Working While on Vacation?

At the company I’m currently working for I plan to take a vacation at the end of the month.

The problem is my area manager wants me to work the night before I go on vacation (Sunday overnight 10pm to Monday 4am) which leaves me wasting my first day to sleeping OR work on the first day of my vacation (Monday) to do the weekly paperwork.

He’s stating that according to company policy the manager needs to complete the paperwork before going on vacation. However, I’m only an assistant manager and am not the key holder (part of paperwork includes opening machines and taking their meters, only the manager has these keys).

Another piece of information is that I was once a manager trainee and had to do the paperwork and I got a raise to do so. I didn’t want to take the full manager position due to my intention of leaving once I get my online business running.

After I was demoted back to assistant manager I kept my pay but had to write the keys back to my manager’s name. I would then continue to do the manager reports as I got the same pay, but with the company cracking down on when we take our vacation (must be on a Monday, also the same day paperwork must be completed) my manager is worried we will somehow get into trouble if I don’t show I was clocked in to do the paperwork.

I would be in the clear right? Since I don’t necessarily need to be the one doing the paperwork? I feel like he just doesn’t want to do the paperwork but he does have another store’s paperwork to do, however I think it’s covered since he trained two people to do the paperwork I do and he just needs to double check it.

My area manager and I get along quite well but argue over a few situations like this because we don’t want to get in trouble as we run things a bit outside of the company’s box.

My solution is having the floater that gets paid the same amount as me to take my spot on Monday and complete the paperwork in my place.

Check your employee handbook regarding definitions of accrued vacation time. If you spend four hours of that first day off working, and work eight hour shifts, that should be considered a half day. I love having a full time job, don't get me wrong, but this seems like a pretty clear violation of some kind of labor laws.

You might want to definitely dig into this so next time you don't get pushed further into FITD.

If you've got the day booked off, you don't have work that day at all, under any circumstances unless your contract states otherwise (UK LAW).

Also, for Christ sake you aren't even an assistant manager (that the company policy applies to) so tell them no. Then again, your boss might not be best pleased. Also, the fact that you are paid more does not mean you do more, you just stick to what your job description says.