While they probably could, they wont.
A friend of mine has virtually the same job as you and has been doing this for the past 7 years. They never do anything about it. Dont worry about it. They probably have caught on that he doesnt go away but they cant prove otherwise .
Dunno where you live/work but here the people that work those days get a massive payment bonus ( around 300% ) so it is easy enough to fill the shifts.
Could they fire you for it ? ... likely and it could easy be used a point if they need to pick a few people for whatever reason.
BUT you have done it ... no point in sitting over x-mas thinking about it ... if you feel bad you could step up and volenteer for the next few shitty shifts.
1. They can't sack you for this under UK employment laws.
What you do on holiday is your business and none of theirs. You could always claim that your plans fell through due to financial difficulties and you made other arrangements. If you were ever grilled over the matter.
2. Live by this rule chap - Work to live, don't live to work.
I know in the States most jobs don't require to give a reason for a firing, many will but not required, unless you are a union or high risk person to sue and even in those cases they can walk on egg shells around it most of the time. But I also know in the States that it is pretty unwise for a company to spy on you at your house and, of course, there are a few costly ways around it, but for the most part your average job won't be paying for them. Just as long as you don't make a retarded mistake and be drunken at a bar when your boss walks in or if you flip out and get put in the papers or something public like that you are ok. As long as it doesn't become a habit they can track and thus use against you.
As a person who has been a restaurant manager for a number of years, I need to chime in that a lot of people have a lot of stupid and crazy ideas about how you are allowed to treat your employees.
While it is true that it is not a good idea to lie to your employer as a matter of course, and doing so may cause them to look for a legitimate reason to fire you (where they may have turned a blind eye in the past, or at least cut you some slack), if they grant you a day off that you requested in advance, the reason doesn't matter.
This differs from, say, calling in sick with a bullshit excuse, because you requested the time off in advance.
The reason doesn't matter, and would not be taken into consideration with a wrongful dismissal suit.
Enjoy your holidays.
As a former suit wearer who would now kill for any job even one stacking shelves (asda told me i was 'Too experienced' to be a shelf stacker) id say dont get too cocky to the people insinuateing that the OP's job is worthless.
To OP dont worry about it as long as you are on the ball even if you are spotted out and about you will be fine. When ye go back if anyone asks how yer holiday went just say nothing went the way it was supposed to go and leave it at that. If pressed just say you dont wanna talk about it. If yer manager has found out and tries to give you shit just say yer holiday plans got screwed up.
Why are you presuming I'm spending my holiday in bed? The ignorance on this forum is mind blowing.
and plus, I couldn't give a rats ass if people are annoyed at me. I took that time off to spend time with MY family. If they're so mad, they should of taken it off.
Jealousy.
Last edited by Tommy T; 2012-12-24 at 02:57 PM.
I think it's more like you don't give a rat's ass about your company so why should the company give a rat's ass about you? If workplace is anything like my workplace management already knows as people love to talk about other people and management usually hears about it. Ultimately, it depends on your boss though as some might fire you and some might not. We caught one worker out shopping one day she was off sick and she was not fired. We had another that was off because her son died when he was alive and well. She never came back but if she did she would have been fired.
Least you get time off. If I request time off from work (restaurant that opens 25th, 31st, 1st, etc, in Spain), I am instantly told no. If I say I want to cash my holiday time in, my bosses response is as thus : "You can do that, but don't bother coming back after the holidays".
Count yourself lucky. Having said all that, I have to work a full day, so I miss Christmas Dinner with my family, I work all New Years Eve, so miss all night with friends and family, miss New Years Day, which is usually a restful day, and I miss every single possible holiday in the year where people go out. Any time I have a girlfriend on Valentines Day, I have to then make up for it as I can't spend it with her, for example. Even with all that, I know that if I left the restaurant, it's not my boss that would suffer, it would be my workmates, as i'm the most experienced waiter there, and generally count for 2 or 3, so they'd then have to work even harder with a last minute extra. Hence, I don't even bother asking or fussing about it.
Yes, although at this point there's nothing to be done about it except to keep your head down and hope it blows over. You lied to avoid company policy, and ultimately if they need to they can replace you with someone they find more reliable.
I CBA to look over the thread but i will add my 2 cents
The way i see you booked off time off from your job yes you may have BS'ed your way but if it was time off that was due then they owe it you
Did you get caught? prolly not then who cares
I would bet my balls the gaffers dont give a shit and prolly pulled the same stunt as you if they could and prolly have
dont worry about fucking sainsburys cause they really dont give a fuck
I know every scam in the book and i will say you will be cool
as long as you dont do anything stupid like my bro who said he was ill then appeared in our local newspaper pic in a sports game crowd! LMAO
Last edited by yetgdhfgh; 2012-12-24 at 03:43 PM.
If you lie to them they have all reasons to sack you. Either you man up or quit your job. I always work Christmas or New year. No exceptions.
It's not a white lie, it's a regular lie.
Companies put these policies in place for the benefit of all their staff, so people don't end up having to work non-stop all through Christmas. You selfishly decided that this wasn't enough for you, and now somebody is going to have to cover your shift. Justifying it by saying you don't care about your "scummy" co-workers says rather a lot about you as a person.
Anyway, lying to your employer probably falls under either general or gross misconduct according to your contract (you know, the thing you signed when you agreed to work for them).
If the bosses find out, then yes they could sack you.
If your fellow employees find out, they will just think you're a dick. Maybe one of them will tell on you, most wouldn't, but you always get those annoying people in the workplace.
So it's easy, just don't get caught. I urge you to get another job though, unless you're a student.
He told a little white lie if he gets found out then i hope his gaffers dont give a shit and in my experience they dont
bottom line is they wont find out cause they honesty dont give a fuck
OP dont feel guilty just enjoy your holidays
My dad was a manager at the royal mail and he must have heard every bullshit story known to man
did he sack anyone NO he didnt cause he didnt give a fuck its not his money at the end of the day as long as the guy didnt take the piss what should he care
if this was some mom and pop store maybe you would get pwned but it aints it fucking sainsburys and noone who works there gives a shit
Last edited by yetgdhfgh; 2012-12-24 at 04:40 PM.
See I would view this differently. I would think of it, I work damn hard to make myself count for two or three, and when I'm not working, they can get on without me. If they can't, well that's the companies problem, not mine. Working hard should be applauded. You shouldn't be punished for it. I know employees who get mistreated at work for working hard (not saying you are). They get talk to like shit, yet when they're told "You need to work a few hours extra to clean all this up" when they have been working hard all night, they simply say yes and get on with work. I wouldn't accept that.
Night shifts are hard work. Easy, brainless work, but hard work. You sweat. You rush. Your meeting strict deadlines. You generally get talked to like shit, but when it comes to taking my holiday, no one. NO one will dictate to me how I spend it.
---------- Post added 2012-12-24 at 04:47 PM ----------
I would work Christmas and New Years too, if I had any respect for the job. Turns out I don't. You get talked too like shit all year and I keep my head down. If I can get away with a white lie, than damn straight I will. For me the job will always be walk in, receive my orders, headphones on, walk out, get paid.
No doubt I would change my attitude in a job I wanted to progress in.