Coffin Dodger

....could do with a little help, it's not a massive issue just something that will inconvience me.

The company I work for traditionally had annual leave allocated for the financial year (i.e. April-March) however we got took over last year and the company that owns us would seem to have a company wide policy of leave being taken in the calendar year instead (Jan-Dec).

I don't have a problem with that just that for this forthcoming year I'd planned my leave around the old system and was going to use the bulk of it for a two week holiday in February. Today we get an email saying we are changing to the calendar year system and can we use whatever we may have acrued on a pro-rata basis by the end of December. To comply I'd have to take a load of extra leave this year that I hadn't planned for and then assuming I go for the 2 weeks in February it would leave me short over the next year

Are they allowed to make changes like this midway through the year? It would have been okay if they'd told us earlier or even at the start of April but now it makes life difficult for me and messes up my holiday plans.

I've emailed HR to say is there any flexibility for this year so will wait to see what they have to say.

boxst

I don't know about the law side, but if it is a reasonable company (or at least you have a reasonable manager) it shouldn't be a problem I would have thought?

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

You work in electrical engineering don't you? Are you in any sort of position of power - not to make threats or blackmail but maybe use your loyalty and/or experience/credentials as leverage? Say like when negotiating salary etc. Or is the new company a "our way or the highway" type business?

DCI Gene Hunt

Isn't this all a bit acedemic?

I'm not sure I can see how you're any worse off? You can still take your leave in February and should still have 3 to 4 weeks remaining till the end of December. Or am I missing something in what you're saying...

Coffin Dodger

Well yes technically I'm no worse off but under the old system I'd planned on taking some of my leave this year and then the bulk of it next year for my main holiday. Under the new scheme I'd have to take a load of extra leave before then end of this year that I don't want, then have my two weeks in February, leaving me with less leave to use up throughout next year...

Anyway sounds like they are going to be flexible about it for the first year so no worries

DCI Gene Hunt

Good news I was going to suggest that you ask to carry forward your leave that accrued for the previous year, looks like its sorted now

GlesgaKiss

My understanding of it, from very briefly touching on the subject, is that it is always at the employers discretion when holidays may be taken as long as you receive your minimum entitlement within the year.

I'm pretty much certain that is correct and will apply in your case.