Is this fair? Having to work a weekend

So in my job in the NHS we have to do some weekends say one every 3 months as it’s a big team and on a rota.

I requested a week off for annual leave (5 days mon-fri) which was approved.

Then the weekend rota was emailed to us and I’ve been put on the Saturday and Sunday of my week off. So instead of having 9 days to enjoy its now 7

I brought it up with one of the managers and she just looked and said ‘what are you going to do get someone to swap with you’. People tend to swap weekends often however it’s not easy and involves a lot of pestering people.
Why should I have to go though the ordeal?

I suggested to her that I swap my annual leave and she said I’m better sticking to it as it’l be difficult for me to get another week (there’s only limited days left for annual leave now until April).

My family say I should have said I was going away on that week but I don’t think this quickly.

Really though do you think it is fair what they have done?

I’m having a self pity moment which annoys peopel I know but I’m knackered and haven’t been able to get a consecutive 2 week period off work for the past 4 years, worked full time all through the pandemic

If I don’t stick up for myself though no one else will as no one else cares lol

Reply 1

Mesopotamian…

I can see why it’s annoying for you and I would be annoyed too, but apart from swapping, there’s not much to be done about it. I don’t think it’s really an issue of fairness/unfairness as they haven’t done anything to breach your contract.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Original post by Mesopotamian.

Yea this is how people think as long as it doesn’t breach contract. Maybe I should just go off sick for 6 week this won’t breach contract either it’s what a lot of people do it’s the only way to get a rest really

Reply 3

Mesopotamian…

Original post by Anonymous

Lying about being sick probably is a breach of contract…

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

On the particular week of your annual leave though..

Sorry I need a proper break

Reply 5

PhoenixFortune

Original post by Anonymous

On the particular week of your annual leave though..

Sorry I need a proper break

Could you have booked the weekend off too, or was that not possible?

Reply 6

Surnia

Original post by Anonymous

On the particular week of your annual leave though..

Sorry I need a proper break

You've got your leave; what's the process for weekends, do you have to book them to guarantee the time off?

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post by PhoenixFortune

Could you have booked the weekend off too, or was that not possible?

My standard working hours are Mon-Friday we are usually off weekends barring some weekends ie we usually have to do about 4 per year

So we don’t book weekends off as usually they are non working days anyway.

I just thought that they knew I was off that week so why allocate me on a weekend of the week of my annual leave. If that’s makes sense

Reply 8

Anonymous #1

Original post by Surnia

You've got your leave; what's the process for weekends, do you have to book them to guarantee the time off?

No we have weekends off as standard, we work mon- Friday. It’s just we have to do about 3 - 4 weekends per year, for some reason they have allocated me a weekend of the week that I’m off

Reply 9

bones-mccoy

Of course it's fair. You take annual leave on the days you want off - if you didn't want to work that particular weekend you should have booked those extra days. It's the only way to ensure you definitely wouldn't have been put on shift.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post by bones-mccoy

What are the odds of the weekend they allocate me (we only do 3 weekends per year) being the week of my annual leave. Wish I could win the lottery on those odds. The worse thing is they knew

Reply 11

black tea

Original post by Anonymous

What are the odds of the weekend they allocate me (we only do 3 weekends per year) being the week of my annual leave. Wish I could win the lottery on those odds. The worse thing is they knew

Just ask around and see if you can swap it. It's really not that big a deal.

Reply 12

Surnia

Original post by Anonymous

What are the odds of the weekend they allocate me (we only do 3 weekends per year) being the week of my annual leave. Wish I could win the lottery on those odds. The worse thing is they knew

So you've got a 7-day break before/after a weekend. Don't see the issue, especially as someone who did extra and had to cancel a holiday abroad for work when I was in the military.

Reply 13

Anonymous #1

Original post by black tea

Just ask around and see if you can swap it. It's really not that big a deal.

It is trying to get people to swap it’s difficult and an extra chore to do among the many others

Don’t see why I should have to go through the hassle though expecially since they knew it was my week off

It’s strange but ever since I started working for the NHS 4 years ago I’ve become very angry and intolerant. People used to say I was placid never used to be angry and def righteous

Reply 14

Anonymous #1

Original post by Surnia

So you've got a 7-day break before/after a weekend. Don't see the issue, especially as someone who did extra and had to cancel a holiday abroad for work when I was in the military.

Have you had a 2 week period off work the the past 4 years? Ive not just knackered and need a proper break.
Ive not been able to book a full week off in the past 9 months (my requests were refused) because there’s been no full weeks available it’s all been 3 days here the odd day there.

Then they go and do this. What happened to people being able to have a full week off from work lol

Reply 15

black tea

Original post by Anonymous

If you don't want to go through the hassle, then just accept that you will have to work that weekend. You still get 7 days off, I really don't see the problem.

Reply 16

Surnia

Original post by Anonymous

Last time I had 2 weeks off work was in the 90s; the last long break was 10 days, in 2005. If your working week is usually 5 days, you are having a full week off work.

Reply 17

Anonymous #1

Original post by Surnia

Last time I had 2 weeks off work was in the 90s; the last long break was 10 days, in 2005. If your working week is usually 5 days, you are having a full week off work.

Yet not quite as full a week as the others seem to have it seems.

Where do you work, is that the military..

Either way it seems to be trendy for people to be working overtime, work through lunch on hardly any sleep then almost brag about how they haven’t stopped.

I’m not falling into this trap, I’m having a lunch break even if I’m seen as bone idle because of it, the more you do the more is expected

Im all for a strong work ethic you should do your best within reason but looking around most people who I work with look knackered and are overweight, some on long term sick leave.