Micromanager retroactively rejects employee's December PTO request, employee calls him out: 'Plans have been made and it can't be canceled'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 11, 2024 8:00 AM EST

A good manager keeps their word. This applies to all aspects of management, whether it's expectations and responsibilities for employees or respecting employees' rights and boundaries. Here, we have a coordinator at an airline service provider who wanted to take off work for the Holidays and had been saving up his PTO to finally use in December. He followed standard protocol, put in his request months in advance, and that request was rightfully accepted.

Flash forward, of course, to December itself and the employee has been starting to get his work prepared for his time off so that things should be smooth sailing in his absence. Unfortunately, this micromanager's team had been dwindling in the months since the employee put in his PTO request. For some reason, the micromanager thought the best was to combat this would be to retroactively reject the Redditor's PTO request. This, naturally, did not pan out so well for the micromanager, who was already on shaky ground with the company after he walked back a comment about how much he enjoys firing people. Yikes!

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions from folks in the comments section. For more, take a look at this post about this undervalued employee and their long-deserved raise.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10439768320
    via jeshoots
  • 02
    New manager trying to retroactively reject my PTO So i currently work as a turn around coordinator at an airline service provider. In September i set a request for PTO for the 14th of December to the 20th (five 8 hour
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 03
    days + 2 off days). It got approved about a week later. At the time they were 9 people at my position and a different manager. Fast forward and now they are 3. people. long story short new manager came in and made wholesale changes, fired some
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 04
    people and some people quit even had multiple people come in and leave during that span. I think you can see where this is going.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 05
    So December 13 I come into work and my manager approaches me and tells me my PTO has been rejected. I stare at him for like 5 seconds in disbelief and just say that's problematic. He says he can't find anyone to cover my flights.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 06
    (He knew since October and he also has the ability to do the job as well) I tell him that plans have been made and it can't be canceled. He tells me if I don't show up it could be punishment
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 07
    including suspension and termination. I stare at disbelief again and say would you be able to find someone to do my flights if that happens? Normally I'm not a confrontational person but it was obvious he was trying to threaten me.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 08
    So read it over I wanted to add some background on what kind of person my manager is. He is a very stubborn man and likes to assert his power in a very domineering way. I mostly stay to myself and only speak to him when necessary
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 09
    and keep my mistakes to a minimum. One time on my off day one of my coworkers said they overheard him talking with another supervisor and he said he enjoys firing people. Some of the ramp agent guys also heard it and
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 10
    confronted him and asked what he meant and he backtracked and said he means he wants to keep people safe. The coworker left the job saying she feared her job security.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 11
    His intimidation tactic was not gonna work I already paid for a hotel a rental car and plane tickets and are all past refund dates. The most annoying part is I'm 100%
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 12
    sure he knows my flight is in the morning so he knows I won't have time to go to hr to confirm if my PTO is actually canceled. I told him I can see what I can do and he left it at that. But I have already decided that it was my last day.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 13
    Doesn't matter if it was approved or not I'm just gonna give my airport badge to hr when I get back. Maybe this time he finds someone to cover my flights.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 14
    Green_Mix_3412. 14 hr. ago _ that. If it isn't in Writing it did the happen. sounds like the only thing you have in writing is the approval.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 15
    Ups_papito 14 hr. ago checks your states department of labor rules regarding PTO...
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 16
    if it's a requirement to deny in writing certain amount of days he's I and can't terminate you.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 17
    Suspension isn't a threat he's already understaffed plus it will be a vacation!
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 18
    lilbuu_buu OP. 14 hr. ago Yea his empty threats don't faze me
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 19
    Hippy_Lynne 13 hr. ago. edited 8 hr. ago 1. Do not turn in your badge. If you force them to fire you it will make it a lot harder for them to get out of paying your unemployment.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 20
    2. Total up what you would lose in deposits etc if you canceled your trip at this late date. Immediately send your boss an email
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 21
    and tell him that the company would be liable for this loss. If you do not have an agreement from him in writing to pay that full amount, you will take your PTO.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 22
    Legally he can recind your PTO with no notice (in some states.) But he would still be liable for any expenses you have if you had to cancel your trip that late. If you have
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 23
    an HR department I would CC them on that email. My guess is they're going to take one look at it, call him, and tell him that you're taking PTO and he needs to figure out coverage himself.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 24
    Hack-The-Workforce. 12 hr. ago I the Bosses! Make them fire you, then file a wrongful termination suit. Also file for unemployment
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 25
    Professorred 1984 14 hr. ago Check your local unemployment rules. You may not be able to collect if you quit.
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 26
    lilbuu_buu OP. 14 hr. ago I wasn't actually planning to since I was quitting but I searched it up and my city has a line that
    via lilbuu_buu
  • 27
    says if you have a good cause you can still get unemployment which can include quitting for hostile or inappropriate conditions. So I'll look into it
    via lilbuu_buu

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