Nurse quits job after boss demands she works on Christmas since she “has no family to celebrate with”, despite already approving her time off: ‘People with children are given priority’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 5, 2025 7:00 PM EST

If an employee requested time off and it was approved, and another employee then requests time off at the same time, only the boss and the second employee should deal with that conflict.

Either the boss has to find a third person to do the job, cover the shift themselves, or simply deny the request of the second employee. The first employee, the one who was responsible enough to request their PTO in advance, should not be concerned by this problem whatsoever.

Which is not what happened in the story below.

This nurse has worked on holidays for the last 6 years, and this year is the first time she intends to be off for Christmas. She had her time off approved back in July, so it was supposed to be a done deal. Until her coworker also asked for time off during Christmas. Since the coworker is a mom, the boss claims she has a priority in taking time off, so she can spend Christmas with her kids.

But kids should not change the fact that this nurse deserves time off during Christmas, and she intends to get it, whether or not she still has a job.

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  • 01
    "For the last six years, I have worked every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's"
    via DragonImages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    I quit my job so I do not have to work the holidays and now a new mom has to work in my place.

    I am an ICU nurse and for the last six years I have worked every Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year's.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 03
    It was no big deal to work all these holidays because I do not have an immediate family
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 04
    My parents and siblings have jobs in retail and public safety which require them to work the holidays as well, so we traditionally celebrate the holidays several days after the actual holiday.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 05
    This year my parents retired and wanted to take a family trip to Europe because we have many relatives in Europe and they wanted to go to the European Christmas Markets.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 06
    In July of this year I requested the week of Christmas off and it was approved.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 07
    My brother and sister, as well as their spouses also got the time off from their jobs since it was requested so early.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 08
    We are heading to Europe for Christmas! Fast forward to the last week of October, my boss calls me in the office to tell me that she has to take away my Christmas vacation because a co-worker had a baby a few months ago and she needs the time off to celebrate the baby's first Christmas (this same co- worker had a baby last year and had this baby 10 months from the other one).
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 09
    The co-worker did not work any holidays last year and is not scheduled to work any this year (made boss aware of this point).
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 10
    I argued that my vacation request was approved back in July and I made plans based on that request being approved.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 11
    Also, that I had worked the last six Christmas holidays and would be working Thanksgiving and New Year.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 12
    She stated that the priority for holiday vacations was given to those who had families. I informed her that just because I am widowed and did not have children does not mean I do not have a family.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 13
    She backpedaled and stated that people with children were given priority so they could spend Christmas with them.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 14
    Again I reminded her that my vacation was approved back in July and I would not cancel my trip so someone who did not request vacation time in a timely manner could have the time off just because she had a baby.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 15
    Needless to say, my boss did not change her mind. She put me on the schedule for Christmas and took my co-worker off.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 16
    I took the issue to HR and they simply said the manager is the one who determines the schedule and no work rules were broken.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 17
    Well, her plan backfired as I turned in my notice and my last day will be the day before Thanksgiving.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10571975936
    via Dean Mitchell

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    Since I quit, my co- worker now has to work Thanksgiving and Christmas. My other co- workers are saying I am a jerk for not just sucking it up and working Christmas and letting my other co- worker have Christmas with her baby.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 20
    Normally, I do work all the holidays so people can have time with their family. I have for the past six years!
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 21
    The one time I want to do something special with my family, I am the villain.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 22
    I do not feel I am the a-hole here since I requested the time off and made plans accordingly.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 23
    I will greatly miss my job, as I loved the hospital where I worked and the unit I was in.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 24
    However, it is time for reflection and to put me first, something I have not done since my husband passed.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 25
    Since nursing jobs are plentiful, I plan on taking the entire month of December off and look for a new job in the new year.
    via Skydancer-Fun1899
  • 26
    SnooPaintings8917 NTA. your time isn't less valuable simply because you don't have children. also, the new baby isn't gonna remember christmas anyway. if it was that serious she would have requested the time off responsibly the way you did.
    via SnooPaintings8917
  • 27
    pinotJD NTA. If you are in the United States, please consult with an employment lawyer. Your manager is not permitted to discriminate based on family choice. Get a strongly worded demand letter and get your money, honey.
    via pinotJD
  • 28
    Moggetti NTA. If your co-workers feel so strongly about New Mom getting Christmas off, they presumably could work Christmas. Problem solved.
    via Moggetti
  • 29
    Mandiezie1 NTA and you could still file an entire lawsuit over this. It's illegal to do what they did and absolutely discriminatory for HR not to back this play.
    via Mandiezie1
  • 30
    FreddyBear001 I would not feel guilty one bit...it's their loss of a great employee. You put in the time and paid your dues so it's time to do something nice for yourself and your family. Jobs come and go but you can't replace lost time and missed holidays spent away from your family. So go and have some fun with your family without giving it a second thought. You might find a new job that you like even better.
    via FreddyBear001
  • 31
    Trick_Few NTA The manager was too heavy handed in granting employees with children priority holiday hours. This is what happens when you treat your employees like garbage. I suggest sending in an exit letter to the CEO or Director in order to bypass HR and your former Manager. On a side note, German Christmas Fests are truly magical. Enjoy your time with your parents.
    via Trick_Few

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Tags

christmas boss workplace-stories employee manager job nurse tales-from-the-workplace coworkers time off reddit story overworked-employees workplace Reddit company quitting
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