thumperrabbit Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Just wondered if people have any words of wisdom reference holidays. Our contract state that we aren't allowed holidays during term time. We are paid for the statutory 5.6 wks holiday pay, other than that we don't get paid for any time off. I have a member of staff who continually books her holidays during term time, whilst part of me thinks seeing as we don't get paid then there's not a lot we can do but another part of me thinks No this is not fair what if we all did it. We have to try and get someone to cover and basically it is inconvenient to the setting. What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I think you've got the member of staff we used to have. She drove me nuts! Each year it was just this once and every year it happened again. She didnt get paid while she was off but it didnt bother her, she did exactly what she wanted regardless of me or committee speaking to her. We never went as far as written warnings, I think we kept believing her or just pulled the wool over our own eyes and thought she would change. I have no answers just complete empathy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 If your contracts state they cannot take time off during term time - then that's the way it is, they have signed to accept it as a binding acceptance of this clause. Personally, I stopped doing this a couple of years ago, not because I had a lot of problems as you describe, but felt I became a more understanding employer by doing it. All I ask is that we can get cover, if we can they may take the time off, if we can't, then they must accept that they can't have the time off. If it was that important to them dare I say it, but they could always resign! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 it's always been that way with where i have ever worked although discretion was used for special events like weddings, landmark birthdays etc , anyway for those with school age kids its the only time they should be taking hoilday ! although saying that I am one of the lucky ones as me and my partner do get away once each year without the children but ALWAYS take in school hols so end up paying extra !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 We too went with the sympathetic employer so long as we had enough notice. They too had no pay for that period as it paid for the cover staff.. .. only proviso was that no 2 staff could have holiday at any one time.. we asked them to arrange own cover , telling us who was due in each day and they had to check we had enough qualified staff for each session... in our case most were happy to do the extra hours or they could swap if part time so no one lost any wage.. ( I was an offender- I always had first week of term off in September so they always started a new year without me!! I had all set up but they took over for that week.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Hi much the same here. If i can accomodate it then i will, but certainly not to the detriment of the children in our care. Have to say the team generally cover each other if needed or when i ask, but it must all come via me so i ensure the right levels of cover are maintained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devondaisy Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Have to confess, I have allowed this too, however, it has actually helped us out as both staff took time off early in the Autumn term when we were low on numbers, so they weren't really needed anyway. Saved quite a lot on wages. I have to agree, it is good to be an understanding employer too, as what you give, you get back ten fold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanne Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 There is a difference though between 'My sister's wedding is on a Friday in term time, I need that day off', 'We really want to go to see family in Australia for Easter but will need 3 weeks off - can I have the week off when we come back, great thank you now I'll book it', and 'I'll be away the first 2 weeks in July, so you'll need someone else in'. And that comes down to staff attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeytg Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I had a similar problem and although staff are allowed to take holiday as long as they arrange cover the particular member of staff was booking holidays and then asking if it was ok. It was more the principle than the actual taking holiday in term time - all the other staff abide by the rules - so it resulted in a written warning and she then resigned. It did send a message to the other staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Yes we allow it too, but the prior discussion before booking etc. The way I see it, the staff work hard (often lots of extra hours unpaid at home) So they should not have to pay premium rates for holidays if they do not need to. We do have 'mature' staff ( ) with grown up children as well as a few with school age children. We find the ones with young children are usually more than happy the pick-up the hours........as they have to pay more for their holdiays anyway- as they can't take their own children out of school so are happy for some extra income! swings and roundabouts. xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanne Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 We have a mix of staff with school age children and staff with no children now previous manager isn't with us as she was the only one with a grown up child, but what we don't have at the immediate time is the capacity to do extra sessions to cover absence - have been working to sort that so after half term we will have pool staff & part time staff who can be asked to do more. We do try to accommodate it when possible but it's been hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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