Medical experts usually say the average person can live for 4 to 6 weeks without food. The amount of time someone can go without water is much shorter, roughly a week (or less).
Your employer can force you to take leave at a particular time as long as they give you at least two weeks' notice. However, it is common for employer and employee to come to an agreement about the timing of annual leave. If you put in a request for leave, your employer has to have a good reason to refuse it.
An employer is not bound to give an employee the minimum notice of one week if the employee has been working for the employer for less than 13 weeks or in situations where the employee is guilty of gross misconduct.f you do not have a provision in your contract of employment dealing with notice, the statutory minimum notice of one week will apply and this is the notice that you should give your employer of your intention to leave.