Asking for unpaid leave

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I get what feels like hardly any annual leave at my work, and I have an extremely busy year next year.

How do I go about asking for unpaid leave, or, if I can carry over holiday from this year to next?

The work handbook says "Employees will not usually be permitted to carry over holiday entitlement into the following holiday year. In certain circumstances, at the Company’s discretion and subject to certain rules, the carrying over of a proportion of annual leave may be allowed."

It doesn't mention unpaid leave.
 
Honestly it's a bit of a tricky one because I think they could deny it, usually company's would tell you that they were given unpaid leave if you were to request certain time off an all holidays had been used

My cousins husband takes some unpaid leave during the year but its at the company's discretion he is allowed that, he doesn't get a lot of holidays an somtimes has to take time off in the summer to watch the kids, they allow it but say they won't pay

Best way would be just to ask them straight about it, be honest an tell them you feel you don't get a lot an next year will be incredibly busy for you an see what they will say but as far as am aware I don't think they are required to allow it
 
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Thank you. It's the only way! My work are quite laid back so fingers crossed.

I'm just worried they'll say no and then I can't pull a sickie either
 
Thank you. It's the only way! My work are quite laid back so fingers crossed.

I'm just worried they'll say no and then I can't pull a sickie either
If they are quite laid back then hopefully it won't be a problem

Honestly if you were to put in a sick line then really there's nothing that they can do, however it wouldn't stop things become maybe a bit awkward if you done that if they knew you wanted certain dates off but I certainly know of some people that have done that
 
Whenever you make a request like this (unpaid leave, flexible working request etc) it can help if you put into your request your consideration for the business/your colleagues. I.e. is you taking extra leave going to mean the business is short staffed or other team members will be overworked and if so offer a solution to this if you can. I’m not suggesting you actually care about these things but by acknowledging them and offering solutions if applicable it might help your case. Good luck!
 
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How much leave to do get?

Do you have leave from this year unused? If so, that would suggest you get enough, because it’s gone unused.

if you feel you are going to need to take unpaid time off your best to speak to HR to discuss it first. A colleague of mine did this, she went to visit family in Australia and took 2 months off work - but it all had to be organised, properly planned, payroll etc had to be informed to make sure her pay was correct etc.
 
I get 17 days to take when I want, I haven't used any this year so far (mostly because I had an operation so been either off sick or WFH)

Any other year 17 days is fine, but next year is really busy already. Thank you for the advice, I'm only looking for maybe an extra 5 days or so but speaking to HR could definitely be the way forward!
 
Our work is happy for people in my team to take unpaid leave as there are a few of us that can do the same job and it saves the company money. As long as our annual leave has been used, then it’s fine. I’d just ask them, worst they can say is no!

Last year I struggled to use my holidays, this year because I’m getting married I’m starting to run out! Luckily I can take unpaid, which I can afford to do thankfully.
 
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Do you have children at all? Only reason I ask is that you can by law request unpaid parental leave up to 4 weeks in a year and 18 weeks in total until the child is 18. Just thought I’d mention it
 
Do you have children at all? Only reason I ask is that you can by law request unpaid parental leave up to 4 weeks in a year and 18 weeks in total until the child is 18. Just thought I’d mention it
No kids unfortunately! But thank you!
 
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