Staff holidays

How do others deal with holidays?

I have four FTE now, all on 30 days holiday, all working 11/3 or similar. Everyone works every second weekend. I've already asked them not to take take holiday through calving, does anyone ask employees not to take holiday over their working weekends?

It's just impossible to find weekend milking cover now, I realize that this is my issue not my employees but it means I cover for everyone as well as not taking any time off through calving or mating periods, consequently I will work 42 out of 52 weekends in 2020 which leaves me with a very pi$$ed off wife.

I know there are plenty of people who take no time off and work 365 but I'm not prepared to do that.

How do other manage staffing through the year?
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Going to be very odd this year though. None of our staff want much time off for holiday as there’s nowhere to go .
Going to be a mad scramble when this virus is over.

Not much help to you but we seem ok for cover here as there’s not much alternative employment
 

farmerdan7618

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Quite common to have periods in the year when no holiday to be taken, outside of farming too.

How many people do you need on at one time?
Holiday calendar in the farm office/staff room, and holiday only approved if enough cover left. Again, see this outside of farming.

Be fair, staff may grumble in the short term.
 
Chap on holiday next week, but it's his weekend on this wkend, so his holiday starts 4.30pm sunday and returns Monday 8am following. So has 7 days off but only 5 are holiday. Its only fair surley. So to get 30 days they have 5 weeks holiday

On 11/3 they can start their holiday at 5am Tuesday morning having already had 3 days off, they then only need to take 4 days holiday to get 7 days off and they can do this 7 times a year with a couple of days holiday to spare.
This would be ideal because they get plenty of time off and weekdays are easy to cover.
 
On 11/3 they can start their holiday at 5am Tuesday morning having already had 3 days off, they then only need to take 4 days holiday to get 7 days off and they can do this 7 times a year with a couple of days holiday to spare.
This would be ideal because they get plenty of time off and weekdays are easy to cover.
Ah yeah sorry, were 10/14 here. So every other weekend off. Makes it easier
 

Homesy

Member
Location
North West Devon
10 weekends off ? What kind of dairy farmer are you ? Thank god my wife doesn't read this.
I think under law you can tell your staff when they can take their holidays. Make that clear in their contracts but be prepared to be as flexible as possible. You also have the right to cancel their holidays so long as you give them enough notice. My wife has had hers cancelled. I think that you need to give them the same amount of notice as the length of their booked holiday.
 
10 weekends off ? What kind of dairy farmer are you ? Thank god my wife doesn't read this.
I think under law you can tell your staff when they can take their holidays. Make that clear in their contracts but be prepared to be as flexible as possible. You also have the right to cancel their holidays so long as you give them enough notice. My wife has had hers cancelled. I think that you need to give them the same amount of notice as the length of their booked holiday.
If I was a member of staff and and had 2 weeks booked off to go to "insert foreign location " and 2 weeks before my employer cancelled it, I'd walk out there and then.
 

Homesy

Member
Location
North West Devon
If I was a member of staff and and had 2 weeks booked off to go to "insert foreign location " and 2 weeks before my employer cancelled it, I'd walk out there and then.
Yep maybe but that is the rules. We had a week planned to go Spain in September, booked in January, but now cancelled. Luckily we had not bought plane tickets and the flat belongs to the inlaws. Don't think I'd want to go now anyway. Make do with a foreign holiday in Cornwall instead. It's only 6 miles to the border.
 
Yep maybe but that is the rules. We had a week planned to go Spain in September, booked in January, but now cancelled. Luckily we had not bought plane tickets and the flat belongs to the inlaws. Don't think I'd want to go now anyway. Make do with a foreign holiday in Cornwall instead. It's only 6 miles to the border.


Still 6 miles too far..
 

TomB

Member
Location
Wiltshire
Never got organised enough to have a regular rota, have a team of 5 and can call on a tractor driver if necessary in the winter, can get by with 3 or ideally 4 so it usually works out. But probably over staffed but it does allow some contingency if some one drops out for whatever reason.
 
Location
southwest
Holidays for four/five people is a piece of pish. Try 50+ with " Boss boss already booked flights to see family in Poland/Rumania/Thailand" "Need to look after kids over half term as partner has to work" Even had one guy who wouldn't book a holiday but always produced a Sick line for half term!

Having a plan shows everyone you are in control:

1 Display a holiday calendar

2 Black out calendar for periods when holidays aren't allowed (calving, breeding, Christmas) Highlight periods when holiday's must be taken

3 All holiday requests in writing please

4. You (employer) return holiday request within 14 days, marked either Approved or Denied (pref with reason) If Request not returned within 14 days , holiday is automatically granted

5. All staff expected to book all their annual holiday by 1st July

6. After 1st July you can allocate holidays if staff have failed to book (give twice as much notice as length of holiday allocated-eg two week's notice of 1 week's holiday.

PS remember holidays don't need to be full weeks!


But of a faff but it puts you in control-ensures holiday's taken at quiet times, everyone can see it's fair as can be and encourages everyone to plan time off.
 

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