but all the part timers are in the same section, lol

[coxie]

that shouldnt really be the case, you should really be allowed to swap with a full timer because it wont make much difference providing you dont all do it for the same week. How long have you worked there? can't you just have a week off sick when you want it in the holidays?

[knoxycube]

4 months, still 2 months to go in my probation,i am not the kind of person to pull a sickie unless i am actually sick,

[POSTMAN]

4 months, still 2 months to go in my probation,i am not the kind of person to pull a sickie unless i am actually sick,

Good man,it can bite you on the arse.