My boss refuses to accept leave requests

What you need to know:

My employer acts like annual leave is a priviledge. Every time I apply, I am told to wait. When my request is approved, I am only allowed one week at a time. How do I fight for my rights without bruising my employer’s ego? Aloysius

My employer acts like annual leave is a priviledge. Every time I apply, I am told to wait. When my request is approved, I am only allowed one week at a time. How do I fight for my rights without bruising my employer’s ego? Aloysius

Dear Aloysius,
Section 54 (a) of the Employment Act of 2006 states that an employee is entitled to annual leave as accumulated and has to be taken at a date and period agreed between the two parties, (employer and employee) during the calendar year. The leave days are meant to ensure you rest and return to duty re-invigorated and more productive.
What is clear according to the law is that you are entitled to your accumulated annual leave days as indicated in your employment contract. What’s also clear is that you have got to agree with your employer when to take the said leave days during the same calendar year.
In many instances, employers find it difficult to allow critical employees to take leave and simultaneously ensure business continuity. This is especially true for employers who have not bothered to invest in succession planning.
On the other hand it’s always prudent to understand your employer’s behaviour and the drivers of that behaviour such that you make appropriate responses.
You didn’t indicate the nature of your work and the impact of your absence to the business. It’s incumbent upon you to amicably discuss with your employer the planned absences well in time, with a view of mitigating adverse impact to the business.
This may include making sure all critical projects you are handling have been taken care of or have been properly delegated to someone else before your leave is due.