Issues - coverage when not in the office

Ashley02 · 01-03-2022 11:55am #1

I've worked in a company for 4 years and I've become quite experienced in my job and one of the problems is having someone cover my role correctly.

I had arranged to be off for a few days this month. I received a message from the person's manager (who was due to cover me), it appears that the girl isn’t available to cover me as She needs to have a medical appointment and it left me with little choice but to cancel the days that I had planned and will mean that I need to go to the office and provide cover for her. This Manager is due to be off the same week (funnily I don't see her changing her annual leave) - Just to also note in case people have read my previous posts, this is the same Manager that I previously had issues with so not sure if She's doing it to get at me!

I then receive a further email to say that for the first 2 weeks of April, there is no one available to cover me if I was to book any time off, which means that I can’t book time off before Easter if I so wished. I feel so tired as I haven't had time off since Christmas.

I was looking on some advice on how to handle this situation as I don't feel that it's fair to me to have to drop my plans continually.

Ginger83 · 01-03-2022 12:07pm

It is not up to you to organise cover for annual leave nor is it your concern.

If you believe they are playing games you could consider sick leave.

Furze99 · 01-03-2022 12:10pm

What size is this company, how many employees roughly? What happens to the rest of the business if there is no one there to cover your role correctly?

At face value, you deserve better treatment than this. But consider above, and if it's obvious that your absence would affect the functioning of the business then you need to escalate this in a professional way. Put it to manager/ owners that they are exposed. If your absence wouldn't affect the functioning of the business much, well then maybe just insist when you book time that that's that.

Ashley02 · 01-03-2022 12:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118713303#Comment_118713303

The company that I work for has about 200 staff here. 600+ worldwide. The problem is that if my role isn't covered correctly, it has an impact on the sales team, orders don't get fully processed in the system, sales proposals won't get issued. I also provide executive assistance support and that needs to be covered also.

I've sent an email to my Manager asking to discuss this matter because this situation just can't go on where I feel like I nearly dread taking time off and worrying that there's no-one there to provide cover.

01-03-2022 12:37pm

Your employer decides when annual leave may be taken. They are legally entitled to restrict you from taking annual leave at times where they don't have cover.

There are a number of conditions attached to it:

20.—(1) The times at which annual leave is granted to an employee shall be determined by his or her employer having regard to work requirements and subject—

(a) to the employer taking into account—

(i) the need for the employee to reconcile work and any family responsibilities,

(ii) the opportunities for rest and recreation available to the employee,

(b) to the employer having consulted the employee or the trade union (if any) of which he or she is a member, not later than 1 month before the day on which the annual leave or, as the case may be, the portion thereof concerned is due to commence, and

So if you have familial responsibilities, you may have a case. If you don't have other opportunities for rest/recreation, you may have a case. Neither of those appear to apply here though.

However, they can't cancel granted leave with less than a month's notice - at least not without your agreement, which in this case, you provided. Which means the next time, they'll ask you to cancel again, because you'll probably give in. And the time after that, and the time after that, and...

It is not your job to worry about whether cover is provided. That's what managers are paid for.

Peintre Celebre · 01-03-2022 12:44pm

Don't cancel your leave.Not your issue.

If you died tomorrow how would they manage? They'd find a way.

Enjoy your days off

Ginger83 · 01-03-2022 12:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118713441#Comment_118713441

Continuous cancellation of annual leave is just ridiculous

01-03-2022 12:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118713477#Comment_118713477

With more than a month's notice, it's (likely) legal. Although I'd certainly be looking for another job if it wasn't a one-off. But the OP doesn't seem to have been subjected to that - they only mention one cancellation request (which they agreed to facilitate).

Dial Hard · 01-03-2022 1:11pm

I work in client service and leave is always a problem. It's very easy to say "It's not your problem if there's no cover" but the reality on the ground can be very different - I didn't get to take two weeks' leave together at any point last year because there simply wasn't anyone to cover a client deliverable I have every other Friday. I also had to cancel or rearrange leave I'd booked months in advance on several occasions, or had to work when I was supposed to be on leave, including on a weekend away for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I could shrug about no cover not being my problem and/or complain til the cows come home but it was never going to change, so I'm moving company. It's not the only reason I'm leaving but it's a large factor.

You need to decide if this is something you can realistically change if you fight hard enough, OP, or if you might be better moving on.

Diceicle · 01-03-2022 3:19pm

The best angle of approach is to highlight to any relevant managers that lack of appropriate backing / cover for your role poses a significant risk to service provision and continuity.

If there is someone in your business who oversees compliance and or risk - they're the one to get onside.

I mean, if you won the lotto or broke your leg what would they do?

Flinty997 · 10-03-2022 2:22am

They can't be unaware of the issue. They are just ignoring it.

Get a better job.

Ashley02 · 11-03-2022 12:08pm

I've raised the issue to management again with my concerns, I've booked the time off, It isn't part of my role to worry about who is covering me. I feel that all I can do is raise the issue in writing, the rest is up to them.

n0minus1 · 11-03-2022 4:36pm

Agree, sounds like the issue is with your Manager to be honest. Any way to above their head even unofficially to their Manager? If their manager is reasonable and you picked your moment well there should be no reason why you couldn't get their opinion. Perhaps an informal call with them? Avoid HR if possible, they'll just side with the Manager for an easy life or just avoid it completely

Ashley02 · 07-06-2022 1:11pm

I'm back with this topic again, would you believe that zero has happened since then. I had tried to go above my Manager's head to his Manager as I believe that this falls under his remit to fix. We had a call, they promised me that they would look to hire someone in a supporting role. There were a few emails back & forth on it, It's now fallen on deaf ears, there doesn't seem to be a trace of this job listing anywhere so I don't believe that it even exists at this stage.

