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Forced annual leave during Ramadan?

 
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raevon12



Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 10
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:27 pm    Post subject: Forced annual leave during Ramadan? Reply with quote

Could a school (private) force a teacher to take annual leave during Ramadan with about a week's notice? What if the timing is just terrible - could the teacher refuse?
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millie18



Joined: 23 Oct 2007
Posts: 185

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In 10+ years in the GCC this is the first time that government schools have been closed during Ramadan. All the international schools and tertiary institutions (except perhaps QU) are open - on Sept 6th and all the American universities have been open for at least a week (open = classes are in session).

The only times you may not be given notice is for the 2 Eids. In UAE at HCT, for example) you may only have 1 or 2 days notice as to when it will start and how many days you will get as leave. At most, an Eid will be for 5 business days plus the 2 weekends. I've seen this twice. Other times you may get 3 days (with the first and last day of the work week at school).

Ramadan comes every year (although as VS has pointed out on another post, it seems to "surprise" muslims and school managements alike) - Eid comes 2x year and seems to be equally surprising.

I imagine the same thing that happened this year with Ramadan (schools remaining closed) will happen again next year and the year following - after that Ramadan will happen during the "regular" summer holiday and the school year will revert to "normal"
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

These are rather odd years with terrible timings for school starts. As millie says, this will resolve itself in the next couple years.

But, as to whether your employer can force you to take the time off and use (waste) your annual leave days, that is a good question. I suspect that there are employers who will try that... and likely succeed. Take a look at your contract and see how it words things. We teachers rarely have the means to fight something like this. It may depend on how many teachers oppose it...

VS
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raevon12



Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 10
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If only it was a question of 4 or 5 days. But its the entire 20 odd days of annual leave that's in question. Ramadan = less student enrollments = management suggesting a vacation OR the teacher risks being denied leave when its actually due in 6 months time. Perfect for business but hey, a teacher is a person, right?

We will see. Rolling Eyes
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Manuel Geere



Joined: 19 Apr 2004
Posts: 28
Location: Lost in the mists of time

PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:23 pm    Post subject: Ramadan leave Reply with quote

I think that if you look at your contract (and I don't know your school or particular situation), it will state the NUMBER of days holiday you are entitled to. What you will NEVER find is when these days can be taken. So, I am afraid, you have 2 choices:

1) accept the leave and go someplace relaxing so you can forget the whole mess

OR

2) accept the leave, take the exit permit and not come back. Perhaps better to wait until the end of the month and you have been paid if this is your choice.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not unheard of. QP kept changing the summer vacation schedule for some teachers. Now people are asking schools to open later because of swine flu. Do they tell the teachers in advance that school might start late? Doubtful.
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