Did I miss my window on notifying my new job of a planned holiday?
January 12, 2016 4:18 AM Subscribe
In late December, I managed to land myself an interview and a new job at an awesome small company (50-60 employees) in the space of 4 days. I start the new position on 1 February, but I've failed to mention that I have a two-week trip overseas already planned for mid-March, around Easter.
Have I missed my window on telling my new employer about my holiday? Should I tell them now or wait until my first day?
Basically, what happened is that I wanted to leave my job ASAP because it was so miserable, and the new company wanted me to start ASAP as well, so negotiating for the job to start after Easter was not an option. As a result, I've missed the window on mentioning it to them during the job offer/negotiation process.
I've now signed the job contract, and am waiting for it to be returned after being countersigned by the company directors (it should be arriving in the mail soon). The contract stipulates who my line manager is, and that I need to arrange holiday/vacation as early as possible. I'm reasonably certain that since I'm salaried, my holidays don't accrue over the months (I have 25 days plus bank holidays), but I'm not certain about this.
Have I missed the polite/appropriate window for letting them know about my trip? Should I email the company's HR contact and my line manager about it now? Should I wait until the contract is returned countersigned before I tell them? Should I wait until my first day of work?
If I have missed my politeness window, how should I break the news? I don't want to seem like a bad or lazy employee, but this is my first corporate job outside of a long stint in academia and I'm not sure what the norms are.
Relevant info: the job is salaried and in the UK.
Basically, what happened is that I wanted to leave my job ASAP because it was so miserable, and the new company wanted me to start ASAP as well, so negotiating for the job to start after Easter was not an option. As a result, I've missed the window on mentioning it to them during the job offer/negotiation process.
I've now signed the job contract, and am waiting for it to be returned after being countersigned by the company directors (it should be arriving in the mail soon). The contract stipulates who my line manager is, and that I need to arrange holiday/vacation as early as possible. I'm reasonably certain that since I'm salaried, my holidays don't accrue over the months (I have 25 days plus bank holidays), but I'm not certain about this.
Have I missed the polite/appropriate window for letting them know about my trip? Should I email the company's HR contact and my line manager about it now? Should I wait until the contract is returned countersigned before I tell them? Should I wait until my first day of work?
If I have missed my politeness window, how should I break the news? I don't want to seem like a bad or lazy employee, but this is my first corporate job outside of a long stint in academia and I'm not sure what the norms are.
Relevant info: the job is salaried and in the UK.
Best answer: I'm in the UK, and I'd do it now too. Phone your HR rep, apologise for not informing them sooner, and ask them to pass it on to your new manager. I can't imagine it being a big thing.
posted by A Robot Ninja at 4:46 AM on January 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by A Robot Ninja at 4:46 AM on January 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
Yeah, you've missed the politeness window. So let them know as soon as possible. Like NOW. And tell them, don't ask. Acknowledge that you understand that this may be unpaid leave (it's the UK, so they might just treat it as paid leave anyway, but given the situation, it's probably best to assume it's going to be unpaid leave, and offering that at least shows good faith). They're not going to pull the job offer now - they want YOU, clearly. HR will probably be more pissed off than your boss, and your boss will be over it in a few months, so don't sweat it too much. Just be an awesome employee and all will be forgiven. Just accept that you'll be starting on the back foot...
(For future reference, the sweet spot to tell them is after you've been formally offered the job and while you're negotiating your start date)
Congrats on the new job!
posted by finding.perdita at 4:50 AM on January 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
(For future reference, the sweet spot to tell them is after you've been formally offered the job and while you're negotiating your start date)
Congrats on the new job!
posted by finding.perdita at 4:50 AM on January 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'd try to delay the trip or cancel it entirely, but that's just me. I'd hate to come through the door with a reputation for being unreliable and flighty. In the US that could also be grounds for not even hiring you. Many of my jobs have had a 90 day probationary period where they can just let you go without even telling you why.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:57 AM on January 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 5:57 AM on January 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm reasonably certain that since I'm salaried, my holidays don't accrue over the months (I have 25 days plus bank holidays), but I'm not certain about this.
This is the key assumption. If you are correct, you should request the leave ASAP (today!). However, none of the places I've worked at have awarded leave this way. If your leave is awarded incrementally, e.g. a few hours each pay period, I would cancel the trip.
Honestly, I would probably cancel the trip even if you do get a year's worth of leave in a lump sum upon starting. I agree with cjorgensen that this runs the risk of making you seem flaky.
posted by deadweightloss at 6:26 AM on January 12, 2016
This is the key assumption. If you are correct, you should request the leave ASAP (today!). However, none of the places I've worked at have awarded leave this way. If your leave is awarded incrementally, e.g. a few hours each pay period, I would cancel the trip.
