Question
Q – “If your holiday year runs from January to December can your boss (owner) legally stop you from booking holidays during the month of December if there is no other staff on leave and ratios are ok?”
Answers
A – “We can take holiday in Dec but Christmas week we generally take it in turns. Last year I had to work. This year I had it off. I generally keep 3 days but we also send out letters to parents asking what childcare they need first week of Dec to staff it fairly.”
A – “If they own a “small business” they have quite a lot of say in when you can take your holiday. But if it doesn’t state in your contract December is not aloud then as long as you give enough notice this should not be a problem, they should but don’t have to give you a valid reason that your not entitled/able to have it”
A – “Yeah my team have to keep time back for that period for the Xmas shut down and at an old nursery I wasn’t allowed holiday first two weeks of Sept which when you had anniversary and best friend birthday in that period was a challenge!!! So long as you get enough notice employers are allowed to dictate leave”
A – “My holidays used to be split so I had to take 5 days between January and March, 10 between April and September and 5 in the last 3 months of the year”
A – “My staff arn’t allowed off in dec due to being too busy preparing for christmas, unless circumstances arise, it is in all contracts signed by staff”
A – “Why would you be stopped from booking your holidays if other staff are all in and ratios ok? I don’t get it”
A – “Most nurseries I’ve worked in have a kind of unofficial rule of no holidays in December for no other reason than you are manic busy with Christmas prep and it’s most common for staff sickness what with flu’s and winter vomiting bugs”
A – “It’s tricky because they can’t prevent you from taking your holiday entitlement and force you to carry it forward, so if you have holiday left in December and want to take it then you can, although they may refuse your requested dates and give you counter notice of dates which suit them before the end of the year.”
A – “If you’re forewarned of this rule and it’s in the handbook or in your contact then yes, they can enforce if it’s for the smooth running of their business.”
A – “Yes, they can dictate when you take your holidays”