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30
Boss Cancels Child-Free Woman’s Christmas Leave, Quickly Regrets It When She Quits
Should parents get priority when it comes to taking annual leave at work? The answer largely depends on who you ask. Some might argue that those with young kids deserve the time off more, especially over Christmas. Then there are those who say, “Just because I don’t have children doesn’t mean I don’t have family, or plans.”
A child-free nurse found herself in quite a predicament recently. After working for the past 6 Christmases, she decided to take this year off. The woman put in her leave well in advance, only to have it canceled so that a “new mom” colleague could take time off instead. When HR refused to hear her out, she promptly quit, leaving the new mom to work anyway. Was she wrong?
RELATED:
Working over the holiday season is often part and parcel of being a nurse
Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)
But when this woman’s boss suddenly canceled her leave to give time off to a new mom, she didn’t take it lightly
Image credits: Alena Darmel/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Skydancer-Fun1899
Should parents get priority when it comes to taking leave over the holiday season?
Image credits: Taryn Elliott/Pexels (not the actual photo)
You should treat all your staff equally, especially when approving holiday requests. That’s according to BrightHR’s Alan Price. The expert argues that it’s important for management to follow this rule so that they aren’t seen to favor parents over other staff, aka unfair treatment.
It’s not up to you to decide who’s more deserving of the time off, he warns.
“For example, if one of your employees has booked last-minute flights to Ibiza and the other wants a week off to go camping with their kids, you shouldn’t decide who gets the time off based on their plans,” Price explains. “Instead, put a process in place to make sure that annual leave gets shared out equally.”
The HR expert says many companies operate on a first-come, first-served basis because it helps to level the playing field for staff.
But he adds that it does have its drawbacks. “For example, there’s always going to be one employee who books all the popular days off at the start of the year, leaving their co-workers to pick up the scraps,” Price says.
To get around this, he advises that managers come up with a creative way to allocate popular days. “You could let your employees pull names out of a hat to decide who gets August bank holiday Monday off or rotate who gets first dibs on Christmas Eve,” suggests Price.
The experts at U.K.-based HR Connect agree that it’s vital to have an equal environment for all employees. They say the best way is to have a clear procedure in place that all staff are aware of when requesting to take holidays. “Of course, it is important to bear in mind that whilst employees can request to take holidays, it is for the employer to determine whether such a request has been accepted or not,” they add.
HR Connect’s team advises managers to be as flexible as possible.
“You may want to consider implementation of a hybrid approach,” suggests the site. “Priority to parents during the summer six-week closure period with all other school closure periods all staff being equal to book leave as and when without priority being given to parents.”
HR Connect notes that we may see a shift in the coming years, adding that there have already been political moves in Britain to have more family-friendly legislation and policies in the workplace.
The team adds that at the end of the day, parents do not, by law, have a right to be prioritized when booking and taking leave.
“Bon voyage!”: Many people sided with the nurse and shared their own similar stories
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What do you think ?
Power puff scientist 1 month ago
As if holidays are only special to people with kids and everyone should just suck it up. Especially this case with a 1 year old and a newborn. They won't even be aware of the holiday.
Vinnie 1 month ago
Exactly my thought! "But Mooooooom, all the other babies are celebrating todaaaaaaay!" Joking aside, my family has sometimes celebrated on December 26 for convenience.
Load More Replies...
Alexandra 1 month ago
Prioritising employees with children over those without is illegal where I live. Every employee has the same rights and obligations and that is how it should be. Having kids is a personal choice and so should the consequences be.
martin734 1 month ago
I don't know where you are but it is also illegal here in the UK. Plus, if the USA had decent employment rights, a new mum would not have to be working on their baby's first Christmas anyway as she would be on maternity leave.
Load More Replies...
spacer 1 month ago
as a new mom you shouldnt have to work anyway for a few months but alas im so tired of people hiding behind their kids to always get time off. im always in the belief that you take turns having holidays off and if you cant work a holiday for personal reasons you need to ensure you cover something else to even out the play field. child or no child others still have lives and even just having time off doing nothing is acceptable.
Kate Johnson 1 month ago
The hospital and entitled coworker deserved what they got. Since OP can get a job easily elsewhere they were quite stupid to think they'd just roll over for their ridiculous policy.
