Annual Leave

[calumhibee1]

Was speaking to somebody at work today who has moved over from USA a couple of years ago who had said that in most jobs in the USA you’d be lucky to get 10 days A/L a year and even then it’s highly frowned upon to take it.

Is this the case for any of our American posters? Also, if it is, that must have been some adjustment to make if you’ve moved over there from the U.K.

I get 30 days A/L, 10 days public holidays and I can use up to 30 days flexi time a year if I want to. And it’s all encouraged, far from frowned upon. Don’t think I could actually cope only getting 10 days off a year (and that’s before considering the fact that apparently American companies try their best to stop you taking those 10 days).

[stu in nottingham]

Was speaking to somebody at work today who has moved over from USA a couple of years ago who had said that in most jobs in the USA you’d be lucky to get 10 days A/L a year and even then it’s highly frowned upon to take it.

Is this the case for any of our American posters? Also, if it is, that must have been some adjustment to make if you’ve moved over there from the U.K.

I get 30 days A/L, 10 days public holidays and I can use up to 30 days flexi time a year if I want to. And it’s all encouraged, far from frowned upon. Don’t think I could actually cope only getting 10 days off a year (and that’s before considering the fact that apparently American companies try their best to stop you taking those 10 days).

That's pretty general in both USA and Canada. I know what you mean, I'd struggle with that paltry amount, especially if thinking of travelling to long-haul destinations. The job I've just come out of had an allowance of 32 days. I used to ravel to Canada for 3-4-week stays if possible. Imagine even further away such as Australia/NZ, hell of a long way to go with all that travelling for a relatively short break. They do tend to get a few more days' statutory holidays over there though for what it's worth.

[Sir David Gray]

Was speaking to somebody at work today who has moved over from USA a couple of years ago who had said that in most jobs in the USA you’d be lucky to get 10 days A/L a year and even then it’s highly frowned upon to take it.

Is this the case for any of our American posters? Also, if it is, that must have been some adjustment to make if you’ve moved over there from the U.K.

I get 30 days A/L, 10 days public holidays and I can use up to 30 days flexi time a year if I want to. And it’s all encouraged, far from frowned upon. Don’t think I could actually cope only getting 10 days off a year (and that’s before considering the fact that apparently American companies try their best to stop you taking those 10 days).

My girlfriend's brother's girlfriend is originally from Texas and moved here a couple of years ago and she said annual leave isn't really a thing over there and like you said she said she got roughly 10 days' holiday per year.

She couldn't believe her luck when she found out what she was entitled to over here.

[wookie70]

It will start to go the American way here now EU safeguards are going/gone. The Tories and bosses have workers where they want them and as soon as the NHS is sold a d being in a job will be needed for health are they will strip lots of our rights

[Callum_62]

We had our American chairman on a global call the other week saying if you don't feel right take a PTO day

Haha aye right.

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

[Glory Lurker]

It will start to go the American way here now EU safeguards are going/gone. The Tories and bosses have workers where they want them and as soon as the NHS is sold a d being in a job will be needed for health are they will strip lots of our rights

Yep. We're at the top of the slippery slope. Future generations will curse us for Brexit.

[Santa Cruz]

It will start to go the American way here now EU safeguards are going/gone. The Tories and bosses have workers where they want them and as soon as the NHS is sold a d being in a job will be needed for health are they will strip lots of our rights

Working Time Regs is UK legislation where does EU safeguards come into that? I always thought a/l, maternity/paternity leave entitlement was more generous in the UK than most EU countries, is that not the case?

[Hibrandenburg]

Working Time Regs is UK legislation where does EU safeguards come into that? I always thought a/l, maternity/paternity leave entitlement was more generous in the UK than most EU countries, is that not the case?

Certainly not compared to Germany, can't comment on other EU countries.

[Santa Cruz]

Certainly not compared to Germany, can't comment on other EU countries.

Would the same work legislation in terms of paid leave not apply to all EU member states? I'm not understanding what safeguards we're losing if every EU member has different work regs.