I had a call with someone in HR (not an official call but still) who was of no help, She told me to approach my Manager (Like I haven't tried that already!?) and it's my job to come up with solutions which angered me. I think at this stage, I'll have no option but to cut my losses and look to move on. I'm close to even going out on sick leave as I feel so stressed with the lack of coverage and unable to take time off and you can't plan for anything. I did want to stay in the role for 5 years at least because it will help me searching for similar roles in a different company but maybe that's not an option at this stage.

Wanderer2010 · 07-06-2022 3:22pm

Leave. Everyone can be done without. Your managers are just weak and ignoring problems. As long as you keep cancelling annual leave, why would they change? Tell them straight up you are taking a couple of weeks off and if they refuse, ask them to give you your P45 if they arent happy, and that they will be hearing from the WRC. Then take your holiday. Look for another job in the meantime.

cml387 · 09-06-2022 7:40am

Absolutely. It is ridiculous that they have allowed this situation to continue. But you are part of the problem in that you facilitate their incompetence by agreeing to cancel your leave. There is no incentive for them to change if, at the back of their minds they are thinking "ah sure Ashley will cover it, she always does" (I'm assuming you are a she).

If I allowed this situation to continue in my group I would be in my manager's office having a chat.

Flinty997 · 09-06-2022 11:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119169402#Comment_119169402

They don't care. So you shouldn't either.

dennyk · 09-06-2022 11:15am

As others have said, while your employer is the one failing here, your actions are enabling their failures. As long as you keep sacrificing your scheduled leave and your mental health to plug the gaps in their staffing, your managers have no incentive to fix the issue. You need to put your foot down and push back against your employer's unreasonable demands.

All employees are entitled to take annual leave; it's not an optional thing that you only get if your employer can figure out how to cover for you in your absence. Having a discussion with your manager in advance about the best times to take your annual leave (or any particular times that wouldn't be ideal for you to be out) is reasonable. Cancelling your booked annual leave on short notice because your employer has failed to arrange the necessary coverage, or your employer never allowing you to take leave because they won't hire or train someone to cover for you, isn't.

You're going to have to stand up for yourself in this if you want any action to be taken. Ask your manager if there are any particular times that it would be difficult for you to take your leave. If they won't give you a straight answer, or say something ridiculous like "well, we just don't have the coverage this year...", then you just need to say "Fine, then I'll be taking my leave at <dates>." Don't let them talk you out of it with vague arguments; if they can't provide a good specific reason why you can't take your leave on those particular dates (e.g. a big project is due during that time, some other key employee is already on leave, etc.), then stand firm and insist that you'll be taking those days off. If there is a reasonable and legitimate reason, then propose an alternative date for your leave, and again, if they just hem and haw and go "Oh, well, I'm not sure if that will work for us...", then insist on it. Don't end the interaction without your annual leave firmly booked, and once it is, don't cave and cancel it at the last minute when your manager fails to make arrangements and tries to convince you to come in anyway. No doubt there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth when you're out of the office and your employer has failed to arrange coverage for your absence, but that's your employer's fault, not yours. Don't let them bully you into skipping your annual leave.

14-06-2022 6:17pm

Your employer is completely in the right rejecting your Annual Leave requests. I think you may be under the incorrect assumption that you can pick and choose your Annual Leave as you wish? For a lot of the people, it's not like that. Think of the builders holidays in August.

Obviously over the course of a year, your employer has to give your minimum AL days.

Some poor advice from posters in this thread.

dennyk · 16-06-2022 11:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202911#Comment_119202911

While the employer does ultimately determine when employees may use their leave, the law does require them to "[take] into account the need for the employee to reconcile work and any family responsibilities, [and] the opportunities for rest and recreation available to the employee". While that portion of the law is rather vague, it's likely that if an employer continuously rejects all of an employee's requests for annual leave for months and refuses to consult with the employee about when they can actually take their leave, the WRC or the courts might conclude that the employer is acting in bad faith and is violating that part of the law, or is actively trying to discourage their employee from using their annual leave entitlement entirely.

The law also requires them to consult the employee about scheduling at least one month before the leave is to commence, which means that the OP's employer was absolutely in the wrong when they revoked their previously approved annual leave request with less than a month's notice.

kirving · 16-06-2022 11:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202911#Comment_119202911

The employer is not "in the right" as you put it. Depending on the circumstance, they may be entitled to reject the leave request, but they are not in the right. If anything, it seems like you're happy that they have rejected the leave, by comparing the OP to other industries who have set holidays, and saying that they are "right".

Wrong. The employer completely failed to protect their business from unavoidable staff absences, because they haven't trained other staff on the processes, and don't have a backup plan. Absolutely fundamental business mistakes that the OP is now paying for.

I've never had to reject a leave request, because I plan for it in advance, and make sure the people on my team can drop into one another's place.

kennethsmyth · 16-08-2022 8:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119202911#Comment_119202911

Read the law, its not as one sided as you make out. Employer has to ensure the employees needs are also taken care of.

Flinty997 · 18-08-2022 11:10pm

Its a catch 22.

They will never need to resource cover properly while the OP keeps filling the gap at his expense. The only way to change that is by making it the company's problem by leaving them with no cover. Which usually means leaving for a better job. That solves the problem for the employee. At which point the problem of no cover solves itself.

ted1 · 22-08-2022 10:07pm

Look for a new job , you shouid be able to take a holiday. The company lack of civet isn’t your problem

jacfrosty · 25-08-2022 6:42pm

Terrible advice

Issues - coverage when not in the office

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