Hospital Denies Employee's PTO Request For Her Sister's Wedding 6 Months in Advance, Approves Assistant Manager's 3 Week Vacation Instantly: 'I'm The Maid of Honor.'

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Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jul 21, 2026 8:30 PM EDT

How do they know that they'll have a staffing shortage in six months? 

PTO can be such a contentious issue in already contentious workplaces. If your company is functioning well, an employee should be able to take off any days of the year they please with the paid time off they've earned. If they've earned a 2-week vacation and take it, the company should not be in utter disarray and on the verge of declaring bankruptcy by the time that employee returns. If that's the case, they do not have enough employees, plain and simple. 

There are times when companies restrict PTO, and that's understandable depending on the circumstances. You can't have your entire team, or even any of your team, take off during the busiest season of the year, given your business has a "busiest season of the year." Most companies have a busy season and a not-so-busy season, so hypothetically, it shouldn't be a problem if multiple team members take off during the time of year when absolutely nothing is going on, and they can easily catch up on their work 

Some workplaces have a lot of work to do all the time, but they still need to let their employees take time off. If every season is the busy season, your employees will burn out if they have to work without taking their PTO. Imagine if your doctor worked 60-hour workweeks for a whole year and never took any time off. You'd probably rather have a well-rested doctor than him. 

The hospital employee in this story wanted to take time off for her sister's wedding, but her employer wouldn't even give her that. 

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  • A hospital employee, who wants to take three days off in six months so she can be the maid of honor at her sister's wedding, but can't take that time off because the hospital has denied her paid time off, even though they've approved three weeks of PTO for her manager.
    via A. C. (Unsplash+)

    A hospital employee, who wants to take three days off in six months so she can be the maid of honor at her sister's wedding, but can't take that time off because the hospital has denied her paid time off, even though they've approved three weeks of PTO for her manager. 

    The photo uses a model, not the real person in this story, to depict the situation. 

  • The hospital denied my PTO for my sister's wedding due to "staffing shortages," but approved a manager’s 3-week vacation

    I'm just so exhausted. I've given this facility blod, sweat, and endless overtime. I put in a request for just 3 days off six months in advance to be my sister's maid of honor, and it got denied today.
    via u/Temporary_Royal_2260
  • Meanwhile, my assistant manager is currently packing for a 3-week cruise that got approved instantly.
    via u/Temporary_Royal_2260
  • They corporate-gaslight us into thinking we are "heroes" who can't leave the floor, but treat us like disposable numbers the second we ask for a life outside the clock. I'm
    via u/Temporary_Royal_2260
  • honestly ready to quit on the spot and just pick up independent shifts on apps or gig work. Has anyone else walked away from a hospital staff job because of scheduling disrespect? How did you survive the transition?
    via u/Temporary_Royal_2260
  • PORt1ng4Duty I once gave my 2 week notice at a job exactly 2 weeks before my manager was set to go on vacation for a month. She, I, and her boss were the only people who could do my job. Her boss begged me to stay until she got back from vacation. I said I'd consider it for 500 bucks a day. He didn't bite. I wonder how it worked out for him.
    via u/P0Rt1ng4Duty
  • FROG123076 When I gave notice at a job I hated, they asked me how much I would be making at the new job, I told them it was 20K more than what they paid cause | knew she was too cheap to try and match that. I did learn that they had to hire 6 people to replace me, that's how much work I was doing. So I guess they ended up paying more then what they could have paid me. Again I hated that job so even if they offered a match I would not have stayed.
    via u/FROG123076
  • Lilydaisy8476 I would absolutely quit if they couldn't accommodate that request. I'd be putting in applications elsewhere since I have six months to plan.
    via u/Lilydaisy8476
  • Samilynnki And honestly, secure the new job. Take 3 or 4 "sick days" to get onboarded at the new job. Then quit with a "Today" notice at the c py job. Because F THEM for denying PTO with far advance notice.
    via u/Samilynnki
  • TigerMage2020 It's hard to do this in healthcare because you could be blacklisted from the entire hospital system. Depending where OP lives, sometimes there's only two hospital systems locally. She would need to give her normal notice.
    via u/TigerMage2020
  • typical-bob Years ago (decades now ugh, #oldmanyellsatclouds), I needed a mental break and asked for a month vacation. They said no, so I gave my notice and quit, and went on a three month trip. When I got back, I let them know I was looking for a job.... I went back to that old job, got re- hired hah. Hospital staff are in such high demand, I would start shopping around. They don't respect you or your family.
    via u/typical-bob
  • Temporary_Royal_2260 OP That is an absolute legendary move. It really proves they need us way more than we need them. I'm definitely shopping around for independent/per diem options now.
    via u/Temporary_Royal_2260
  • | Druu- guess you'll be sick those days
    via u/Druu-
  • Pug_867-5309 Really easy to get sick when you work in a hospital. So unfortunate that your illness is at the same time as your sister's wedding, OP.
    via u/Pug_867-5309
  • imf4rds Not a hospital, but I worked in a non-profit. Major holiday-wise, I only took off Halloween, New Year's and my birthday. I always covered for everyone. Then a colleague had a kid, and he thought that meant he didn't have to work any holidays because its baby's first. I reminded them that PTO is an FYI when I will not be there. If I am so amazing that you need me there then we have a staggering difference in my importance to the organization, and that needs to be reflected in pay and titl
    via u/imf4rds
  • TriceratopsJam Last-minute days off, I understand, but if I request time for something family related for in advance, I am taking it.
    via u/TriceratopsJam
  • gijimayu Manager could leave 2 months and it would be fine. But since you are actually useful, you can't leave.
    via u/gijimayu
  • Shivin302 Manager takes off 2 months and the company actually runs better
    via u/Shivin302
  • SeatOpen 1 Don't ask. Tell.
    via u/SeatOpen1

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manager hospital request time off cruise wedding PTO sister healthcare Maid Of Honor vacation
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