[degenerated]

Working Time Regs is UK legislation where does EU safeguards come into that? I always thought a/l, maternity/paternity leave entitlement was more generous in the UK than most EU countries, is that not the case?The UK working time regs was the vehicle to change UK law in 1998 to incorporate the EU directive, no?

Now we're out the UK are no longer bound by the EU directive and can amend UK law to reverse the changes at will.

[AT8]

Was speaking to somebody at work today who has moved over from USA a couple of years ago who had said that in most jobs in the USA you’d be lucky to get 10 days A/L a year and even then it’s highly frowned upon to take it.

Is this the case for any of our American posters? Also, if it is, that must have been some adjustment to make if you’ve moved over there from the U.K.

From my experience, that doesn't seem right. I quit my last job in April 2019, but I'd been there for twelve years and was getting twenty vacation days, 3 elective days and 10 public holidays.

[KWJ]

I think I had 14 A/L when I was in Canada. They had a couple extra public holidays if I remember right too.

I have 26 here now plus 9 public.

I believe Netherlands has the best annual leave from looking this up while in Canada and having this very conversation!

[Peevemor]

Working Time Regs is UK legislation where does EU safeguards come into that? I always thought a/l, maternity/paternity leave entitlement was more generous in the UK than most EU countries, is that not the case?In France the majority of people "earn" 2.5 days holiday per month - ie. 6 weeks per year.

In addition there are 11 public holidays per year, the difference with the UK is that a public holiday falls during the weekend it isn't carried forward to the following Monday. My first Christmas (and therefore New Year's day) here fell on a Saturday so I didn't have any time off over the festive season - that was weird!

I think maternity leave is much the same as the UK and paternity leave has effectively doubled (this month) from 2 to 4 weeks - more if it's a multiple birth/adoption.

[Santa Cruz]

The UK working time regs was the vehicle to change UK law in 1998 to incorporate the EU directive, no?

Now we're out the UK are no longer bound by the EU directive and can amend UK law to reverse the changes at will.

Ok, not convinced that would happen without the Trade Unions causing mass problems for any Gov that weakened the existing legislation. I'll leave it there as I'm taking the thread the OP started of track.

[degenerated]

Ok, not convinced that would happen without the Trade Unions causing mass problems for any Gov that weakened the existing legislation. I'll leave it there as I'm taking the thread the OP started of track.Sadly, I think you overestimate the power and clout of trade unions. The days of their ability to cause mass problems are long behind them.

[Hibrandenburg]

Would the same work legislation in terms of paid leave not apply to all EU member states? I'm not understanding what safeguards we're losing if every EU member has different work regs.

All EU members have to abide by the minimum standards set out in EU regulations. They can however go above and beyond them if they wish to do so or their national regulations were better than the EU ones prior to implementation of EU regulations. EU standards are minimum standards, the UK no longer has to abide by these standards. See the recent increase in UK hgv driver regs.

[Allant1981]

Im pretty lucky with my leave, i get 33 days annual leave a gear and 8 public holidays, wealso get 4 weeks paid leave per year for each child we have under 14, 1 week per child each year so if i wanted i could take an extra 3 weeks per year on top of my 33 days

[Sylar]

My US contract is 10 days annual leave plus national holidays, but I don't really bother with it when I'm over there as it's rarely for more than a few months at a time. I think I've used 2 days in the 3 years I've been working for them!

[JeMeSouviens]

I get 25 AL +8 public. My US based counterparts get 20 AL but I think they actually get more publics, a couple of days at thanksgiving, xmas, labor day, mlk, etc etc.

[Santa Cruz]

I would like all workers in both public and private sectors to get the same allocation of public holidays on the same dates. How confusing is it when schools, GP's and Dentist's take local holidays and Banks and other public sector orgs take national holidays. Why do we have a Scottish Parliament but still take English Public Holidays, and who even gets St Andrew's Day as a holiday? Other than civil servants I don't know anyone who gets this holiday.

