Annual leave during Olympics.....

[ELVIS68]

We've been told that annual leave will not be granted during the Olympics unless we prove we have tickets for an event

Is this allowed?

[Ellipsis]

Probably. Check your contract of employment to be sure. Most contracts allow the employer to stipulate when the employee may or may not take holidays.

It seems a bit draconian though. The Olympics are right in the school holidays. I've got a week off then, nothing to do with the Olympics, simply the fact that it's August and I want a holiday then as I normally do. Unless, that is, your place of work is likely to be unusually busy because the Olympics are on ...

[ELVIS68]

Yes we work for a well known rail company but our contract only says about more than two people off at one time

[Buenchico]

Unless your contract specifies otherwise, the only legal obligation your employer has to comply with is to give you the statutory minimum number of days holiday. The employer is entirely free to choose those dates (as long as you're provided with adequate notice of them). You have no right whatsoever to any choice about the days when you take your holidays.

For example, an employer can say that his employees will be given the first three Wednesdays in January as holidays, followed by the second and third Tuesdays in February, the last three Thursdays in March, etc, while insisting that employees work (for normal pay) on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and on all other public holidays. As long as the total number of days of paid holidays in the year comes to 28 (for someone who works 5 or 6 days per week) statute law will have been complied with (even though no employee would ever have more than 2 days off work at a time - there's no statutory right to whole weeks of holiday). Only individual contracts can give employees additional rights.

Chris

[slinkycat]

Elvis I believe that a well known Midlands bus company has told their employees much the same thing, I'm sure that in our neck of the woods bus drivers are not going to be overwhelmed by extra passengers during the Olympics!

[Buenchico]

The rail company I used to work for had a rule that nobody could book holidays during the second half of December. It was a sensible rule as it prevented arguments about who could have time off close to Christmas. Your employer seems to have adopted a similar policy with regard to the period around the Olympics.

[ELVIS68]

Thanks all, will be interesting to see what happens when everyone puts in for leave after the Olympics!

Can they alter shift hours during the Olympics?, rumour has it they want us to work 12 hour shifts.

We have asked but are told nothing

[B00]

Are you one of the ones who are being paid zillions (maybe slight exaggeration) of overtime during the games elvis?

[ELVIS68]

I'd tell you if I knew the answer to that B00

To be honest I'm not interested in working extra hours, I do enough as it is

[sophie_1003]

The midlands bus company has done it because some of their drivers are going to London to drive the athletes around so they need everyone else to stay and drive the regular buses; is it anything like that elvis?

[ELVIS68]

No sophie, ours is just so there's enough people on hand just incase things go tits up and our bosses won't lose their massive bonuses because of train delays

[Hopkirk]

I love the thought of bus drivers from the Midlands, totally lost in London.

[sophie_1003]

Aww that's not good Elvis, what about the people with children who can't go on holiday outside of school holiday times, I know the bus company have said 'exceptional circumstances' will be taken into account?
Haha Hopkirk; I know someone who is going; will have to ask him how they're going to find their way round, probably have to stop and ask one of the Olympic GB Team to guide them!