Employee's time off request gets rejected even though manager already approved it, employee refuses to cancel their vacation, leading to an ultimatum: ‘Either quit or be fired’

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 22, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Everyone knows that in order to keep your mental health and happiness level up, you must have a vacation booked on your calendar. You need to have something to look forward to so you can get through the grind of everyday work until it happens.

Sad as it may be, we work every day and earn ourselves some time off, which we should use when we feel like we can't go on any longer. It's the cycle of the work-life balance most of us experience every day.

This is why, if you currently do not have anything booked, we highly recommend (after you finish reading this, of course) that you do yourself a favor and book something right now. It could be a hotel, a flight, a concert, or a trip to Disneyland. It doesn't matter. It just needs to give you hope for the future and help you finish your work day with a smile on your face.

Once you do that, do not forget to send your boss an official request for the time off, otherwise you would end up like the employee in the story below. 

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  • To be fair, this employee actually did request her time off, and it even got approved. But then, for some reason, she got an email, two weeks before her vacation, stating that her annual leave had been cancelled. 

    With her vacation already booked, this employee has no intention of changing that, which puts her job at risk.

    Keep scrolling to read the full story.

  • Goals BUSINESS PLAN Strategy novatio
    via Worawee Meepian's Images

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

  • "Annual leave approved, holiday booked, annual leave now seemingly cancelled..."

    I had annual leave approved by my manager around 10 days ago. Recieved an auto e-mail today that this leave had been cancelled
    via sadsealmother
  • I looked it up and so long as they give me the same amount of notice as the amount of days I'm booking off and a legitimate business reason then it's legal
    via sadsealmother
  • It's not until 10th May so they've given me plenty of notice, however it was an automated e-mail and there was no business reason attached to it
    via sadsealmother
  • They were aware I was looking at going on holiday and booking flights. Flights/accommodation were booked as soon as it was approved from work
    via sadsealmother
  • I'm not rich so don't particularly want to waste this money I've put into the holiday, plus I've planned it with my bf for our anniversary and I've not been
    via sadsealmother
  • abroad in 6 years so I really need a holiday Not to mention I've worked my off for this company in the 6 months I've been here and (through
    via sadsealmother
  • my own silly choices) have worked overtime and worked through some lunches despite knowing I wouldn't be paid for it. Not only that, but its a role requiring
    via sadsealmother
  • computers and we don't get any eye/screen breaks (which I'm pretty sure you're supposed to have every 20 mins)
    via sadsealmother
  • Unfortunately I'm now out of my probation period literally by a few days, so instead of 1 weeks notice I would need to give them 1 months notice. I'm still fully planning on
    via sadsealmother
  • going on holiday, but if they refuse then I can't give them a month's notice, so I feel the only outcomes are either quit or be fired. I'd also rather not be unemployed again (was out of work 3 months last year)
    via sadsealmother
  • Anything I can do here? I have yet to email back and enquire if it's a mistake or ask the reason why as its a bank holiday and I don't really want them to know that I've checked a work email on a bank holiday
    via sadsealmother
  • 3 7 8 DAY OFF 2 9 3 3 10 10 11 16 17 18 20 21 22 23
    via pixelshot

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

  • jessiemagill Sounds like you need to have an actual conversation with a human being. Did you get an automatic email approving your leave too?
    via jessiemagill
  • sadsealmother OP No, the approval e-mail had the layout of 'approved date signature' Definitely will talk to a human when I'm back Tuesday!
    via sadsealmother
  • GoodZookeepergame826 Enjoy your vacation. I still can't understand why people don't understand you're not requesting your time, you're Preparing The Others that you won't be there.
    via GoodZookeepergame826
  • TheBattyWitch Keep in mind, they can claim that they require notice before you quit, but at will employment works both ways. If they can fire you at any time for any or no reason at all, then you can also quit at any time without working your notice.
    via TheBattyWitch
  • The question is, are your working to risk your job over this? Personally, I would fight it. I would not be eating the cost of nonrefundable tickets and vacation for nothing or no reason. They can either deal with me being gone
    via TheBattyWitch
  • during the time off that I already had approved, or they can deal with making to replace me because I'm not coming back once my vacation is over.
    via TheBattyWitch
  • You're new though, and you know what you're situation looks like. Is this a gamble worth taking? None of this matters unless you talk to your manager.
    via TheBattyWitch
  • sadsealmother OP It is a horrible job that's severely underpaid, really it's 3 different jobs merged into 1 so I have been looking elsewhere anyway and would not mind leaving. That being said I was unemployed for 3 months last year so I know its not fun and the job market is terrible rn. I'll see what happens on Tuesday when I'm back
    via sadsealmother
  • NoRestForTheWitty What country? Can you ask your supervisor why it was denied?
    via NoRestForTheWitty
  • sadseal mother OP UK - I'm gonna wait until Tuesday when back at work and find out what's going on!
    via sadsealmother
  • wallyinct Speak to your manager or HR and say you assume the cancellation is some sort of error,etc... if they have in fact cancelled your time off, explain your situation and if they still won't relent, tell them ok - you will make other plans some time in the future.
    via wallyinct
  • You then spend the next several weeks sending out resumes and networking... then on May 10, leave on your vacation as planned and email them your resignation.
    via wallyinct
  • sadsealmother OP Sadly my boss is my boss/HR/IT all mixed into one. Its basically a start up/small company. If I ever had any complaints about him I would get zero help. Thank you for your advice! I think I'm going to wait until Tuesday when I'm back at work and just play it by ear
    via sadsealmother
  • Swarf 87 Wait... You've only been there 6 months and requested time off?? Well no wonder they cancelled it. It's pretty much a universal rule that you must work for a company for 1 full year before you can book time off.
    via Swarf_87
  • sadsealmother OP Can't tell if you're just being sarcy but I'm UK and this is definitely not a thing here.
    via sadsealmother

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boss workplace-stories employee fired manager job tales-from-the-workplace time off reddit story overworked-employees workplace leave Reddit company vacation
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