If you're lucky, you've had some cool bosses before. But more often than not, it feels like bosses have it in for their employees, vindictively punishing us when life gets in the way.
Since HR isn't our friend, and because we need to work to live, all we can really do is commiserate with each other. A Redditor shared their story of how their boss tried to get them to work on a day they'd requested off (for their own wedding), and it led it a lively discussion of terrible bosses.
Redditor u/acidalia-planitia explained that even after requesting personal time off for their wedding week, they were still scheduled to work on the day of their wedding.
In an edit, u/acidalia-planitia said, "It was a scheduling mistake, but still frustrating as this isn't the first time it's happened (was scheduled to work after requesting off for surgery in May.)"
Ultimately, it's good that things were ironed out, despite the frustration. The story led to thousands of commenters venting their frustrations with terrible bosses.
"Sounds like the person making schedules went on a power trip that's going to bite them in the ass when they're short-staffed after you prioritize your wedding over whatever job it is that has an insecure middle manager putting people on shifts they can't take as an act of aggression."
"I just got promoted to management at my very large corporation and basically HR sits you down to start with and walks you through PTO and basically says basically under no circumstances should you deny PTO but it still needs to be approved.'"
"I got written up for not attending the Christmas party over our days off, I had the flu. When I asked the CEO why she wrote me up she said, the rules do not give anyone a reason to miss the Christmas party. I asked her what if I died, she said, well, the rule says you have to attend or you get written up. This was a non-profit to help [domestic violence] victims and provide mental health treatment to those in Los Angeles. A few weeks later she fired an intern for getting pregnant. The intern sued and rightfully won."
"My current manager tried to tell me I couldn’t leave two hours early the day before my last vacation. I had to inform him I wasn’t asking permission, I was letting him know as a courtesy I was leaving early. This was a month ago. He’s still mad lol."
"'It wasn't a request' is something everyone needs to realize they can do, and should do. If it's something last minute, then sure — my bad, I'll try and get it sorted. But like something like a wedding that I've been planning for MONTHS, very publicly... I'm sorry, but you also have had months to plan for this. Ain't my problem that you didn't."
"Boss, I just saw the schedule and see you have me on for x dates. I think you may have misunderstood, I was informing you the dates I am going to be gone. It was not a request. I will be available on Y date."
"When we booked my wedding it was a year early and I remember telling my then boss I need these two weeks off for my wedding and honeymoon and they said 'at the moment we can’t process holiday for next year (fair enough case in most places I’ve worked at) but you’ll have to submit it at the beginning of the year in case someone else gets it, then you can’t have it.' I just stared at her and said, 'Okay I will submit it at the beginning of the year but I’m not asking for those two weeks, I’m telling you I’m not here., She didn’t know how to respond to that and I got those two weeks off."
"Mine straight up said she will never deny anything, she just needs me to email it to her for paper trail in case a higher higher up asks, and for me to add it to my meeting calendar (which is shared with team) since she's not going to remember.
She also reminds us frequently that we don't actually have to tell her why we're taking leave, and she isn't allowed to ask."
"My old boss tried to deny leave because I had used a lot of my leave the previous year. I lost both parents and had to deal with the estate and selling the house etc. I apologized to them that my folks had died, and promised that it would never happen again."
"Same thing happened to me. Put in PTO at the beginning of the year for my son's first birthday next month and it was just declined due to staffing issues. I’ve been at my job for 1.5 years and never requested any other time off. Looks like I’m going to be sick that day."
"I had this situation for my honeymoon. I told them I had plane tickets set and everything. They tried to tell me that I should only buy tickets after being granted that time. There were absolutely no reason for them to deny it besides having a low pool to pick from which isn’t my problem. I gave proper of time ahead and followed all the rules and then not being able to retain people is not my problem.
So it came down to that they can grant it or I won’t be returning after my honeymoon. So they granted it."
"When you are presented with a documented discipline make sure to write in the comments that it is shameful/disgraceful for a company to deny PTO for a marriage. Immediately stop doing anything 'extra' and when questioned remind them of the treatment you received and that you're just reciprocating the relationship standards."
"I was fired for going to my wedding in 2010. I ended up in the hospital 3 weeks before. Had a positive stress test and they kept me 3 days. All was ok but work said because I missed those days I could only have my wedding day off. Not the week requested. We were traveling 900 miles to the destination and a few days for honeymoon. They sat me down and said I had to work. I told them straight up, I will NOT be here. They tried to get me to quit but I forced them to fire me. I took the unemployment for a year just to spite them."
"I just lost a great employee because my DM rejected the time off I submitted for her for literally no good reason at all. I had coverage for her shifts. It was no problem at all to accommodate her. DM declined it just because she could."
"You work to live, not live to work. Getting married is one of the most important moments in your life. What's the point of working if you can't enjoy the utmost important days of your life?
Tell them one more time you're not coming in during your wedding week, and enjoy your wedding."
"I worked with someone who, while filling out a time off sheet, asked what the empty space for notes was. I said 'if they decline, they'll put why on that section.' He responded 'I'm not asking for time off, I'm telling them I won't be here.' Since then, thats how I've treated time off, I'm not asking for time off, I'm giving you the benefit of letting you know, I won't be in. [A] wedding is more important than any job."
"I’m, like, a co-supervisor of a group and upper management was talking to us about PTO and how many people we’re allowed to have off at a time (which is understandable to an extent to make sure everything gets done without people staying late). But I said when it’s way in advance it’s not a request, they’re telling us, we can figure something out for that day, they got so uncomfortable lol it was hilarious."
"I am a supervisor at a small, private agency and I have NEVER denied the people I supervise their time off. You know what I do if we have limited coverage? I do their job AND mine. It’s not easy, but I get [it] done. And then when it’s my turn to be off, they cover for me. It’s called TEAM WORK."
