Job cancels PTO that employee of 15 years scheduled in order to go on his honeymoon: 'Should I quit?'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Sep 19, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

What a great way to say "thanks" for all the hard work he has done over the past 15 years. 

In an ideal world, all of your requested PTO will be approved every time. After all, you earned your PTO by working for the company, so you should be able to use it whenever you see fit. Unfortunately, that's not always the case in every company. Some companies do have "busy seasons" that aren't the best times to take off, but if you work at one of those companies, you usually learn pretty quickly when the "busy season" takes place and can plan accordingly. If it only spans six weeks in the summer and six weeks in the winter, then it's pretty manageable. If the busy season is 10 months out of the year, you can't even really call it a season, can you? 

Some jobs inflate their importance. They act as if it is impossible for you to miss a week of work and still keep the business afloat, even though everybody knows that is not true. They cancel your PTO requests at the last minute because things are "just so busy," even though they were just as busy the week before, the week before that, and the week before that. They just want to control their employees because they think it will get more work out of them, even though it will do the opposite. An employee who is well-rested after a vacation will do better work than an employee who hasn't had a real week off in years. 

The employee in this story just wants to go on his honeymoon with his wife, but his job canceled his PTO request at the last second. He doesn't know whether to quit now or let his job fire him.

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  • 01
    Man in blue shirt and brown shorts standing on rock formation during daytime
    via Fernando Gago

    A couple goes on a hike on their honeymoon, even though his evil company rejected his PTO request after previously approving it.

    Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.

  • 02

    My work canceled approved PTO for my Honeymoon. Should I leave?

    IT / Software company. I have been here for over 15 years and have worked my way up from; basic support, tier iii support, system admin, support manager....
    via mostsleek
  • 03
    We have changed owners a few times and this one for the past 7 or so years, they are a private equity so squeeze the life out of it as much as you can.....
    via mostsleek
  • 04
    A man sitting in front of a laptop computer
    via Sebastian Herrmann

    A stressed-out man working in private equity. 

    Image shown for illustrative purposes; person depicted is a model.

  • 05
    Anyway, we are in a huge project(database change... 40 years on previous database so not a easy change) that has been in the making for the past year or so, but only in DEV hands. I have been aware of it for since before it officially started.
    via mostsleek
  • 06
    In early August everyone got access to QA/test this new system. Upper management was told its ready to go live now but lets test and be safe; just week or two testing by everyone(humans).... Dev product owner, "Al did full through testing."
    via mostsleek
  • 07
    Welp, its not going great. Al did not do great(what a surprise). One month into testing, its no where near ready. Upper mgmt is blaming everyone they are not test enough. They want all salary exempt employees to work few hours after normal hours
    via mostsleek
  • 08
    testing and full days works on weekends. That went over like a lead balloon... Even now mid September, its better but maybe at best ready for live and will still not be great.
    via mostsleek
  • 09
    Sillhouette of virtual human on brain delta wave
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A database.

    Still frame for contextual reference only.

  • 10
    In late August I said hey I need 1 week off in October for my honeymoon. It was approved. We bought airfare and accommodations as well as other things. Then a week later, "it was approved accidentally".
    via mostsleek
  • 11
    Upper mgmt has cancelled all PTO requests until this database change is live. So my options are: Tell my wife, hey my work just cancelled our honeymoon. (No mention of if they would
    via mostsleek
  • 12
    reimburse us.) Give 2 week notice 2 weeks before we depart and go on honeymoon *. Job hunting now and when getting back. That 2 week notice options comes with a possible * that they do
    via mostsleek
  • 13
    allow me to go on honeymoon if I don't leave. I am thinking if I were to do that, they would just get rid of me shortly after. So to counter that, I would ask for some kind of work guarantee for x amount of months....
    via mostsleek
  • 14
    I know the job market right now is "not great", so weighing my options. My wife's income can support us for a time.
    via mostsleek
  • 15
    TLDR Work approved PTO for honeymoon, then cancelled PTO. Should I stay or should I go now (lol)
    via mostsleek
  • 16
    qua77ro No you don't just quit. You write a respectful message to your manager and cc'HR with the approved PTO. Share that it is your honeymoon and the cost of the trip is prepaid and non-refundable. Also given that it's your honeymoon you can't change that date at this time. Make them terminate you so you can get unemployment if it comes down to it.
    via mostsleek
  • 17
    finethanksandyou This is the answer that leaves the most options without burning bridges
    via mostsleek
  • 18
    Separate_Pumpkin_256 Given the management there is unlikely that anything other than don't exactly what they want will be a burned bridge in their eyes. That's unfortunate, just the likely outcome. VC types are just that way. That said, this is the most professional approach and likely to not cause a bad impression with companies they interview with. That's the most important thing here. Given the situation described in the post, that company is unlikely to exist much longer. They are clearly in
    via mostsleek
  • 19
    Leading-Ability-7317 They are either sociopaths and will retaliate eventually at which point he still gets unemployment or they will realize that losing OP for a week is better than losing them forever. Either is better for OP than putting in notice and leaving without unemployment to fall back on. So really no downside.
    via mostsleek
  • 20
    ecchi83 Lol... if they can afford to fire you then they let you go on vacation. can afford to
    via mostsleek
  • 21
    RandomlyPlaced Finger I had a position try to cancel my PTO, and I responded with "So you'll fire me if I go on vacation that was approved a year ago and cancelled a week before? Cool. This unemployment case will be pretty simple." Bah, hit enter too fast. I went on vacation, supervisor actually got fired.
    via mostsleek

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tech job workplace-stories employee honeymoon bad jobs toxic workplace coding employees PTO workplace Tech company bad job married paid time off
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