'Guess my last day is Friday!': Inconsiderate HR worker flagrantly denies time off request they previously approved

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Dec 30, 2023 5:00 PM EST

As some of us are learning this time of year, time off from work is incredibly important. You need something to look forward to-- something to break up the months so you're not just staring down the barrel of endless workweeks. The weekends only do so much. And most of us are pretty good at alerting our employers of our travel plans well in advance. We know the game, and we know how to play it. The trouble sometimes comes in when our employers don't catch the drift of our human needs and wants. 

The truth is, it matters so little in the long run whether or not we're at work for a couple of days, so it always amazes me when it causes drama. Just let it go, I want to tell bosses. You'd rather have a happy employee than no employee at all. Like in the case of this recent Reddit story, where an HR worker did the opposite of their job. 

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  • 01
    r/antiwork u/velvthamr 17h ● Today, HR denied my Jan 2-5 vacation after approving it!
    via u/velvthamr
  • 02
    I interviewed in October and got the job the same week. During my interview AND first day of work, my supervisor confirmed that I could be off the first week of January. I'm an amateur photographer and am attending a deer hunting trip to photograph the wildlife. It's the only week this deer lease has availability and it's been booked for months.
    via u/velvthamr
  • 03
    My previous supervisor left but my week off was in Paycom. I get into work today and the HR lady had me jump through a bunch of hoops to re-enter my time off! I KNEW I wouldn't have PTO available since I just started and scheduled it has Unpaid Time Off. She said she denied it because they don't have a "system in place for Unpaid Time Off" EVEN THOUGH ITS LITERALLY AN OPTION IN PAYCOM. So she had me remove it and re-enter it. Paycom obviously said "No PTO Available." In the time off section, I p
    via u/velvthamr
  • 04
    Just got an email from her after we JUST discussed this saying she is denying it because it's too much unpaid time off. Guess my last day is this Friday!!!!!!!
    via u/velvthamr
  • 05
    FatHighKnee . 15h Try rephrasing as this isn't a request - you're extending them the courtesy of reminding them you won't be there those days - as was discussed and agreed to at the time of your hire. That you understand theres been a fair amount of turnover in HR and management but that's not your fault or responsibility to cover for. Tell them you look forward to returning to work refreshed and ready to hit the ground running when you get back from your trip
    via u/FatHighKnee
  • 06
    RamHands • 15h Is anybody ever "refreshed" to go back to work after vacation? Always makes me just hate work even more.
    via u/RamHands
  • 07
    Mtndrums 15h No, but hey, BS 'em like they do us.
    via u/Mtndrums
  • 08
    bachennoir. 12h I've read that the benefit of the vacation is actually in the looking forward to it and the planning, not the actual vacation itself. It gives you something to look forward too. Also, try to take at least one or two days at the end of a vacation at home to do laundry and loaf. It helps.
    via u/bachennoir
  • 09
    Barry McCockinnerz • 16h Put the ball in their court. It was pre approved upon getting the job, you will not be there. If they fire you, collect
    via u/Barry_McCockinnerz
  • 10
    tn_notahick 15h It was a "condition of employment". Better terminology.
    via u/tn_notahick
  • 11
    AikoG84 14h ● Right? They hired OP with this time off negotiated into the package. In the US they have to honor it. I think firing someone for using negotiated unpaid time off from their hiring package is considered unlawful termination.
    via u/AikoG84
  • 12
    AutumnLaughter • 16h Have you explained to the HR lady this time off was agreed upon during hire and you expect the company to honour it? Include your new supervisor.
    via u/AutumnLaughter
  • 13
    abtei • 3h don't explain. Tell her. It was part of the "condition of employment". Im not asking for leave, i am telling you that i will not be here as negotiated and agreed upon on during my interview and my first day of work. it was entered AND aproved in the system. If you have any questions you can contact me when I return from my PTO on the xxth
    via u/abtei
  • 14
    birdmanrules • 14h She said she denied it because they don't have a "system in place for Unpaid Time Off" EVEN THOUGH ITS LITERALLY AN OPTION IN PAYCOM. So she had me remove it and re-enter it. She played you It was the only way she could keep her grubby hands clean. Have you remove it so it doesn't show her doing something dodgy. Then she can deny the NEW request
    via u/birdmanrules
  • 15
    myopinion 17h You might want to revisit with your boss. If they have a spine, they will back hr down.
    via u/myopini0n
  • 16
    ForeverAgreeable2289 Yeah... you're not playing this the right way if you quit. A simple polite email to the boss and HR saying that this particular time off was an agreed upon condition of you accepting the job, and you will not be here. No matter what they say, don't respond other than to parrot that line, if you must. Then take your PTO. Maybe you have a job when you get back, maybe you don't. But if you don't, you have at least a chance of collecting unemployment while you job hunt. 13h ●
    via u/ForeverAgreeable2289
  • 17
    badshadow. 10h It's always wild to me that companies will act this way over such stupid . It's three days, it will not make a lick of difference if you are there or not in the grand scheme of things yet they want to go to war over it.
    via u/badshadow

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Tags

boss antiwork workplace-stories hr toxic-workplace work time off reddit story toxic-boss PTO human resources workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit vacation
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