Worker told they can't take their leave the day before they're set to leave, they take it anyway: 'I'm ignoring the fact that the leave isn't sanctioned now'

We work to earn money to support ourselves and our families and to give ourselves a chance at a life of better comfort and the space to pursue our individual interests. Sure, some of us might be lucky enough to reasonably enjoy our work and even find fulfillment in it, but it still serves as the means to an end. In short, you work so that you can better enjoy the time spent not working. And in some sort of weirdly depressing poetic sort of sense, the two are permanently at odds with each other.

See, the more time you spend working, the less time you have to enjoy the fruits of your labor. That's why we need things like leave so that we can go on holiday or take care of pressing personal matters and leave our duties behind us for longer than 48 hours. But if it ends up being that you can never take time off when you need to, what's the point of all of it really? 

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  • This worker shared their frustrations at being denied the chance to take leave in order to give “respite” to their parents. Seeking to utilize some of the 170 hours of time in lieu they had accrued to do so. Their manager first approved the leave but contacted them the day before their two weeks of leave was due to start to tell them that it had been rescinded due to operational demands from upper management. Frustrated, the worker turned to this online workplace community to share their experience.

    Readers responded in the comments, urging the original poster to go through the proper channels to ensure their leave is secured rather than just not showing up to work.

  • 01
    "If they want to take disciplinary action, they can, but it's a very protracted process and almost impossible to prove."
    via Mantas Hesthaven
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  • 02
    I can't take my holiday entitlement? you will not see me working for one moment of that fortnight SOC I get time off in lieu up to 8 hours for every week I work at the moment. The union got this deal for us, because we're 6 people doing the job of 18.
    via u/BluntHitr
  • 03
    Anyway I've accrued 170h in the last few months. I need two weeks to provide respite for my parents. My manager (just back from a month off themself) called me yesterday to say THEIR new manager has said due to operational demands at this time, she was told not to grant my leave.
    via u/BluntHitr
  • 04
    I laughed to myself and asked what specific actions would I be taking during that fortnight which I couldn't take before or after to achieve the targets. I made some suggestions of ways the manager could help. They said they were not willing to.
    via u/BluntHitr
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  • 05
    This is their usual modus operandi. They have tried to screw other colleagues out of leave on four different occasions but never came for me before. I called their manager to confirm the refusal was coming from above them and there's no such directive.
    via u/BluntHitr
  • 06
    So I'm ignoring the fact that the leave isn't sanctioned now. I will be going about my life completely as normal during the period I was meant to have the time off. If that want to take disciplinary action they can but it's a very protracted process and almost impossible to prove.
    via u/blnthitr
  • 07
    Today is my first day of not logging on at 7am in 6 months, viva la resistance.
    via u/BluntHitr
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  • 08
    chumbalumba 2 hr. ago • The not taking leave part and logging on without working might screw you over here. If you just took the leave anyway, you'd have the excuse that their superior said it was fine. But this is just lying about working. So neither their boss or your manager would be on your side. Just take the leave, there's better ways to with your manager
    via u/BluntHitr
  • 09
    Dear_Brief_5855 47 min. ago You're digging your own grave with this one. Go through the correct channels if you want your leave before you lose the days.
    via u/BluntHitr
  • 10
    Forbizzle 10 min. ago Be smart and contact your union rep. This is the dumbest way to get fired even if it feels just.
    via u/BluntHitr
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  • 11
    PM_ME__UR ___FANTASIES · 4 min. ago You need to be careful, OP. There's a chance they could turn this into time theft. What you need to be doing is contacting your union to correct the situation.
    via u/BluntHitr

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