Boss conveniently 'forgets' about employee's long-held time off request: 'Stop putting it on employees to solve staffing issues'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Mar 12, 2024 8:00 PM EDT

There's a famous Seinfeld bit about rental cars that goes something like this. Jerry reserves a rental car, shows up at the rental car facility, and surprise, they don't have a car for him. If you or a loved one has ever tried to rent a car, you've probably experienced this. But Jerry does what we wish we could do which is have the perfect hilarious exchange with the worker, that ends with Jerry saying "See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to hold the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation: 'The holding.' Anyone can just take them." 

Alas, the most important part: the keeping of the reservation. This exchange happens to perfectly apply to this recent work story from Reddit, where an employee's time off request was treated just like a rental car. Seinfeld would have words with this boss. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    r/antiwork u/thanyou 19h · Manager forgot I requested time off 5 months ago and is making it my problem
    via u/thanyou
  • 02
    Sounds K propably come by n. Yesterday 11:37 PM • Hey I noticed you still have me scheduled next week. I requested the 8th thru the 16th off. I'll be available again Sunday the 17th. 10:43 AM Hi Im sorry, it was so long ago and I hope you remember at the time I mentioned we'd have to get closer to the date before I could actually approve it. There has been no mention of it again, admittedly, it slipped by in my memory. We need everyone to put their requests in through moving forward. I will take
    via u/thanyou
  • 03
    With all due respect, that is simply not acceptable. I gave you guys notice in November. I won't be available until the 17th. I won't negotiate that. (+) It's not that I don't want you to have time off but there's simply isn't coverage. That's why it has to be approved. I wanted to make sure I responded to your text from last night but we need to talk in person. We will work it out. Last updated at 11:16 AM Unpaid Time Off 10:52 AM SMS Text message ● Refresh list Pending Mar 8, 2024 - Mar 16, 20
    via u/thanyou
  • 04
    Hyacathusarullistad • 18h I'm a manager for a company that uses the same HR software (ADP) for scheduling, payroll, time off requests, etc. I use it every single day. Pending time off requests appear in the scheduling interface while a week's schedule is being created. It's not physically possible for your manager to have "forgotten" or "not noticed" your pending request when they created the schedule in question. Entering your shift and saving the schedule will have given them a notification of
    via u/Hyacathusarullistad
  • 05
    aaccss1992 • 18h They even admitted that they remembered the OP's reasoning for wanting work off. They just didn't think it was a valid reason for that amount of time off. As they always say, stop telling employers why you're taking off work.
    via u/aaccss1992
  • 06
    cavscout55. 16h They remembered so many convenient things tho like 1. the original time off request being submitted 2. a conversation about the time off request 3. the fact that "I mentioned we'd have to get closer to the date" during the conversation 4. the fact it's never been brought up again in conversation in the previous 5 months 5. the fact that OP isn't leaving town 6. the plans OP has while in town
    via u/cavscout55
  • 07
    So it seems their memory is working fine. Or they're good at bullshitting people and all the things they remembered are all super conveniently designed to get their way. They have to acknowledge they remember the event so they're "with you" on that but that's where the narrative changes. The part about getting closer to the actual date never mentions they'd need to have another conversation about it, it's just a vague mention that something has to happen sometime in the future BUT THE NEXT SENTE
    via u/cavscout55
  • 08
    Then they make a big show about bending over backwards to try and "solve" this issue by acting like they're calling in favors with other employees to cover those days, mentioning how the poor manager is gonna have to rework the schedule and using the phrase "we can work this out" as if they're in this together and trying so solve a problem (that the manager definitely didn't cause). They also like bringing up having to have it approved via some software "moving forward" BUT DIDN'T MENTION THAT T
    via u/cavscout55
  • 09
    And finally when backed into a corner they pretend to negotiate with "i know you're just staying in town hanging with friends so you can tell them you have to work and skip out on some of those plans you had." Stand firm, OP. You followed the company rules so they're trying to find anything they can use to get you to work. If you hadn't submitted it on time or some other they'd have smashed that fat "REJECT" button hard as gleefully. If they can't cover for an employee taking a few days off that
    via u/cavscout55
  • 10
    NancyLou Marine . 15h You know what I liked the most? "Hey, I've got an idea! Cut your vacation short by a day or two?" Like the OPs gonna hop all over that one with a fist bump and a " yes! That IS a great idea!"
    via u/NancyLouMarine
  • 11
    Bitchinstein • 17h I wouldn't budge either. "Time off was submitted by policy through our scheduling app. Your forgetfulness is not my responsibility. I'll be in on the 17th."
    via u/Bitchinstein
  • 12
    11tmaste 18h It's unpaid as well, so definitely them.
    via u/11tmaste
  • 13
    Sternojourno • 19h That's the dumbest policy I've ever heard. "You'll have to wait until it's closer to the time off you're requesting so we can figure out if we have enough coverage before we approve it." Why bother asking in advance? And that manager just says it so casually, like it's a perfectly normal way of doing things.
    via u/Sternojourno
  • 14
    Pientiorism. 18h yea and when you request it closer to the date, they'll hit you with the "wow i'm going to need a longer heads up than this, i can't find coverage quick enough!" op's manager can go to
    via u/Pientiorism
  • 15
    Thaldrath 19h ● Their inability to manage makes them a manager. It's literally the job title.
    via u/Thaldrath
  • 16
    opposuminmycashew 18h If you don't tell them with enough time, they freak out, if you give them a lot of time in advance, they "forget". Enjoy your time off. Respectfully, noise that
    via u/opposuminmycashew
  • 17
    LkPlcd 18h Had a similar thing happen to me at my old job. Told them in June about a non-refundable vacation in August, they scheduled me anyway and told me to just call out everyday I was scheduled. One day I forgot to call out (because you know, I was on vacation) and then tried to give me a bunch of write ups when I got back. I quit a month later lol
    via u/LkPlcd
  • 18
    boringhistoryfan. 18h So manager forgot about the leave requested but remembered all that you had told them about your plans for the leave? How very convenient.
    via u/boringhistoryfan

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss antiwork workplace-stories vacations work stories toxic-workplace bosses work time off PTO workplace reddit thread Reddit vacation toxic-work-environment
Scroll Down For The Next Article