[Just Alf]

I would like all workers in both public and private sectors to get the same allocation of public holidays on the same dates. How confusing is it when schools, GP's and Dentist's take local holidays and Banks and other public sector orgs take national holidays. Why do we have a Scottish Parliament but still take English Public Holidays, and who even gets St Andrew's Day as a holiday? Other than civil servants I don't know anyone who gets this holiday.I quite like local holidays to be fair, it means when you go somewhere the place you're visiting is fully open and there less locals milling about!

You do make a good point though, it's dam confusing at times :greengrin

[Jones28]

I would like all workers in both public and private sectors to get the same allocation of public holidays on the same dates. How confusing is it when schools, GP's and Dentist's take local holidays and Banks and other public sector orgs take national holidays. Why do we have a Scottish Parliament but still take English Public Holidays, and who even gets St Andrew's Day as a holiday? Other than civil servants I don't know anyone who gets this holiday.

I get St Andrews day.

[Santa Cruz]

I get St Andrews day.

Public sector?

I find it odd that schools don't get it. I know very few people who do and they're all civil servants.

[JeMeSouviens]

I would like all workers in both public and private sectors to get the same allocation of public holidays on the same dates. How confusing is it when schools, GP's and Dentist's take local holidays and Banks and other public sector orgs take national holidays. Why do we have a Scottish Parliament but still take English Public Holidays, and who even gets St Andrew's Day as a holiday? Other than civil servants I don't know anyone who gets this holiday.

I used to get St Andrew's day in my old job.

Both my old and new job let me use public hols as normal floating holidays so I very rarely take them on the actual day anyway.

[Smartie]

I would like all workers in both public and private sectors to get the same allocation of public holidays on the same dates. How confusing is it when schools, GP's and Dentist's take local holidays and Banks and other public sector orgs take national holidays. Why do we have a Scottish Parliament but still take English Public Holidays, and who even gets St Andrew's Day as a holiday? Other than civil servants I don't know anyone who gets this holiday.

It’s actually quite tricky to know what to do from a business owner’s point of view. Which holidays do you take? If you took them all, you’d barely work a Monday from May to September. And what do you do with part-time staff - those who work Mondays may end up getting many times more paid holidays than those who work other days.

What we’ve decided to do is to close for a fortnight at Christmas. All the “holidays” get added to AL entitlement to be taken whenever the person chooses (rather than it having to be a particular Monday etc) and we just stay open, working, on all of the holidays including Easter.

The staff seem happy with it, but I’ve always found the holiday system in the UK with local, national and bank holidays unusual.

[Killiehibbie]

Would the same work legislation in terms of paid leave not apply to all EU member states? I'm not understanding what safeguards we're losing if every EU member has different work regs.

5.6 weeks per year is the legal minimum, this can include statutory days. I reckon this government will do away with legal holiday entitlement some time soon. I get a total of 28 days.

[JeMeSouviens]

It’s actually quite tricky to know what to do from a business owner’s point of view. Which holidays do you take? If you took them all, you’d barely work a Monday from May to September. And what do you do with part-time staff - those who work Mondays may end up getting many times more paid holidays than those who work other days.

What we’ve decided to do is to close for a fortnight at Christmas. All the “holidays” get added to AL entitlement to be taken whenever the person chooses (rather than it having to be a particular Monday etc) and we just stay open, working, on all of the holidays including Easter.

The staff seem happy with it, but I’ve always found the holiday system in the UK with local, national and bank holidays unusual.

I hate that! One of my previous employers enforced a "shutdown" even though we were just office staff and we were all set up to work from home some of the time.

[Smartie]

I hate that! One of my previous employers enforced a "shutdown" even though we were just office staff and we were all set up to work from home some of the time.

Not sure how old you are but this seems to be an age thing.

Older folk hate the enforced holiday /disruption to services at Christmas.

Younger folk see it as an entitlement that they get a lengthy break at Christmas.

Our team is young (at 43 I’m the oldest by some distance) so we don’t seem to have a problem with it.

I used to work at that time and tbh it was always hopeless. People would FTA or cancel appointments because they’d rather be having fun. You’d drag yourself in then sit twiddling your thumbs. It was always a better idea working than it was a reality.

