Overseas boss reports employee to HR for using an ‘excessive’ 11 days of PTO, HR approves the PTO and schools the boss on employee rights: ‘HR said nope’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Mar 26, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

It's no surprise that different countries hold different standards regarding employee rights in the workplace. American employees will notice that they might not receive as many PTO days allotted to them in their contracts as places in Europe or Australia. Workers' rights are important in ensuring employees are kept in a stellar state physically, emotionally, and mentally. Without a well-rested, mentally healthy employee, you will not receive good work, and they will be sacrificing their well-being for a job. Aside from sounding like a major lawsuit, this is also immoral.

In the next story you're about to read, an employee decides to cash in 11 days of PTO thus far this year at their job. Their new boss, who they mention is from overseas, is not privy to the fact that this employee is given more PTO days in their contract per their sign-on agreement, in addition to the fact that their geographic location might also increase their legally required amount of annual leave. The boss doesn't want to hear it and takes it up with HR. Bad mistake.

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  • 31 days of annual leave per year seems excessive to anyone in the U.S. not under an unlimited PTO policy. Many loyal employees reach 15 years at a company before they're given three weeks of PTO, and even then, they might have their requests denied. In the employee in this story's case, they are not asking. They are telling. Then, they decide to tack on some extra days because of their boss's attitude. 

  • Czwartek "She seems to be offended that I've dared to take so much time off.” 6 Y U T J N M 8 K L H command option
    via Karolina Grabowska For Unsplash+

  • "My new boss doesn't like how much holiday I'm taking and has reported me to HR."

    I've taken 11 days of annual leave this year so far. Nothing unusual, did pretty much the same last year and my boss was fine with it. However, new year, new boss, and she seems to be offended that I've dared to take so much time off.
    via *MLitsSML
  • I won't share screenshots of the emails for obvious reasons, but our conversation was as follows: My boss: "Hi SML, I notice you've taken a lot of PTO recently. I've approved this for now but when you are back we need to discuss why you are taking so much time off. Thanks, boss."
    via *MLitsSML
  • Me: "Hi boss, this is nothing new and I have done this every year. I tend to use up some annual leave in the first few months of the year, and then some more in the last few months of the year. Please let me know if you are unhappy with this. Kind regards, SML"
    via *MLitsSML
  • Boss: "How much PTO do you have?" Me: "I assume you mean annual leave? I have the company standard 31 days, plus an extra 3 days as negotiated in my contract. I also have 4 days carried over from last year. As of
    via *MLitsSML
  • 31/03/25 I will have 27 days left for the year. I plan on taking 11 days in August, 8 days in December, and the remaining 8 days as and when needed."
    via *MLitsSML
  • Boss: "That seems excessive, we don't have that much PTO so I'm unsure where your numbers are coming from. I have referred this to HR because I think this isn't right."
    via *MLitsSML
  • Me: "Okay, fine. I was due to come back on Wednesday, please put me on leave for the rest of this week. If HR agree my holiday terms are correct, I expect the extra 3 days to be gratis."
    via *MLitsSML
  • Boss: "I don't know what you mean but fine, I'll see you on Monday morning."
    via *MLitsSML
  • Cheezburger Image 10485835776
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I then spoke to HR - we had a polite conversation, as when I joined this company we negotiated a salary match but an extra 3 days of holiday. HR were
    via *MLitsSML
  • pretty unimpressed that they were going to be getting a report, and told me "SML, enjoy the week off. Wish I had a boss who'd give me free holiday like that."
    via *MLitsSML
  • The boss herself is located overseas and has absolutely no idea about employee rights. When I spoke to my colleagues, letting them know I'd be off for the rest of the week, one of them
    via *MLitsSML
  • told me that the same boss also referred a friend of hers to HR because she wanted to take her full 52 weeks of maternity leave in one go. Again, apparently that wasn't acceptable to which HR - said nope, she's good to go, see you in a year. Bring baby photos.
    via *MLitsSML
  • Previous_Drawing_521 Yep, I'm based in Australia but work for an international team with a boss in the US. I made it clear when this happened that when I put in for time off, it's not a request that I'm wanting approval for, it's me telling you I won't be in that day.
    via Previous_Drawing_521
  • To be fair, my boss is very good, but one of his colleagues who ran another team mentioned that I have a lot of time off (I was on long service leave so at that time was taking 5 weeks off) in a disapproving way. Someone else from Australia was on the call told him to cram it.
    via Previous_Drawing_521
  • D th_Savager Lol I thought this was based in US, then i read 31 days annual leave so I thought 'ah, Europe company, boss is based in US and has no clue'
    via D**th_Savager
  • Moop_the_Loop I went to a job interview once, UK based role, USA company. I asked about annual leave and they said it was the legal minimum. I asked if it was negotiable and the woman interviewing said no because it's unfair to our USA counterparts and also it's encouraged not to take it all with a bonus scheme in place for people who don't use it all. No thanks. I only go to work so I can go on holiday.
    via Moop_the_Loop
  • 757Lemon You and HR seem to be perfectly in sync here with your leave, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. But, I would suggest including HR on emails between you and your boss regarding PTO in the future - just so they can jump in if/when it is necessary. Also - maintain this all over email. Something tells me you'll want a paper trail with this Boss at a later date...
    via 757Lemon
  • Eastern-Move 549 'Wait, you guys have rights?'
    via Eastern-Move549
  • egnards Meanwhile in the US, I once had "uses excessive sick days," on my end of year review in a school, because I had used 7 out of the 10 allotted sick days for the year [and 0 out of 2 of my personal days] - Sorry sir, but when kids are knowingly sent in sick, and I'm a one-to-one that routinely is in close proximity. . .illness is going to happen.
    via egnards
  • hypocrisy-identifier To be fair, American managers also believe any time off for the piddly working class American is an abomination.
    via hypocrisy-identifier

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boss aita workplace-stories AITAH job bosses work reddit story toxic-boss mildly infuriating workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit entitled people
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