Pre booked holiday and new job

[RoseBush23]

Hello! Just after a bit of advice really!

I accepted a new job that I start at the end of March. I noticed that they didn’t ask me about any pre booked holidays so I emailed them over.
She’s now said that I might not be entitled to them due to staff holidays and 3 month probation etc

Both these are booked and paid holidays for this year. And I even have given details for one next year.

I understand other staff have holidays etc but she failed to ask me in the interview.

I’m now panicking!!

 

[Hope77]

I would speak to the HR dept as most places will honour holiday that you already have booked. Not sure if they have to honour it though, you'd think the would as they'll have arranged other staff's holidays prior to you joining so shouldn't really matter if you're not there.

 

[Lovelife899]

I’ve been in the same situation a few times, had a holiday booked never been asked at the interview but they were happy to authorise them once they knew. I would try speak to your hr department if you have one if they won’t allow it!

 

[justheretoread99]

I’m no HR expert but if they didn’t ask you on interview I’m pretty sure that’s a fault on them. As most businesses always ask about holidays at interview/offer stage. Don’t panic - just remind your line manager and CC HR dept into the email and keep it in writing.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

They can absolutely deny you holiday even if you've already booked it. Then it would be down to you if you just go anyway. I would personally just give them the dates and ask if they can let you know asap so you can see if the bookings can be moved.

You are entitled to holiday but a company does not have to approve it

 

[RoseBush23]

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately these are holidays booked and already paid for so I will be going!

 

[Hinchhater1442]

From an employers perspective.. we always ask to avoid grief further down the line. We’ve never not honoured pre booked holiday, even if it meant having ‘too many’ staff off at once. What we don’t always honour is when people tell us their holiday then oh I forgot to add this date and this date. No sorry, we only honour what you supply in the first instance.
Not sure if that’s helpful at all, but you’re unlikely to be punished given you’ve been up front. I’d maybe say that you made them aware of the holiday out of courtesy to let them know you won’t be in on those dates. Like make it clear early on that they’re not up for discussion from your point of view

 

[RoseBush23]

Hi everyone thank you also much for your advice! So here a little bit of an update if anyone is interested at all LOL so basically she rang me and said that she was disappointed that I didn’t tell her but also apologised that she didn’t ask either just with the whole Covid going on it slipped her mind she basically told me that my September holiday the other person who I’d be working with is also off and we both can’t be off the same time unless obviously someone sick and that can’t be helped so she asked me if there was any way that I could move the dates luckily my best mate who I’m going on holiday with is on furlough and works in quite a big department so is able to move his holiday around and everything so we moved it to 10 days later she then said that she hadn’t said no to my June yet and that she really wants me to still accept the job! So I’m hoping because I’ve already moved one holiday, June will be fine! Can’t actually move that one due to my others friend leave calendar!

 

[RoseBush23]

So further update... she now says she can’t tell me if I can have my June annual leave until the beginning of May!! Also said due to probation and other factors no holiday would be approved until September! This is unacceptable. I’ve text my manager to ask if I can retract my notice! He said to talk about it tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

 

[bellinibobble]

So further update... she now says she can’t tell me if I can have my June annual leave until the beginning of May!! Also said due to probation and other factors no holiday would be approved until September! This is unacceptable. I’ve text my manager to ask if I can retract my notice! He said to talk about it tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

Think that’s a good idea.. they’re coming across as a bit of a nightmare and you’ve not even started yet! Hope you get it sorted

 

[Pinkblush]

Infuriating that people use covid as an excuse for literally everything.

 

[BettyCrocker]

Think that’s a good idea.. they’re coming across as a bit of a nightmare and you’ve not even started yet! Hope you get it sorted

I personally don’t think they are “being a nightmare” at all. They are trying to run a business.
If the OP had multiple holidays pre-booked then she should have made a point of discussing this at interview. You get asked at the majority of interviews if you have any further questions etc and that would have been the time to bring all of this up. Not now, after a job offer has been made. Your employer is not there to solely facilitate your requests for holiday, particularly when you’ve only just started work and haven’t even accrued the annual leave in the first place.

 

[Hello Kitty]

I'm 50/50 on this but I do agree with @BettyCrocker too. My old company refused my holiday a few years back as it was 'a busy time of the year' so no one could take holiday. A few weeks later they employed new people and what happened....one of the new employees booked the time I wanted off as she already had the holiday booked

 

[RoseBush23]

I personally don’t think they are “being a nightmare” at all. They are trying to run a business.
If the OP had multiple holidays pre-booked then she should have made a point of discussing this at interview. You get asked at the majority of interviews if you have any further questions etc and that would have been the time to bring all of this up. Not now, after a job offer has been made. Your employer is not there to solely facilitate your requests for holiday, particularly when you’ve only just started work and haven’t even accrued the annual leave in the first place.

I can understand that but at the end of the day I am a human being who like everyone else, is entitled to a holiday. I didn’t actually get asked if I had any questions and the end of the interview. And yes I know they are running a business but like I said we are all entitled to a holiday. I am not asking for months off I’m asking for 5 days.

 

[BettyCrocker]

I can understand that but at the end of the day I am a human being who like everyone else, is entitled to a holiday. I didn’t actually get asked if I had any questions and the end of the interview. And yes I know they are running a business but like I said we are all entitled to a holiday. I am not asking for months off I’m asking for 5 days.

You haven’t accrued any annual leave as yet with them because you haven’t started working for them yet so you aren’t “entitled” to it at all. As I said, If it’s something you had pre booked YOU should have made a point of discussing it at interview; you are the one who wants time off so it’s your responsibility to bring it up.

 

[bellinibobble]

I personally don’t think they are “being a nightmare” at all. They are trying to run a business.
If the OP had multiple holidays pre-booked then she should have made a point of discussing this at interview. You get asked at the majority of interviews if you have any further questions etc and that would have been the time to bring all of this up. Not now, after a job offer has been made. Your employer is not there to solely facilitate your requests for holiday, particularly when you’ve only just started work and haven’t even accrued the annual leave in the first place.

Fair enough, that’s your opinion. No company I’ve ever worked for would be this difficult about approving holidays though, so it’d be a red flag for me before I’ve even started working there And I’d be wondering what else they were going to be difficult about.

 

[RoseBush23]

You haven’t accrued any annual leave as yet with them because you haven’t started working for them yet so you aren’t “entitled” to it at all. As I said, If it’s something you had pre booked YOU should have made a point of discussing it at interview; you are the one who wants time off so it’s your responsibility to bring it up.

Actually interview etiquette isn’t to bring up annual leave until asked..

Anyway... holiday has been approved so

 

[BettyCrocker]

Actually interview etiquette isn’t to bring up annual leave until asked..

Anyway... holiday has been approved so

I’ve conducted many interviews over the years , I don’t need you nor anyone else to school me in interview etiquette.

enjoy your holiday.

 

[HoGi]

Actually interview etiquette isn’t to bring up annual leave until asked..

Anyway... holiday has been approved so

I agree. I frequently interview and if someone mentioned time off/holiday before I asked I wouldn't be impressed

 

[Hinchhater1442]

As someone who also interviews.. it would almost put me off a candidate if they asked before prompted. The onerous would also be on me for not asking the question if the candidate then brings it up further down the line.