[calumhibee1]

I hate that! One of my previous employers enforced a "shutdown" even though we were just office staff and we were all set up to work from home some of the time.

I would hate an enforced Christmas holiday as well (unless it was in addition to my leave I have already of course!)

I take very little leave at Christmas and it’s the easiest shifts of the year.

[JeMeSouviens]

Not sure how old you are but this seems to be an age thing.

Older folk hate the enforced holiday /disruption to services at Christmas.

Younger folk see it as an entitlement that they get a lengthy break at Christmas.

Our team is young (at 43 I’m the oldest by some distance) so we don’t seem to have a problem with it.

I used to work at that time and tbh it was always hopeless. People would FTA or cancel appointments because they’d rather be having fun. You’d drag yourself in then sit twiddling your thumbs. It was always a better idea working than it was a reality.

I am old, it's true. :greengrin

3 quiet days working at home with no meetings interrupting me, a ready made excuse to avoid some of the extended family stuff and then use the days when I actually want to go and do something, perfect!

[pollution]

Since when did our holidays become annual leaves ?

Only the army etc had leave. I'm getting old and pedantic.

[Bristolhibby]

Would the same work legislation in terms of paid leave not apply to all EU member states? I'm not understanding what safeguards we're losing if every EU member has different work regs.

Minimum time off and working time is enshrined in EU law. It will take the consent of all members to change that.

In the U.K. the Tories can unilaterally change it with their 80 seat majority.

That’s what Brexit took away. The break on Tory excesses.

J

[Bristolhibby]

I hate that! One of my previous employers enforced a "shutdown" even though we were just office staff and we were all set up to work from home some of the time.

My place pretty much shuts down over Christmas. Although you can work over Christmas, nobody does.

I did it one year when I needed to save my leave, and it was very lonely.

Got fought up on all my admin and training though so there was a silver lining.

I actually like the mid winter fortnight off. With all the bank holidays 7 days leave gets you two weeks off.

J

[neil7908]

Crazy thing is that there is no legal requirement for your employer to give you any annual leave. If your in a decent job you'll get a small allocation, and over time build up more if you stay with the company.

But good luck if your working a minimum wage job. And that's without even considering health care.

Canada isn't much better either. Think 10 days is about normal.

[SChibs]

I seen a story where a teacher in USA had cancer and his colleagues had to band together and DONATE their sick days to him so he could get time off for treatment. It's crazy how poorly they are treated over there. Not to mention he was probably bankrupted by the medical bill on top of all that.

[Stairway 2 7]

I seen a story where a teacher in USA had cancer and his colleagues had to band together and DONATE their sick days to him so he could get time off for treatment. It's crazy how poorly they are treated over there. Not to mention he was probably bankrupted by the medical bill on top of all that.

Cancer is the biggest cause of house repossession in America. 55 percent accrue at least $10,000 in debt, while 3 percent file for bankruptcy. Then again in the land of the free I read 40 percent of Americans can't afford to pay $400 in case of an emergency

[Allant1981]

Crazy thing is that there is no legal requirement for your employer to give you any annual leave. If your in a decent job you'll get a small allocation, and over time build up more if you stay with the company.

But good luck if your working a minimum wage job. And that's without even considering health care.

Canada isn't much better either. Think 10 days is about normal.

Wonder if it will ever become an actual law in america, i love my paid holidays so ill stick to working in scotland😁

[Speedy]

Im pretty lucky with my leave, i get 33 days annual leave a gear and 8 public holidays, wealso get 4 weeks paid leave per year for each child we have under 14, 1 week per child each year so if i wanted i could take an extra 3 weeks per year on top of my 33 days

That seems ridiculously unfair.

[Allant1981]

That seems ridiculously unfair.

Sorry should have said, the 4 weeks per child cant all be taken in the same year, badly worded, the 4 weeks have to be taken by the time they are 14 so can be split over a few years, only 1 week per child per year

[Speedy]

Sorry should have said, the 4 weeks per child cant all be taken in the same year, badly worded, the 4 weeks have to be taken by the time they are 14 so can be split over a few years, only 1 week per child per year

While it's a nice thing that people get time off to see their kids it seems hugely unfair and borderline discriminatory that people who choose not (or can't) have kids get less time off than those that do.

