Are you required to take annual leave for job interviews?

Question

I've heard that you may not be required by law to ask for annual leave for a job interview at another company.
Have already given a weeks notice and given the date and time, but they're asking me to use up my last allocated day left!
In which case I will probably run out and be very restricted as to what dates I can attend future interviews..

Answer 1

The only time I know of that a company will allow paid leave for interviews is when you are being made redundant from your job. Other than that I think you have to use annual leave or unpaid leave. Good luck with the job hunt.

Answer 2

Your current employer is perfectly entitled to make you work your full weeks notice, therefore, if you want to take time off for a job interview you should be taking this as annual leave. If you throw a "sicky" they're likely to disbelieve it at this stage. It's always safer to get the "job in the bag" before you hand in your notice. If you look at it logically - why should they pay you to find another job, you're still contracted to work for them, even if it's only a short amount of time. If you have annual leave owing to you they obviously must pay you what they owe and they can't dictate what you do with your time off.

Answer 3

If the current company is about to let you go, then yes it is possible (and only if they are nice) that they would allow time off to job search.

Taking allowable vacation or annual leave for interviews is equivalent of spending your own money. If you leave the company before using up all your allowed time off, they are supposed to pay you (unless your contract stated otherwise).

Companies would not give you extra time on their dime to help you look for another job.

If you run of sick day excuses and allowed annual leave, the other option is to take some unpaid days.

Best wishes.

Answer 4

Usually yes you are required to account for your time away from work.

Answer 5

Take a sickie!