Infuriating Times Bosses Denied PTO Requests

Getting time off from work can be incredibly difficult here in the United States. Especially if you're not working an office job. In restaurants, it was always hell trying to find someone to cover a shift even with a week's notice, and if I was planning for a vacation, my boss would try to negotiate with me. "Why don't you take the week after, it will be less busy?" It's truly astounding - and despicable - how employers think they can dictate these aspects of ones life. Now that I am in the ever-so-slightly more cushy sector of entertainment media, my requests are met with less surprise and disdain. It's refreshing. If a loved one dies, I get bereavement time. If I'm sick, I can work from home. And I can take vacation. Many others are not so lucky - a fact that has been made a lot more clear with this Twitter thread from @postopprincess, who is a registered nurse. 

 

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  • OP's experience (being denied a PTO request for her own wedding) is not uncommon, especially within the healthcare field. And that's pretty messed up given how absolutely integral nurses and doctors are to our survival. The tweet was met with predictable amounts of disgust, and a depressing number of stories that deal with similarly terrible bosses saying “No” at the absolute worst times. While it's certainly not fun to face this sad reality, it's something that needs to be talked about. What's the point of PTO if you can't take it? And why do employers short staff to the point where someone taking a couple days of is actually a problem? We don't have the answers. But something has got to give.

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  • 01
    Font - Heather Brodzenski @Littlebrod13 Replying to @PostOpPrincess My daughter died at 12 days old and I was on FMLA due to emergency C- section (severe preeclampsia). My work called the day before her funeral and asked when they could put me back on the schedule. I said, maybe let me bury my child first and I'll get back to you. 3:09 PM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for Android 150 Retweets 18 Quote Tweets 8,361 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 02
    Font - Lesley (she/ella) @LA_NativeChica Replying to @PostOpPrincess my boss lied to HR about my mom being on her death bed and said it was "a distant relative" and i was denied my request. i drove my ass to the office that next morning to talk to HR directly and scold my boss for rewording and lying to HR about what i said 1:06 PM · 4/12/22 Twitter for iPhone 158 Retweets 6 Quote Tweets 16.3K Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 03
    Font - Tammi Lee ... @TammiLe64354278 Replying to @PostOpPrincess As an OR nurse I was denied the day off to testify in the criminal assault trial of the man who almost killed me. The DA said, "I have literally never had this happen, guess l'll have to issue you a subpoena they can't refuse?" 10:30 AM · 4/12/22 Twitter Web App 456 Retweets 22 Quote Tweets 26.8K Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
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  • 04
    Font - Neoma Peterson ... @NeomaPeterson16 Replying to @PostOpPrincess My dog was dying in my arms and I asked my boss if I could please not come in ( gave him a reason) and all he tells me is to put my dead dog in the freezer and show up now and to get over it 10:00 PM · 4/12/22 Twitter for iPhone 5 Retweets 1 Quote Tweet 138 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 05
    Font - Lisa Kelly @Lisa723Kelly ... Replying to @PostOpPrincess Reading the comments in this thread is unbelievable. Here in New Zealand you get 4-5 weeks paid annual leave, 10 to 20 paid sick days, 3+ days of paid bereavement leave, months of paid parental leave, 10 days domestic violence leave. 11:35 PM · 4/12/22 Twitter for Android 19 Retweets 13 Quote Tweets 623 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 06
    Font - Tamaro Hanna,MSN, RN @Fear2Maro Replying to @PostOpPrincess When I got married, they wouldn't give me the day before my wedding off so a coworker traded shifts with me. My boss called me while I was on my way to my rehearsal dinner with my Mom in the car & proceeded to yell at me. She said most nurses work the day before & I was selfish. 7:55 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for Android 72 Retweets 3 Quote Tweets 5,912 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
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  • 07
    Font - Tamaro Hanna,MSN, RN @Fear2Maro ... Also, my grandma died a few weeks before my wedding & they denied my PTO because I was going to be off for my wedding, so I didn't get to go to her funeral. She was my last living grandparent. I was heartbroken. I quit that job a few months later. It was a hostile workplace. 7:57 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for Android 78 Retweets 16 Quote Tweets 6,850 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 08
    Font - MLE. I also answer to: Mom!! ... @mle428 Replying to @PostOpPrincess When my grandma passed away my unit director told me to "try to plan ahead next time." No sorry for your loss or anything else like that... 9:32 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for Android 141 Retweets 36 Quote Tweets 11.3K Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 09
    Font - Lin ... @lindzeyannee Replying to @PostOpPrincess Job: you have to use your PTO or you will lose it Me: puts request in to take off Job: + denied 11:22 PM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for iPhone 52 Retweets 4 Quote Tweets 1,295 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
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  • 10
    Font - Sarah G LAM NOT UKRAINIAN @SarahG52889228 Replying to @PostOpPrincess A coworker was denied time off for his brother's wedding because he'd gone to his other brother's wedding the year before and "you only get one special request per 5 years". The rest of us rearranged so he could have the time. Healthcare is a mess. 9:39 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for iPhone 22 Retweets 4 Quote Tweets 2,030 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 11
    Font - Witch of Endor I Stand With UKRAINE @endor_witch ... Replying to @PostOpPrincess I gave 8 weeks notice at my last hospital job. On my last day, I handed my badge to the charge and said “bye". 2 weeks later, I get a text from the same charge saying, "You are on the call schedule for Saturday, you need to find someone to cover" Or what? l'll be fired?? 9:57 PM · 4/12/22 Twitter for iPhone 50 Retweets 3 Quote Tweets 6,635 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 12
    Font - A Nonny Nurse, BSN, RN (she/her) @IranianYogurt Replying to @PostOpPrincess Last time something like this happened I said, I think you misunderstood me. I will not be here and I am giving you adequate time to plan. 11:51 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for Android 57 Retweets 4 Quote Tweets 5,049 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
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  • 13
    Font - Tina Lennon @DoctorMommyTina Replying to @PostOpPrincess We buried my grandmother a month after she died so my employer had time to find coverage me for the funeral. They didn't bother. The surgeon I was supposed to work with that day heard the story & rescheduled his entire line-up so I could eulogize my Nana. 9:21 AM · 4/12/22 from Apple Valley, CA Twitter for iPhone 29 Retweets 4,171 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 14
    Font - mi and bee design ... @miandbee Replying to @PostOpPrincess I'm reading the comments here and honestly, do we not realize this is modern day slavery? At what point did your job/employer replace your family/own well being as not only a priority but as the only thing that matters? We were not born to pledge our lives to a job. 3:03 PM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for iPhone 373 Retweets 30 Quote Tweets 9,209 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess
  • 15
    Font - UnGraceful ... GRAENSBORD @stlchscltgso Replying to @PostOpPrincess and @nashbash2 Healthcare: the only job where you have to request off for the days you don't know you'll need, at least a year in advance, and still get shit from your boss 8:40 AM · 4/12/22 · Twitter for iPhone 94 Retweets 9 Quote Tweets 2,977 Likes
    Via @PostOpPrincess

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