Reasonable to ignore email from boss?

Yes!

Your boss is out of line but I’d probably email “Will do when I get back”.

Nothing else.

Oh and save the email and response in a folder. You might need it later if your boss does other stuff like this in future.

REPORTED

DD2 is often contacted when we’re away - she says it’s because she’s indispensable!! 😂.

I'd ignore the email too. He was being very cheeky to contact you in your own time.

It sounds like it would be a good idea to change your personal email address if it's not too big a hassle to do so - and then don't tell him the new one obviously.

Has he got a system set-up whereby he'd know whether you've read his email or no? If he will be able to see you've read it - then maybe make a semi-jokey comment about "Guess you forgot I was on leave LOL LOL - as you sent me an email". But one way or another he needs to have it made clear work emails are only due to be sent to your work email address and will only be read in worktime.

I would respond- you are on leave.

Often you can get a pre-made message announcing someone is on-leave and when they will be back.

I would just send a similar quick message.

I work for a small charity. My boss (woman) knows full well I’m on annual leave. I thought it was a good idea to consider changing my email address, but I don’t really want to do it as I have had the same email address for almost 30 years. I have decided not to reply at all. Even a ‘I’m on leave’ email feels too much at the moment. So I will reply pleasantly on my return to work. Thanks for your responses

Unless it is specifically stated in your job description and your contract that you must never not reply to an e-mail, yes.

And why does your boss even have your private e-mail address when you have work e-mail address?

If I were you, I would change my private e-mail NOW making quite sure only friends and family have the new one and stop using the old one.

I wouldn't reply 'till you're back at work, shouldn't be a problem.

I don't think it's unreasonable for colleagues to have your personal email when you're on AL, particularly if you can't easily access your work one while you're away. It's less intrusive than a phone call.

I think it is unreasonable to email staff using their personal addresses. I used to work quite flexibly and would send emails late at night (to work addresses) but with no expectation that there would be any response out of office hours. It just suited me to send them when I was working in the evening, which I often did so that I could do other things if I had no appointments during the day.

I wouldn't acknowledge the email at all from a personal address. I would reply when I got back to work (using my work email) saying something on the lines of:

Dear Boss
I noticed an email from you on my personal address during my annual leave, and forwarded it to my work address to deal with it on my return.

Then say what you want to about the meeting.

It would be better if you used my work address for work-related matters, as I don't always check email on holiday and it could get lost when I clear out the numerous messages I get every day, and it was only by chance that I spotted this one.

Also, my husband/children/cleaner/dog has access to my private account, and I can't guarantee that messages to this address will remain GDPR compliant.
Best wishes
Manna66

I would ignore it.

Certainly put an "out of office" email on next time you go on leave.

Is your firm an American one? They don't have any statutory leave (in the US) so encourage employees to believe that the employer is doing them a favour letting them have time off.

I wouldn't feel the need to put an OOO message on my personal account. I always did on my work email, but I see the two as very different.

I do too Doodledog but apparently Mamma66's boss didn't get or didn't read that particular company email

If you've already done it I wouldn't bother with a response at all. Not even when back at work - unless they have said "and let me know when it is" or similar.

They have told you they want uou to do something and you have done it.

If I asked someone to make an appointment with x I would just expect them to go ahead and do it - or tell me why they didn't want to.

I like Doodledog's solution, especially about everyman and the dog having access to the private email account so it's not GDPR compliant.

I’d be furious if my boss contacted me on my personal email at anytime but would be even more so if I was on annual leave. It’s a pity the government decided not to proceed with the legislation that prevented companies contacting their staff after business hours, weekends and annual leave.

I’d forward it to my work email address with a note saying something along the lines of ‘to deal with on my turn from leave’ and then send that with your reply to your boss when you’re back at work

I always do an 'out of office' reply so everyone who emails me gets the same information

PamQS

I always do an 'out of office' reply so everyone who emails me gets the same information

Which is fine from a work email, but do you want personal emails to get an OOO reply? I wouldn’t want all and sundry knowing I was on leave, and I don’t suppose they’d be interested either

I would just say ‘will do when I’m back off annual leave’

I feel you are correct not to reply.

When I was still working, I would sometimes check work emails and reply to them on a Sunday evening. Although I didn't expect a response until the working week, I was gently reprimanded for doing this as it put people who may be checking work emails under pressure - it was suggested that all of us in the small team stay off our work emails on the weekend. I took it on board! It's a bad habit to mix work and leisure.

Has your boss some reason to be anxious about this joint meeting and the joint working?

I don’t think having personal email addresses on work files is that big a deal, and I’d be more conciliatory than some and reply. Done that. Meeting on the…. Talk more when I’m back in the office.

But maybe there are other tensions. If so, not replying won’t improve anything.