One for the HR buffs: bro's gf being forced to take next years holiday

Bros girlfriends work is asking her to take some of next years holiday entitlement (April to April) during quiet times this March.

Now I understand that an employer can force employees to take holiday, as long as they give twice the holiday period in notice. But can’t find anything about the next years entitlement.

Seems totally unfair. Any ideas?

Seems to be the way of the world atm
At my work we are having a “pause” at Easter, already had one at Xmas. The plant is a 365/24/7 operation normally. Those of us on shifts will own 4 days and those who work normal hrs are expected to use annual leave

“any ideas” look for another job whilst off 💡

No idea of the legality of it, stepping outside of the normal holiday year… But it’d have the alarm bells ringing for me as an employee, it’s a pretty bad place for them to be going.

Maybe she should offer to take it out of her 2018 holidays.

Paid or unpaid ?? She should jump at it if it’s paid, and spend the time looking for another job, as it sounds like the writing is on the wall. If it’s unpaid, she needs to look for a job faster.

Paid holiday, but out of next years entitlement.

She’s a hairdresser, there are quiet times and buster times. It’s her first propper full time job, and she is the newest one there.

It sounds like she is intimidated by her boss. Not nice.

Are you trying to say busier or bustier times ? I guess either would apply.

Ah, a small business, they likely have no idea about HR stuff. Quick call to Citizens Advice I think.

(and her boss clearly hasn’t thought it through – what happens next year at the same time – does she take 2016 leave ??)

How long as she been there? Have they previously told people when they can take it?

introducing this now could well be a change in contract, if the old way has formed custom and practice

just because they can legally tell you when to take holiday, doesn’t mean they can just introduce a new rule at will.

Seems dodgy. If she quits, or is let go, she’d be in negative holiday, which could cause cashflow problems.

Check the Working Time Regulations – I think you legally have to be given 20 days paid holiday a year (now 28 including public holidays) and my guess is that wouldn’t allow transfers between years.

Some great suggestions. Think first port of call should be citizens advice.

I’ll have a look at the working times regulation at some point today as well.

Cheers!

Seems like an Odd measure to take, what happens the following year?

If there is some reasoning behind it such as a big job/order scheduled to start some time after April that would sort of make sense, but I’d have thought hair dressing is a pretty steady turnover type of business, with the odd seasonal peak, if they are over staffed bumping next years leave allowance forwards won’t change their outgoiings will it?…

The suspicious side of me wonders if it’s a wheeze to reduce a potential redundancy pay out i.e. deduct payment already recieved for next years leave from a final settlement… but nobody coud be that sneaky or mean could they? How long has she worked there?

I’d suggest she goes and talks to the local CAB…