[lapsedhibee]

While it's a nice thing that people get time off to see their kids it seems hugely unfair and borderline discriminatory that people who choose not (or can't) have kids get less time off than those that do.

Is it any more unfair/discriminatory than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

[Hibrandenburg]

Is it any more unfair/discriminatory than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

Who were once themselves children educated from taxes.

[wookie70]

Is it any more unfair/discriminatory than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

Those children help pay the pensions of those who didn't have kids.

[Bishop Hibee]

Since when did our holidays become annual leaves ?

Only the army etc had leave. I'm getting old and pedantic.

Always been annual leave in the Council going back to the Lothian Region days.

We can thank the unions historically for the annual leave many of us take for granted in Scotland.

[lapsedhibee]

Who were once themselves children educated from taxes.


Those children help pay the pensions of those who didn't have kids.

I know, I know. Just wondering why holiday entitlement for child-rearers is being picked up on as 'unfair'.

[He's here!]

Since when did our holidays become annual leaves ?

Only the army etc had leave. I'm getting old and pedantic.


Nothing wrong with a bit of pedantry. I quite agree. As you say, members of the armed forces went 'on leave', women having babies went on maternity leave and some employees were granted compassionate leave. That was pretty much it when it came to 'leave'. Holidays are holidays.

[Speedy]

I know, I know. Just wondering why holiday entitlement for child-rearers is being picked up on as 'unfair'.

Do you think it's fair for person A to get (potentially significantly) more holiday entitlement than person B due to their life choices? Person B left to pick up extra workload while Person A goes off to enjoy themselves.

It doesn't sound fair to me.

[Callum_62]

Nothing wrong with a bit of pedantry. I quite agree. As you say, members of the armed forces went 'on leave', women having babies went on maternity leave and some employees were granted compassionate leave. That was pretty much it when it came to 'leave'. Holidays are holidays.Do you attend the discotheque when you are on your holidays?

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

[lapsedhibee]

Do you think it's fair for person A to get (potentially significantly) more holiday entitlement than person B due to their life choices? Person B left to pick up extra workload while Person A goes off to enjoy themselves.

It doesn't sound fair to me.

Is it any more unfair than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

[CropleyWasGod]

Is it any more unfair than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

Or the taxes of those who never set foot on a public bus..... etc etc.

[lapsedhibee]

Or the taxes of those who never set foot on a public bus..... etc etc.

Steady. You're coming perilously close to hinting that there is such a thing as society.

[Speedy]

Is it any more unfair than the taxes of people who don't have children going towards children's education? :dunno:

Yes. Taxes pay for a wide variety of public services regardless of whether you use them.

[lapsedhibee]

Yes. Taxes pay for a wide variety of public services regardless of whether you use them.

Are you against maternity and paternity leave, which discriminate against the childless? :dunno:

[Hibrandenburg]

Do you think it's fair for person A to get (potentially significantly) more holiday entitlement than person B due to their life choices? Person B left to pick up extra workload while Person A goes off to enjoy themselves.


It doesn't sound fair to me.

It's not about person A or B though, it's about person C the kids who didn't make the life choice to be alive. The idea behind the extra time off is that there is someone available to look after the kids.

[CapitalGreen]

Do you think it's fair for person A to get (potentially significantly) more holiday entitlement than person B due to their life choices? Person B left to pick up extra workload while Person A goes off to enjoy themselves.

It doesn't sound fair to me.

The national insurance contributions of Person A’s offspring will be funding Person B’s state pension once they retire. Is it fair Person A’s offspring are left to pick up the tab for Person B’s retirement due to their life choices?

It doesn’t sound fair to me.

[Since90+2]

The national insurance contributions of Person A’s offspring will be funding Person B’s state pension once they retire. Is it fair Person A’s offspring are left to pick up the tab for Person B’s retirement due to their life choices?

