Employer demanding I come in on my annual leave (day before) as another employee called in sick

sockthief46 · 04-12-2024 06:06PM #1

I booked off a day for my driving test, tomorrow, two and a half/three weeks ago. My contract states one weeks notice is required, and now my boss is saying I have to "make it work" and come in tomorrow regardless, despite me having this pre-booked, and he is aware of what it is booked for. I manage online orders, with one other employee in the store, who has called in sick for the week. My boss is now saying my job security is in question in the new year and I have to come in since nobody will be there, and that he can arrange someone to cover my evening hours. He is stating I can come in for a half day and leave and he will find someone to cover the rest, but there is already someone that can cover for the day. He is also not paying me in full for an occupational injury (back injury two weeks ago, I took off three days to rest) and insisting I lift heavy objects. A half day would mean that I could miss the test, and it's also not guarunteed that he will let me leave when I need to, despite it already being too close to the test time. It's quite a journey for me to get there, and if there is any traffic I would probably miss it.

What can I do about my annual leave? I can't miss this test, it's pre-paid and I have been waiting since June for it. He's also not giving me a choice it seems, so what can I do about this? Or what legal acts can I use to my advantage here?

Calahonda52 · 04-12-2024 06:18PM

Seems to me he is trying to fcuk u over due to the back injury and wants us to out so …

I would document the whole thing and take the time off and if he fcuks u out in 2025 go to WRC, assuming u are long enough there and not on probation,

in passing did they train u on manual handling

MOd mobe to correct section pls

EchoIndia · 04-12-2024 06:49PM

From what you say, if you were minded to show an amount of goodwill and try to "meet him halfway" (no pun intended), you could attend for as long as you consider feasible but still make sure to leave in time for your test (and not need to rush to get there on time). Of course this may not be feasible if distances etc. are too great, but it would demonstrate some willingness to be flexible in the situation you describe. He cannot physically detain you from leaving so you would just need to be determined to leave at the time you need to.

monseiur · 04-12-2024 06:57PM

Take day off as booked, as I'm sure you're aware by now there's a 3 to 6 months waiting list to get an appointment for a driving test so make sure to do the test.

Good, competent hardworking, reliable staff are a rare species these days so you're in the driving seat (pun intended) So if your boss ever mentions/threatens your job security ever again remind him/her that the country is at full employment - that his company is not exactly the only employer in the Emerald Isle. Tell him/her that your full driving licence is very important to you as it's a requirement in a position you have been offered and you are considering at present.

Anyhow life is too short to be working for a miserable boss like yours, there are better jobs out there with better conditions of employment. Start the new year with one resolution - to move on to bigger and better things.

04-12-2024 07:17PM

Let me get this straight: he's so short-handed that you absolutely have to come in, but if you don't come in, he's going to fire you and reduce his staff further?

Or put it another way: if you got a call this evening that you've won the lottery and told him to stick his job, what would he do tomorrow? Close down the whole business and retire? Or would he "somehow" manage to find a way to stay open without you?

Look, no-one here is going to know your exact circumstances, but any business that claims a single employee's absence will cause it to fall over is not a business that you want to work for. Either it's true, and you can say goodbye to ever being able to rely on time off ever again, or they're lying, and it's an utterly toxic place to work for.

If my boss asked me to cancel planned leave at the last moment, my response would be "I'm afraid that won't be possible" and nothing else. The only way I would agree is if my particular reason for leave was relatively unimportant and the business regularly shows flexibility in the other direction: flexible hours, allowing short notification of leave etc.

As noted above, document everything related to this. If he does fire you, take him to the WRC for unfair dismissal (assuming you've passed probation)

AndrewJRenko · 04-12-2024 07:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058383300/employer-demanding-i-come-in-on-my-annual-leave-day-before-as-another-employee-called-in-sick

When he mentions your job security in the new year, would that be because he absolutely needs you around for the busy Xmas period? If so, you're in a strong position.

There's lots of places screaming for seasonal staff, if you're OK with entry level work.

Employer demanding I come in on my annual leave (day before) as another employee called in sick

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