'So I put my two weeks in. Happy Holidays!': Employee rage quits when his PTO is denied for the holidays, leaving a stingy supervisor rightfully short-staffed

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Nov 26, 2024 1:00 PM EST

PTO around the holiday season is sacred, so when this employee's international vacation was threatened after months of planning, they snapped. 

Holiday PTO dances upon a delicate line between keeping your job, keeping your family happy, and keeping your sanity. For the most punctual and organized bunch, they plan their holidays down to the hour, ensuring each side of their family is pleased with their showcase, their supervisors are satiated, and their social battery is completely recouped. So when your carefully crafted vacation plan gets foiled by the poor-planning supervisors at work, perhaps it's time to take equally drastic action. 

u/Just_Contribution168 (OP) put their holiday PTO request in 6 months ago… That's a lot of time for their employer to plan ahead, ensure coverage, and make sure that everything is running smoothly on the job. So when this PTO request was denied a week ago, OP was furious. With purchased flights on the line and an entire vacation itinerary at risk, they did the only thing they could think of that would save the holiday. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10433257728
    via Mojo_cp

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My supervisor denied my PTO request in December after I made the request 6 months in advance Time Off →
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 03
    I submitted the request for a few weeks of PTO in December and January. We're going out of the country. I submitted this request in May, thinking it would give them plenty of time to figure things out.
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 04
    They just denied the request. In November. Said it was because of coverage issues and that, "If we approve your time-off, no one else can take time off during those days".
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 05
    Not my problem nor my responsibility, especially when you had six months to figure it out. So I put my two weeks in. Happy holidays.
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 06
    dukeofgibbon They never intended to accept your request, they lied for 5 months to string you along.
    via dukeofgibbon
  • 07
    Just Contribution168 OP Exactly what I thought! And then my supervisor tried to tell me, "You know you can't request time off during those dates because it's our black- out period where any requests made will be denied". Like the black-out dates hadn't even been announced! Just pure BS
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 08
    robexib Black-out dates are entirely and exclusively when you request PTO and at no other time. Also, those black-out dates aren't for upper management. Black-out dates are an excuse, nothing more. Good on you for quitting.
    via robexib
  • 09
    Duke-Guinea-Pig They are implying that people who have less notice will get time off. Asinine
    via Duke-Guinea-Pig
  • 10
    Just_Contribution168 OP Yup! They told me they didn't say anything about the request because, and I quote, "Requests are reviewed closer to the date the request would be taken". Why didn't you tell me before so I didn't waste time submitting it in May?
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 11
    mcflame13 There really should be a law that if you put in time off at least 3 months in advance, or 4 months in advance if it is around something like Thanksgiving or Christmas, the company can't deny the time off.
    via mcflame13
  • 12
    VoodooSweet In my Union they have 30 days to deny you, if they don't deny you within 30 days it's considered approved. I always tell people to put in their requests as far out as possible, so they don't have a reason to deny it, or they don't think to deny it within the 30 days, and you get guaranteed your days.
    via VoodooSweet
  • 13
    Tatoes91 "I think there has been a misunderstanding. Please allow me to clear it up. I will be gone between x and x. This is not a request, I'm letting you know I won't be here as a courtesy so you can find someone to cover for me."
    via Tatoes91
  • 14
    horsewoman1 I'm of the it's not a request type if person. I can go and come back, or you don't have me any longer. Probably wouldn't work a full notice as well.
    via horsewoman1
  • 15
    Just Contribution168 OP I told them that too. Like, I'm taking these days, so I'm going to have to call out every day. So are you going to fire me? They couldn't give me a straight answer and so I'm quitting, because I can't put my family in that position financially right now
    via Just_Contribution168
  • 16
    Clickrack Classic mistake: it isn't a request, it is a head's up. I WILL be taking those days off and Manager needs to do their job and plan accordingly. IDGAF what others are doing. If they got in line after me, so sad, too bad. Adults plan, children throw tantrums.
    via Clickrack
  • 17
    Antikatastaseis You did the right thing. If they wanted to deny you they should have done it early. I put in my request for time off I got 6 months in advance but I had to keep being a pest to my supervisor every month even though everything is automated. I rather companies just be upfront tbh.
    via Antikatastaseis
  • 18
    Jasalth 00 I feel you! I hate my company's thoughts when it comes to requests off/PTO!! I can put them in however long in advance! Like I have ones in for the last week in September of 2025!!
    via Jasalth00

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