It doesn’t sound fair to me.

Where would that end though?

Should smokers get less holiday as ultimately they put more pressure on the NHS, and therefore use a higher proportion of public money, than non smokers. What about those who consume more alcohol than is recommended and end up using health services more than those who don't drink? Or obese folk?

They are all individual life choices that people make.

[CropleyWasGod]

Where would that end though?

Should smokers get less holiday as ultimately they put more pressure on the NHS, and therefore use a higher proportion of public money, than non smokers. What about those who consume more alcohol than is recommended and end up using health services more than those who don't drink? Or obese folk?

They are all individual life choices that people make.

From each according to his capabilities, to each according to his needs. ☝️

[Speedy]

Are you against maternity and paternity leave, which discriminate against the childless? :dunno:

I wouldn't say that is the same. For maternity at least the positions tend to be backfilled so the burden on others in the team isn't the same.

Do you not see where I'm coming from at all? Speedy is off for 3 weeks so you have to cover his work as well as your own - hard lines!

[MyJo]

My job might not be the most exciting but when it comes to stuff like this they are brilliant and what i've done over the last couple of years would blow the minds of most Americans :greengrin

I get 28 days plus 9 public holidays as my holiday entitlement each year and an option that i take every year to buy an additional 5 days worth of allowance so i end up with around eight weeks worth of holidays all in

I work a four day week so on the days where my non-working day falls on a public holiday i get to keep those hours in my holiday entitlement to use another time.

When the pandemic hit i was in the high-risk category of people that were told to shield so i couldn't go in to the office at all. It was 5 weeks before i got a laptop to work from home. Not only was i fully paid for those five weeks, it wasn't recorded as a sickness absence and i retained the hours in my holiday allowance for the public holidays and days off i had already booked that happened during that five weeks.

This year my wife and i have had another baby and when she was born i got six weeks fully paid paternity leave.

My wife is entitled to take 52 weeks maternity leave but is only taking half that. My employer's policy allows us to create a pot of Shared Parental Leave from her unused maternity entitlement that I can take instead of her and I will get another 14 weeks off, fully paid, to care for my daughter as well.

[lapsedhibee]

I wouldn't say that is the same. For maternity at least the positions tend to be backfilled so the burden on others in the team isn't the same.

Do you not see where I'm coming from at all? Speedy is off for 3 weeks so you have to cover his work as well as your own - hard lines!

Shirley that's an argument about the management/structure of the work/workforce though, rather than an argument about the fairness/desirability of maternity or paternity or, in this case, family time with under-14 leave? :dunno:

[Hibbyradge]

Since when did our holidays become annual leaves ?

Only the army etc had leave. I'm getting old and pedantic.

Civil Servants too.

[Speedy]

Shirley that's an argument about the management/structure of the work/workforce though, rather than an argument about the fairness/desirability of maternity or paternity or, in this case, family time with under-14 leave? :dunno:

I also think it's particularly demotivating/stressful/insensitive for people who want families, can't have one and are stuck at work while others are off doing their thing.

If as a business you want to give people more time with their families then give everyone a bigger holiday allowance.

[CropleyWasGod]

I also think it's particularly demotivating/stressful/insensitive for people who want families, can't have one and are stuck at work while others are off doing their thing.

If as a business you want to give people more time with their families then give everyone a bigger holiday allowance.

Your business may be built on "family values", however you define them. If that's the case, the likelihood is that it will be people with families who want to work for you.

[CapitalGreen]

I also think it's particularly demotivating/stressful/insensitive for people who want families, can't have one and are stuck at work while others are off doing their thing.

If as a business you want to give people more time with their families then give everyone a bigger holiday allowance.

Do you know this for a fact or are you simply trying to use their experiences as way to try and make your point? Does it apply to maternity/paternity leave too or simply just holidays/annual leave?

[Speedy]

Your business may be built on "family values", however you define them. If that's the case, the likelihood is that it will be people with families who want to work for you.

In which case you can achieve the same outcome, fairly, by offering everyone the same holidays.

