Annual leave policies

[sassystylist25]

hi all
Just writing in to have a bit of confusion cleared up.
One of our stylists is booking a lot of time off and while we aim to be fair we feel like the p is being taken.
Our policy atm is no annual leave during nov/dec, but are given 3-4 days off taken out of annual leave for between Xmas and new year.
So given that that’s 4 days at most out of the standard 28 days for working 5 days a week that leave 23-24 days left to take.
Which is fine, but the staff are taking odd days here and there (mostly weekends - our busiest times), so we will be changing the policy to 3 weekends per year and only one of them can be a bank holiday weekend. We all love a bank holiday shin dig, so we believe that is fair.
We don’t work Mondays, only tues-sat so there’s mixed advice from people saying that those bank holiday Mondays should be taken out of annual leave (4 summer bank hols per year) to bring down annual leave to 20-21 days.
Are we within our rights to take those 4 days off the annual leave even though we don’t work Mondays? Am so confused, most people I talk to are saying they should come out of annual leave but I sort of feel it’s a bit of a cheek to staff when we don’t work Mondays.
But I also feel like we are having the p taken out of us x
One staff has booked off 33 days already this year! X

 

[RED STAR]

hi all
Just writing in to have a bit of confusion cleared up.
One of our stylists is booking a lot of time off and while we aim to be fair we feel like the p is being taken.
Our policy atm is no annual leave during nov/dec, but are given 3-4 days off taken out of annual leave for between Xmas and new year.
So given that that’s 4 days at most out of the standard 28 days for working 5 days a week that leave 23-24 days left to take.
Which is fine, but the staff are taking odd days here and there (mostly weekends - our busiest times), so we will be changing the policy to 3 weekends per year and only one of them can be a bank holiday weekend. We all love a bank holiday shin dig, so we believe that is fair.
We don’t work Mondays, only tues-sat so there’s mixed advice from people saying that those bank holiday Mondays should be taken out of annual leave (4 summer bank hols per year) to bring down annual leave to 20-21 days.
Are we within our rights to take those 4 days off the annual leave even though we don’t work Mondays? Am so confused, most people I talk to are saying they should come out of annual leave but I sort of feel it’s a bit of a cheek to staff when we don’t work Mondays.
But I also feel like we are having the p taken out of us x
One staff has booked off 33 days already this year! X

33 days!!
As far as I am aware, the legal entitlement is 28 days - this INCLUDE'S the bank holidays.

 

[EssexFreelance]

You are closed Mondays so they get 28 days of choice (you decide Xmas) if someone worked a Monday they would have to take 8 days holiday for the fact the business is closed therefore get 20 days of choice.

Why are the staff deciding when they take holiday?

We had a request form for everywhere we worked- they have a sheet they submit-

Holiday total
Days they have left
Requested holiday


You then say yes or no -

Usually decides on if another staff member is off, also 4 weekends a year as it’s 4 weeks holiday is fair and it’s a first come first served basis.

If they have used 28 days holiday surely be saying no to 33? Unless they take it unpaid in quieter times?

Also we encouraged to space it out through the year so we weren’t left with everyone trying to use it up before the end of the year

 

[AcidPerm]

Are we within our rights to take those 4 days off the annual leave even though we don’t work Mondays?

For calculating holiday entitlement:
1. If the salon is closed on Mondays, you cannot count Monday as a day of work as the employee cannot choose to work on that day.
2. Therefore, bank holiday Mondays cannot be included in the employee’s holiday entitlement calculation.
Effectively, the Monday has the same status as a Sunday.

 

[sassystylist25]

For calculating holiday entitlement:
1. If the salon is closed on Mondays, you cannot count Monday as a day of work as the employee cannot choose to work on that day.
2. Therefore, bank holiday Mondays cannot be included in the employee’s holiday entitlement calculation.
Effectively, the Monday has the same status as a Sunday.

Yes I guessed as much, why people are telling me otherwise is beyond me!

You are closed Mondays so they get 28 days of choice (you decide Xmas) if someone worked a Monday they would have to take 8 days holiday for the fact the business is closed therefore get 20 days of choice.

Why are the staff deciding when they take holiday?

We had a request form for everywhere we worked- they have a sheet they submit-

Holiday total
Days they have left
Requested holiday


You then say yes or no -

Usually decides on if another staff member is off, also 4 weekends a year as it’s 4 weeks holiday is fair and it’s a first come first served basis.

If they have used 28 days holiday surely be saying no to 33? Unless they take it unpaid in quieter times?

Also we encouraged to space it out through the year so we weren’t left with everyone trying to use it up before the end of the year

I would rather if they took a full week off, 4 times a year, it honestly feels like they are working part time while I’m slogging my guts trying to find their wages with 1 stylist down!

Yes we’ll be declining anymore time off unless she wants it unpaid x

 

[EssexFreelance]

Yes I guessed as much, why people are telling me otherwise is beyond me!



I would rather if they took a full week off, 4 times a year, it honestly feels like they are working part time while I’m slogging my guts trying to find their wages with 1 stylist down!

Yes we’ll be declining anymore time off unless she wants it unpaid x

I had this at one job and found it a bit of a pee take to be dictated too so much about my holiday. I don’t want to always take full weeks off.

They are employed so unfortunately you have to suck up that they are entitled to time off.

 

[CFBS]

Once you have provided your staff with written confirmation of your salon's holiday policy & request slips, then they (and you) may find it helpful to have a holiday calendar up in the staff room.
Use one of those year planners that show the entire year and then give each member of staff different coloured sticky dots they can place on it once their request has been confirmed. This helps them to see when it would be sensible to take days off and not have two people off at the same time.
When i had staff, they liked this system and would stand in front of it discussing who would take which weeks - much more affable atmosphere!

 

[Trinity]

.
Use one of those year planners that show the entire year and then give each member of staff different coloured sticky dots they can place on it once their request has been confirmed.

[Not in a salon but an office] we used a permanent marker to write the persons initials, sticky dots went missing somehow. Rumour was one person in particular would peel off the dots if they conflicted with their choice of dates - no it wasn't me!!

 

[jamiereid92]

If monday is a non working day then you need to add those in, take off the days for Christmas and easter. Then work out the rest.

You can make a policy where they are off 1 week in first quarter 1 week in second, 1 week in third and the rest scattered. Then if they want to take 2 weeks in summer they have to ask you and will appreciate if you accept it


And I hope you're not paying them for the extra days! If they want to take off more time and the business won't be to hurt let them take it unpaid x

 

[sassystylist25]

I strive so much to look after staff, I will admit I have been paying them for the extra days (hospital, dentist appts etc) though maybe I should not now.

we are pretty good at working out who's off and when, as we have a big 12 month calendar up in the staff room with our names on so our holidays don't conflict with others.

My main concern is, when these holidays are so close together it and sporadic, we quite simply cannot afford to pay the wages when we are one stylist down, it's like having a part timer throughout some months earning a full time wage. in our salon we don't charge the earth, we are all happy on our wages and don't need more. Of course it would be nice to win the lottery but hey ho, we're all comfortable, content and easy going.

Would asking for 2 weeks advance notice be fair for 1 day off? We have regulars nearly every day, so a few days in advance is too short notice to shuffle appts around and has left our loyal clients with a bit of a face on.

We do not dictate when people are off at all, but a compromise must be met to ensure we are ALL still in a job.