11 Employees Who Requested Time Off Far In Advance, But Were Denied For The Most Ridiculous Reasons
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Recently, I learned that about 54 percent of professionals who utilize their time off will often have a hard time disconnecting from work — often due to a sense of guilt. So, to learn more about why some may feel this way, I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share moments when they asked for time off and were met with a less-than-enthusiastic reply. Here's what they said:
Note: Some responses have been edited for length/clarity.
1."I was working at a McDonald's when I came down with a terrible case of food poisoning. I ended up going to the ER to get fluids because I couldn't stop vomiting. The ER doctor told me to stay home on bed rest for a few days and gave me a note. I called my manager and told him what was up, and he told me I'd have to bring the note in person or be fired."
"Even though I was leaning on another person, barely able to walk unassisted, and had the note from the ER doctor, he told me that I "didn't look that sick" and told me to put on a uniform and clock in. When I refused and the person I was with objected, he threatened us.
We walked out and I called the regional manager to report that and all of the other horrible stuff he'd done. She launched an investigation and found that he'd been harassing all of the female employees.
The regional manager called me and asked me if I wanted my job back and I said no. I'll never work in an environment that toxic again."—kyooconnor
2."When I was 18 I worked at a grocery store. I had a test scheduled for the college I had applied for that was required since I didn't take the ACT. I requested off three weeks in advance (our schedules came out weekly), and my request was denied."
"I had been working there for two years and constantly covered shifts. I couldn't find anyone to cover my shift because it was the end of summer. I did a no-call no-show after I talked to the manager and she said it's school or the job. Safe to say I made the right choice by picking school."
3."I once had applied and interviewed for a part-time job at a tanning salon. During the interview, I explained I was getting married out of state and gave the week I would not be available. (The wedding was over 4 months away at that point)."
"The owner/manager told me she would 100% not approve this time off but would still offer me the job and if I happened to be scheduled during my wedding week, I could always 'try to find someone to cover my shifts.' I noped the hell out of that interview."—v41e70f2f3
4."I started a part-time job and when I interviewed I explained that I would be unavailable for a 3-day weekend about 2 weeks after I started but was otherwise widely available. The day I started, I confirmed and asked how to formally request off. They pointed to a 3-ring-binder in which I was to write the request, which I did."
"Schedule comes out the Monday before the weekend I was to have off. I asked why I was scheduled and was told to discuss with the shift manager, which I did. I explain that I can't come in because I'll be out of town. She brushes it off and says OK.
I call the next Monday to get the new schedule and the shift manager says that since I didn't bother to show up for my weekend shifts, I wasn't put on the schedule for that week. I quit."
5."Back in 1977, the company my mom worked for, closed the plant down because Elvis Presley died and the owner's wife was devastated. When my mom's aunt died, the boss didn't want to approve it because she died right after Christmas so it seemed 'too convenient.'"
"Her grandmother died two months later and they still denied her request.
She went anyways, so they fired her for leaving. Best part was her last check wasn't signed so she couldn't get paid but my dad said he would take care of it and sure enough, the check was 'magically' signed and she got a little extra."
6."In college I got a job at a local food place that served wraps and such. I gave the manager my class schedule, and on my second day of training they gave me my work schedule for the following two weeks. Every single shift conflicted with a class."
"I asked if maybe they read my class schedule backward, and they said 'No, that's just when they need someone on shift.' So I had to choose between a very part-time job I hadn't even worked a full two shifts at, or a degree... I chose the degree."—toast2002
7."I worked at this retail company for four years. and since the July of the previous year had openly been talking about the fact that I was saving my vacation days for my uncle's soon-to-be death."
"The next year rolls around and my family was summoned to say our final goodbyes. I knew about the trip only a couple weeks in advance, which put me at the edge of the approval time for vacation because who predicts when someone's going to hit the final decline?
My job had the guts to say that it was terribly short notice to ask for that much time off; it was like a week but a week to spend with my uncle who I'm literally never going to see again. I looked at the managers and told them that if my time off wasn't approved I would be tragically unwell that entire week and would not be able to come in. Mysteriously my vacation was approved by the next morning and I never faced repercussions. I knew what I was worth to the company and I knew they needed me more than I needed them."
8."In high school, I worked part-time at a grocery store that couldn't retain front-end staff and they didn't understand why. The reason was this cashier who treated the younger staff really badly even though she had no authority (and nothing was ever done about complaints we'd file) just because she's the long-standing staff."
"I worked full-time hours because we were so short, and it became a thing where I was only ever at school or at work and that was it.
I called in for a shift one day when I was violently ill (never called in prior to this) and she answers the phone, refusing to hand it to my manager. She demanded I just tell her what I wanted and said she'd relay the message. This went on for a while until I finally broke and told her and she said, 'No, I don't accept that.'
I told her, 'OK, well then I'm never coming back in, good luck,' and hung up on her. Went back to hand in my shirt the next week. I was told management thought I was in the wrong and that I had been rude to her."—mconner2155
9."I was about to start a job at a chocolate factory as the parts manager. They wanted me in on Monday for orientation. I told them I still needed to give my current employer my two weeks and I had a week trip to Hawaii for my wife's 50th B-day already paid for. So it would be 3 weeks until I would be able to start."
"They told me that nobody really gives the two weeks anymore and I really didn't want to go to Hawaii. It's hot and there is way too many people, plus its really expensive. That I HAD to be there on Monday or it will be a no call, no show and I would be fired since it was the first day.
I said, 'I guess I'll pass on the job.'
A year later the factory closed down."—hydrodude71
10."I had a week's worth of vacation time and, at my office, our vacation is 'use it or lose it,' so I requested time off. My boss approved it. Then she realized the day before I was due to be off that her college (she's an alumnus) was having homecoming events during my vacation."
"She made me come back on a Friday to cover her so she could go. She said since I wasn't even going out of town it shouldn't be a big deal for me, and she would 'make it up to me' by giving me the following Monday off so I could have a nice, long weekend. You know what would have been better? The uninterrupted seven-day vacation I'd already been approved for."
11.And finally, "I had a trip planned and paid for in March. I had my vacation approved in December by the area manager. Then my manager went out on medical leave, and my area manager refused to make plans because she kept saying my manager would be back."
"My manager, her doctor, and I kept saying she would not be back in time. Two days before my vacation, my area manager finally admitted my manager would not be back, and since it was too late to find a manager to cover me, she was canceling my vacation.
I walked out and went on my trip.
Came back and less than two weeks later had a new job at same pay, benefits, and vacation, with much less stress."