[Speedy]

Do you know this for a fact or are you simply trying to use their experiences as way to try and make your point? Does it apply to maternity/paternity leave too or simply just holidays/annual leave?

Out of order. I'll leave it at that.

[Hibrandenburg]

I also think it's particularly demotivating/stressful/insensitive for people who want families, can't have one and are stuck at work while others are off doing their thing.

If as a business you want to give people more time with their families then give everyone a bigger holiday allowance.

I've never understood this line of argumentation, it's like suggesting everyone should take the elevator and avoid the stairs out of respect for people in wheelchairs.

[LancashireHibby]

My job might not be the most exciting but when it comes to stuff like this they are brilliant and what i've done over the last couple of years would blow the minds of most Americans :greengrin

I get 28 days plus 9 public holidays as my holiday entitlement each year and an option that i take every year to buy an additional 5 days worth of allowance so i end up with around eight weeks worth of holidays all in

I work a four day week so on the days where my non-working day falls on a public holiday i get to keep those hours in my holiday entitlement to use another time.

When the pandemic hit i was in the high-risk category of people that were told to shield so i couldn't go in to the office at all. It was 5 weeks before i got a laptop to work from home. Not only was i fully paid for those five weeks, it wasn't recorded as a sickness absence and i retained the hours in my holiday allowance for the public holidays and days off i had already booked that happened during that five weeks.

This year my wife and i have had another baby and when she was born i got six weeks fully paid paternity leave.

My wife is entitled to take 52 weeks maternity leave but is only taking half that. My employer's policy allows us to create a pot of Shared Parental Leave from her unused maternity entitlement that I can take instead of her and I will get another 14 weeks off, fully paid, to care for my daughter as well.
Got any jobs going?

I get 20 days holiday plus annual leave. Work a lot of weekends and evenings as I work in sport which I earn lieu time for which can come in handy, or at least when I get chance to use it. Prime example being that I put in a request in January 2020 for 8 days of annual leave at the end of August (ie in 3/4 weeks time) and still not been granted! We were supposed to be attending a wedding in Cyprus but luckily it’s been put back 12 months, albeit we are still planning on using the time for a holiday and just booked a load of free cancellation hotels for the week requested and also the week before in case I have to shift it earlier. Frustrating, to say the least.

[Danderhall Hibs]

While it's a nice thing that people get time off to see their kids it seems hugely unfair and borderline discriminatory that people who choose not (or can't) have kids get less time off than those that do.

I’m guessing/assuming here but those extra days may be available to parents for when the kids are ill not just when they fancy a day off.

Seems strange to offer it as 3 weeks over 14 years (ie pretty much 1 day a year) though - how do you track that and stop folk from blowing all 15 days in the first year or 2.

[degenerated]

Where would that end though?

Should smokers get less holiday as ultimately they put more pressure on the NHS, and therefore use a higher proportion of public money, than non smokers. What about those who consume more alcohol than is recommended and end up using health services more than those who don't drink? Or obese folk?

They are all individual life choices that people make.How much more do smokers contribute to the NHS through the taxation on fags :dunno:

[Since90+2]

How much more do smokers contribute to the NHS through the taxation on fags :dunno:

Not sure those figures are widely available.

The point is if you start getting down to a granular level about tax paid by children against holidays ect where does it end? If you are a fat heavy drinking smoker but have 6 kids should you be given more or less? What about a teetotal triathlon runner who has no kids? How does their overall contribution to tax earned v tax payers money used compare?

[degenerated]

Not sure those figures are widely available.

The point is if you start getting down to a granular level about tax paid by children against holidays ect where does it end? If you are a fat heavy drinking smoker but have 6 kids should you be given more or less? What about a teetotal triathlon runner who has no kids? How does their overall contribution to tax earned v tax money's used compare?

I think they should get the same.

My view on the amount of holidays is that there should be a minimum, as we have just now, and if private companies decide to have a policy of having greater than that as an opportunity to make them an employer of choice then so be it.

I'm fortunate that I get 31 days plus public holidays so cant really complain. I'm not a smoker though neither am I a triathlon runner