Manager refuses to approve employee's time off despite them providing a replacement, employee informs manager he has a choice: ‘Accept either my vacation or my resignation’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Aug 22, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

There are so many rules protecting the employer from employees doing whatever they want, but it is time to protest that there are not enough rules protecting employees from their employers. 

If an employee informs their employer of their time off, two months before it is due, there should absolutely be a rule prohibiting the employer from saying no. Employees should be allowed to use their time off whenever they want to, and if they bring it up a sufficient time in advance, employers should have no option but to approve it.

The problem is, that there is no such rule, and employers can decide whether or not they approve employees' time off, no matter what the circumstances are. This causes situations like the one in this Reddit story, and which the manager simply refuses to accommodate their employee. The funny thing is, the manager is going to have to deal with having this one employee absent, as they are either going to go on their vacation with the manager's approval, or without.

Scroll down to read the full story and the update that followed. After you are done, click here for a story of a company that demanded job applicants buy their product as part of their assessment. 

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  • 01
    No pel pel I will be leaving on September 30th and will be back for work by October 12th "I'm not asking for time off, but asking if I'm coming back after my vacation" Also They already have a full schedule
    via Canva
  • 02
    Boss denied my vacation time because other employees are students
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 03
    9:46 Good afternoon, D Can I request two weeks off, the dates September 30th - October 12th? I will be driving out of state with my great grandmother. During the school term, we cannot allow you to take a two-week trip, because we do not have anyone who can work 35 hours a week for you. We can allow you to take a trip for five days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Or during the vacation period, we can allow you to take a trip for two weeks. I was unaware of that rule. Is there a w
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 04
    9:46 D David Boss > who can work 35 hours a week for you. We can allow you to take a trip for five days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Or during the vacation period, we can allow you to take a trip for two weeks. I was unaware of that rule. Is there a way for us to work around this? There is no was for us to make the trip in 5 days. There is no way for us* So employees who want to travel for long periods of time use the vacations because other student employees can work instead.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 05
    ୮ 1:39 D Yes. Today 1:34 PM Good afternoon! I have talked to my coworkers and they have offered to help cover my hours during the two weeks I will be gone. H and Al , De are all willing to work also said they more hours during that period. K and N would work more hours on the days they are available. I will be leaving on September 30th and will be back for work by October 12th. No, they can not cover that period. Because they have personal schedule normally. + Text Message
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 06
    I understand if I were to be asking for the time off two weeks prior to it but with nearly two months notice and little to no issues with me the entire time I've worked here I figured he'd try to work with
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 07
    me a bit more. I've been here since January, and since I'm just a cashier I figured my 33hrs a week would be easily covered as they have been for every other employees. He's also talked about
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 08
    making me shift lead even though I am the second newest cashier out of 6. I'm going on the trip either way, but any advice for moving forward would be great.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 09
    Additional info, there's currently a coworker who's only getting back next week from a two and a half month vacation. Im not sure if he's taking her return into consideration. It's only a 'part time'
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 10
    position and no one gets over 40hrs a week, including the managers and shift leads. Every girl I asked to help cover isn't getting close to 40hrs, they all work 30 or less.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 11
    Hope I'm not being unreasonable, but losing a job over this would sck. October is just the best time for my great grandmother as well as my family in Arkansas. I'm going to be going to back to school next year so it just isn't in the cards for us if it isn't now.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 12
    Gunner_411 3d ago Normally I back employers but this is bonkers. I've ran a business with a mix of PT and FT people, including students. "Look boss, I understand that coverage is important and I feel that I've done everything expected of an exceptional employee.
    via Gunner_411
  • 13
    I requested the time well in. advance. When faced with the challenge of coverage I took it upon myself to talk to my colleagues to ensure coverage for the time I requested off.
    via Gunner_411
  • 14
    I feel that I've been a valuable member of this team and I need to take this trip. If you truly can't accommodate my notice this far in advance with the extra steps I've taken to ensure coverage for my shifts, I'm going to have to begin looking for other employment opportunities. I hope that you'll reconsider and accept the coverage I've lined up."
    via Gunner_411
  • 15
    Only drop the look for other jobs if you're really at that point. If your colleagues willing to cover can be trusted, wait until closer to the trip and blindside your boss. Look for other jobs in the meantime.
    via Gunner_411
  • 16
    UPDATE: Boss denied my vacation time because other employees are students
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 17
    8:03 D Boss > Good afternoon! I have talked to my coworkers and they have offered to help cover my hours during the two weeks I will be gone. E and are all willing to work more hours during that period. and also said they would work more hours on the days they are available. I will be leaving on September 30th and will be back for work by October 12th. No, they can not cover that period. Because they have personal schedule normally. Also They already have a full schedule for working at this time
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 18
    Went to work that night and was not expecting my laptop to be blowing up when I got home! I appreciate the kind comments! | was convinced I was going to have cancel because I was being dramatic but seeing the responses definitely made me happy lol.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 19
    Around 2hrs after I posted he sent two more messages. I haven't responded to anything because I didn't feel I could respond in any productive or respectful way that wouldn't add to the difficulty of the
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 20
    situation for myself. But, again, he sits here contradicting himself. So I will go over those and frequent questions.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 21
    1. English is his second language so the awkwardness of the phrasing was due to that. I've worked here since Jan so I've gotten used to it.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 22
    2. I only asked workers that were enough below 40 hrs (everyone) that their covering would not put them over. 3. The girl that is on a European vacation is due to be home
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 23
    soon, before September I believe. She originally quit because she didnt think Boss would allow her to take vacation but he said she would 100% have a job when she came back. We all assumed he was lying or desperate at the time but as we can see, he's welcoming her back.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 24
    4. No PTO, I'm just asking for two weeks not scheduled. Without saying the company name just think of it as a glorified AZ panda express and I'm a cashier that brings you your food in togo container if you tell me "For Here".
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 25
    This is the first big issue I've had here. I wanted to keep a positive relationship because I will be going back to school soon and this would be the perfect job for that, but due to some info from a coworker I
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 26
    believe he would straight deny any changes to my hours in February. I am actively looking but there's very little opportunity here. I've been looking for a second part time so i can start saving but I have had 0 interaction with almost 30 applications out so we will see.
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 27
    And I've decided that no matter what I'll be going, so look foreword to an update in October to see if I'm still employed! Two weeks prior I will remind him and If he continues to deny I will put in my 2 weeks, probably by using u/gunner_411's notice!
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 28
    I hope other people going through something similar are able to read the comments and take advice as I was!
    via Aware_Goal5849
  • 29
    Sufficient_Orchid720 • 2d ago Idk. I've never been a fan of policies that require the person taking vacation to be responsible for covering their shifts or work. That is what management is for. I get having a plan and informing your coworkers but having to be put in situations where you are navigating someone else's hours is b.
    via Sufficient_Orchid720
  • 30
    userannon720 1d ago I told my boss I'm taking my approved vacation time off 2 days early. He denied me. I explained to him that I wasn't asking for the time off, but I was asking if I'm coming back after my vacation. It was amazing how quickly he changed his answer to yes. Go ahead and leave 2 days early. Please come back.
    via userannon720

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boss workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace time off reddit story ceo PTO overworked-employees workplace Reddit company funny resignation vacation
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