Honestly, I would probably cancel the trip even if you do get a year's worth of leave in a lump sum upon starting. I agree with cjorgensen that this runs the risk of making you seem flaky.
posted by deadweightloss at 6:26 AM on January 12, 2016
Best answer: I think that the people worried about it are all from the US and the people saying it isn't that big of a deal are from the UK. I would tell them about the planned holiday upon receiving the contract and then not worry about it. I expect that you will be given a pro-rata allocation of holiday to be used until whenever their holiday year starts (My company is Jan 1 but my wife's university is Nov 1) They will want you to use the holiday, I know I've been in trouble for carrying over the allowed amount because they want to see it used at my company. You will be working there for about a month and a half before the holiday happens, so it wouldn't be unexpected for you to take some time off. As well it is Easter so there will be a lot of other people taking some time off meaning less of a chance of falling behind on work.
I know I was touchy about holiday when I moved over to the UK from the US so I can understand where the US people are coming from but the culture around time off is very different here. In all likelyhood you will have a 6 month probation period and not the 90 days mentioned by CJorgensen and by taking some time off you are demonstrating that you are going to use the holiday time and not save it up and take it in a large go. I would tell HR after I returned the contract, saying that it is a planned trip overseas and you wondered how you should go about requesting that time off. That way you are just navigating their system and being as kind as possible to work within their methods.
posted by koolkat at 6:42 AM on January 12, 2016 [7 favorites]
I know I was touchy about holiday when I moved over to the UK from the US so I can understand where the US people are coming from but the culture around time off is very different here. In all likelyhood you will have a 6 month probation period and not the 90 days mentioned by CJorgensen and by taking some time off you are demonstrating that you are going to use the holiday time and not save it up and take it in a large go. I would tell HR after I returned the contract, saying that it is a planned trip overseas and you wondered how you should go about requesting that time off. That way you are just navigating their system and being as kind as possible to work within their methods.
posted by koolkat at 6:42 AM on January 12, 2016 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, Hivemind!
Like koolkat, I am an US expat too, and still kind of thankful for the European attitude/culture to time off.
I just wanted to close up this thread by saying that I emailed the HR contact, and a couple of hours later I got a reply thanking me for mentioning this early, and that my time of has been approved by the department head as annual leave. I offered alternative arrangements in the original email (working weekends) but they didn't mention anything, so I guess everything seems fine.
I had it all in my head as a big deal, but it seems not to be.
posted by the_wintry_mizzenmast at 9:09 AM on January 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
Like koolkat, I am an US expat too, and still kind of thankful for the European attitude/culture to time off.
I just wanted to close up this thread by saying that I emailed the HR contact, and a couple of hours later I got a reply thanking me for mentioning this early, and that my time of has been approved by the department head as annual leave. I offered alternative arrangements in the original email (working weekends) but they didn't mention anything, so I guess everything seems fine.
I had it all in my head as a big deal, but it seems not to be.
posted by the_wintry_mizzenmast at 9:09 AM on January 12, 2016 [5 favorites]
Best answer: It's very likely not a big deal, and quite likely a contractual right. Here's the rules on leave accrual, and assuming your employer's using a "leave year" system, then you're fine as long as it's not April-April (which is common). But it's probably good to contact HR and your future manager, because presumably they'll be planning the first two months of your time relatively thoroughly.
But yeah, given that your new company gives one week over the statutory minimum (20 days + bank holidays, now defined as 5.6 weeks), you can expect them to treat annual leave as a simple transaction: you give them the dates, they say it's OK. Or if it genuinely is difficult, they discuss whether you can change it.
posted by ambrosen at 1:05 PM on January 12, 2016
But yeah, given that your new company gives one week over the statutory minimum (20 days + bank holidays, now defined as 5.6 weeks), you can expect them to treat annual leave as a simple transaction: you give them the dates, they say it's OK. Or if it genuinely is difficult, they discuss whether you can change it.
posted by ambrosen at 1:05 PM on January 12, 2016
Wait, how did I not read the whole of your reply? Anyway, if you did want to know what your legal rights are, there's a link there.
posted by ambrosen at 1:07 PM on January 12, 2016
posted by ambrosen at 1:07 PM on January 12, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm starting a new job the same time but my holiday isn't until June 2017 but I'm waiting until the first month is done to book it and get it on the calendar.
posted by tilde at 4:25 AM on January 12, 2016 [2 favorites]