Earonn - 1 month ago
The co-workers can give up their holidays and work instead? Oh, but that would mean THEY suffer, right? Can't have that. When I worked in jobs with Christmas shifts I was always happy to take them, so that my colleagues with kids could be at home. But with the understanding that *should* I want a holiday off, I should get it because I didn't had it for years. Worked like a charm. I used it once or twice.
James016 1 month ago (edited)
I can only go abroad during school holidays so I have to book the weeks I want well in advance because if someone else on the team gets in first then too bad for me. I have already booked. 2 weeks off next August and a week in April. We are currently putting in our Christmas requests but this does not mean we will get it as the whole dept needs to coordinate so there is cover. OP is 100% NTA she did the right thing by booking months in advance.
sturmwesen 1 month ago (edited)
NTA. we are in the middle of planning our time off for next year and if I hear one more time how we have to fit around school holidays or other special times because someone who has kids gets dibs I am gonna scream.
marcelo D. 1 month ago
"family first", that's literally textbook discrimination,a nd should be sued out of existance
FreeTheUnicorn 1 month ago
If you're in the US or Canada, discrimination based on family status is illegal and OP should leave the job but also take legal action. It can't have been a great place to work anyway because my family is nearly all in medical/emergency and law enforcement and you either work Christmas or New Year, not bothered if you don't want the money. Usually younger folk want New Year's off and older people want Christmas, but really unusual that someone who isn't keen for the holiday overtime to work both .
Power puff scientist 1 month ago
As if holidays are only special to people with kids and everyone should just suck it up. Especially this case with a 1 year old and a newborn. They won't even be aware of the holiday.
Vinnie 1 month ago
Exactly my thought! "But Mooooooom, all the other babies are celebrating todaaaaaaay!" Joking aside, my family has sometimes celebrated on December 26 for convenience.
Load More Replies... Alexandra 1 month ago
Prioritising employees with children over those without is illegal where I live. Every employee has the same rights and obligations and that is how it should be. Having kids is a personal choice and so should the consequences be.
martin734 1 month ago
I don't know where you are but it is also illegal here in the UK. Plus, if the USA had decent employment rights, a new mum would not have to be working on their baby's first Christmas anyway as she would be on maternity leave.
Load More Replies... spacer 1 month ago
as a new mom you shouldnt have to work anyway for a few months but alas im so tired of people hiding behind their kids to always get time off. im always in the belief that you take turns having holidays off and if you cant work a holiday for personal reasons you need to ensure you cover something else to even out the play field. child or no child others still have lives and even just having time off doing nothing is acceptable.
Kate Johnson 1 month ago
The hospital and entitled coworker deserved what they got. Since OP can get a job easily elsewhere they were quite stupid to think they'd just roll over for their ridiculous policy.
Earonn - 1 month ago
The co-workers can give up their holidays and work instead? Oh, but that would mean THEY suffer, right? Can't have that. When I worked in jobs with Christmas shifts I was always happy to take them, so that my colleagues with kids could be at home. But with the understanding that *should* I want a holiday off, I should get it because I didn't had it for years. Worked like a charm. I used it once or twice.
James016 1 month ago (edited)
I can only go abroad during school holidays so I have to book the weeks I want well in advance because if someone else on the team gets in first then too bad for me. I have already booked. 2 weeks off next August and a week in April. We are currently putting in our Christmas requests but this does not mean we will get it as the whole dept needs to coordinate so there is cover. OP is 100% NTA she did the right thing by booking months in advance.
sturmwesen 1 month ago (edited)
NTA. we are in the middle of planning our time off for next year and if I hear one more time how we have to fit around school holidays or other special times because someone who has kids gets dibs I am gonna scream.
marcelo D. 1 month ago
"family first", that's literally textbook discrimination,a nd should be sued out of existance
FreeTheUnicorn 1 month ago
If you're in the US or Canada, discrimination based on family status is illegal and OP should leave the job but also take legal action. It can't have been a great place to work anyway because my family is nearly all in medical/emergency and law enforcement and you either work Christmas or New Year, not bothered if you don't want the money. Usually younger folk want New Year's off and older people want Christmas, but really unusual that someone who isn't keen for the holiday overtime to work both .
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