Job rescinds their offer to prospective employee after they inquired about time off: 'Your request for planned time off raised concerns regarding alignment with our current expectations'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 13, 2026 10:00 AM EST

If you have a planned vacation, isn't it the polite thing to do to tell your prospective employer?

When you're looking to get hired at a new place, there are all sorts of factors you have to consider. You have to wonder how it's going to fit into your lifestyle, what your commute is going to look like, if the hours are compatible with the way you live, and if you're up to the task. Not every job is going to be a perfect fit. It might be the role you're looking for, but the commute time will make it impossible to get to work on time. Or maybe it's convenient, but your skill set is not naturally aligned. Maybe it requires you to work nights, and you know you're a morning person. Whatever it is, you're probably finding out in the early stages of the hiring process what's going to work for you and what isn't. 

We forget that interviews are a two-way street. As much as it's a chance for the employer to get to know us and our skills, it's also our chance to ask them just what they're about. It's the time to ask all the questions- what do they value in an employee? What is their office culture like? What is your time off policy? You don't want to seem ungrateful, but these are very reasonable questions to ask, and their answers definitely affect whether or not you want to work there. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about asking this. 

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  • A man contemplates something, sitting at his computer at his desk
    via Unsplash+ (Oleg Ivanov)

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

  • But that's exactly what this employer did. In fact, they rescinded their offer after a prospective employee let them know about some previously planned vacation. Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Isn't it best to give as much advance notice as possible? You're allowed to take time off, after all, and you want to be communicative with your needs. This is behavior that employers should be rewarding. But that didn't stop them from pulling the rug at the last minute and leaving this job-seeker in the lurch. Read on to see all the details and find out what commenters had to say.

  • Lost a job offer for asking about time off. Corporate work is ridiculous.

    < All Inboxes Η Thank you again for your interest in the Software Engineer position at and for taking the time to speak with our team. After careful consideration, we've decided not to proceed with your application. During the interview process, your request for planned time off raised concerns regarding alignment with our current expectations and commitment requirements for the role. At this stage, we are prioritizing candidates whose availability more closely matches the immediate needs of the
    via u/Capable-Pool759
  • We appreciate the effort you put into the interview process and the time you spent engaging with us. We wish you the best in your continued job search and future opportunities. Thank you again for your interest in
    via u/Capable-Pool759
  • I got a job offer on Better Call Jobs for a Software Engineer role. I was excited, I actually really need a job right now and I liked the team. During the interviews I mentioned I had some planned vacation coming up. It was already scheduled, so I figured it was better to be transparent than hide it.
    via u/Capable-Pool759
  • Today they told me they're pulling the offer because bringing up time off during interviews made them question my commitment. Does it seem like a normal thing to ask during an interview, or am I wrong? Well somehow that crossed a line.
    via u/Capable-Pool759
  • I'm gonna go back to rural life hunting and fishing, this is ridiculous.
    via u/Capable-Pool759

  • Commenters came in with their thoughts.

    General-Put-4991 I believe you saved yourself from exploitative work
    via u/General-Put-4991
  • A frustrated man looks stressed at his computer, reading an email
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

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

  • ironic-hat It used to be a courtesy to inform the interviewer you had a pre planned trip. Which isn't that odd. Weddings and vacations might be planned out a year or more in advance. But these days it's just used as yet another excuse to "go with another" candidate.
    via u/ironic-hat
  • ImpossibleAgen... this is the perfect example of how toxic the world of corporate work is
    via u/ImpossibleAgent3833
  • Xtreme2k2 Nah man they just showed their colors early.
    via u/Xtreme2k2
  • pwnageface You didnt dodge a bullet. You dodged an orbital nuke. Congrats.
    via u/pwnageface
  • MiyagiJunior It's ridiculous. At least it sounds like you dodged a bullet. A few years ago, I passed a very intense job interview. For the next interview they wanted me to come for like 6 hours. I told them I can't
    via u/MiyagiJunior
  • take a day off right now (I had a valid reason) but I can come 3 hours one day and 3 hours the next day. They said that me pushing back risks the job. I said - how? I can't come for 6 hours and I'm offering to do the same thing, just split over two days. Then they cut me from
    via u/MiyagiJunior
  • the process. It was annoying at the time but I clearly dodged a bullet; they were looking for yes-men to jump through their hoops no matter how irrational.
    via u/MiyagiJunior
  • iamacheeto1 Don't tell them you have a trip/vacation planned. Tell them you have a "personal commitment that will require time off from X date to Y date." It's so stupid but it's an important distinction. You have to play the game, even if it's stupid af
    via u/iamacheeto1
  • TheLittleMooncalf I'd take that as a massive red flag for the company. Not just because i'd be concerned what they think an acceptable level of 'commitment' looks like, but also that apparently your skills are secondary to soft
    via u/TheLittleMooncalf
  • elements like this. Especially since it's a technical role; i could foresee you having to constantly tidy up after colleagues chosen for people-pleasing over experience.
    via u/TheLittleMooncalf
  • 420GUAVA Sounds like you dodged a big future bullet. if this is how they act over planned leave, imagine what would happen if you had fallen ill, or parental/family leave of any kind.
    via u/420GUAVA
  • sirhackenslash Excuse me sir, but we prefer candidates who willingly accept indentured servitude in lieu of a personal life
    via u/sirhackenslash
  • Operation Fluffy You did exactly what professionalism requires. They should appreciate your candor and realize that pre- existing commitments don't reflect upon your commitment to the new org (because they were pre- existing). They are being dumb and use lots of stupid rationales for bad decisions. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you probably dodged a bullet. Good luck.
    via u/Operation_Fluffy
  • YouMustBeJoki... I always tell prospective employers about any planned upcoming holidays if I'm close enough to an offer. It makes sense to give them a head's up and it's not some big red flag that you have an actual life outside of work that doesn't stop dead just because you're changing jobs.
    via u/YouMustBeJoking888
  • o-rama I was once not offered a job because during the interview I mentioned that I would be requiring a Friday off 6 months away for my already scheduled/planned wedding. One Friday, that's it. We were getting married on the Friday evening of a
    via u/o-rama
  • long weekend and because we were young and broke we were going right back to work that Tuesday. They specifically stated I was the best candidate (to the point that a year later they reached out personally to give me a better position within the company) but that
    via u/o-rama
  • they were concerned that the "new girl" getting a Friday off in six months might cause issues with the other staff. Ridiculous.
    via u/o-rama

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employee job job hunt time off job search job interview unemployment employment
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