Reply to: Cancel holiday? I dont think so

[BoredBloke]

I don't think I'd cancel - more to fear from the wife than my job. Jobserve is available wherever you are! Would they show the same loyalty to you if the boot was on the other foot?

[Troll]

I once had a problem a PM who had eight weeks advance notification of a holiday request, sat on it for three then invited me into an office to "discuss my request"

My opening sentence was that I had by now already booked the holiday flight and hotel as I understood no challenge to equate to approval; and the only options remaining are that I could now serve notice and leave and take my holiday, or he could approve and I would return.

He had a look of a rabbit caught in headlights and could only agree to my request

One of the reasons for being a Contractor is being able to control your own destiny

If you don't like something be prepared to walk.

HTH

[psychocandy]

In my experience it's mainly permies being pressured to show "loyalty" to a company that wouldn't hesitate to throw them into a skip 10 seconds after their Bob replacement signed on in Bangalore.

Yep. I worked with a fella once - we were good mates and worked at few places together.

He did the same. Cancelled holiday and was convinced that because of this he'd be OK and the Director of the company (who'd talked him into it) would see him right long term.

Ended up shafted like me. Company didnt even bother doing redundancy properly they just decided who was going, trumped up a few customer complaints about each person they decided was going, then told them sign compromise agreement or get suspended from work. Wasnt worth fighting and they knew it.

My mate went looking for this Director to see him right after this, but, funnily enough, he was nowhere to be found so mate got the boot same as rest of us.

[psychocandy]

Great idea, bring in a new person for a critical phase of the thing you've been working on.

Or not been working on in my case and has suddenly appeared as urgent..

[psychocandy]

Offer a sub.

Yeh. Good point. In reality though, it'd never happen. Sub would have to be someone who had same skills as me, same exposure to customer systems etc.

[psychocandy]

Sadly, i've worked with people who wouldn't think twice about cancelling a family holiday if the job required it.

if I were given the choice between retaining a contract and taking my kids on a booked holiday that they were looking forward to then i'd be straight down Boots to get the factor 50.

End of day you've got to look after yourself and your family....

My importance chart

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Myself
4. The cat
5.
.
.
.
.
146. My employer/client

To be honest, its a principal thing also. Client should be aware that his piss poor organisation does not constitute an emergency as the saying goes.

[lukemg]

I get round this by having so little impact on the performance of the company that my absence makes zero difference....

[Mich the Tester]

In my experience it's mainly permies being pressured to show "loyalty" to a company that wouldn't hesitate to throw them into a skip 10 seconds after their Bob replacement signed on in Bangalore.

Whenever some permie manager starts rattling on about 'company loyalty' I find an excuse to leave the room immediately. I wouldn't want them all to hear me laughing so hard my ribs start creaking.

[craig1]

Ask them whether they think they'll get a second chance to bring up their kids. Bloody idiots.

In my experience it's mainly permies being pressured to show "loyalty" to a company that wouldn't hesitate to throw them into a skip 10 seconds after their Bob replacement signed on in Bangalore.

[Mich the Tester]

Sadly, i've worked with people who wouldn't think twice about cancelling a family holiday if the job required it.

Ask them whether they think they'll get a second chance to bring up their kids. Bloody idiots.

[Mich the Tester]

No, but we'd still be living in stone age.

Nonsense. The people who gave humanity its greatest advances are lazy clever people. Lazy stupid people are useless, hard working stupid people can carry heavy objects and flip burgers, hard working clever people are dangerous and should be shot.

[northernladuk]

Aren't I forgiven for newbie questions yet ?

Yes. For your dull updates on insignificant happenings in your working day no.

[AtW]

I try to ensure that I never book holiday during the contract time and only after the renewal date.

WHS

MF is a model professional.

[d000hg]

Offer a sub.

Great idea, bring in a new person for a critical phase of the thing you've been working on.

[MarillionFan]

I try to ensure that I never book holiday during the contract time and only after the renewal date. As clientco keeps giving me 3 monthers, when it gets to the end they go 'Oh we'd like to extend you for 3 months come in next week', to whit I point out I have a holiday.

I moved one once, otherwise tough.