Being denied my earned leave because I’m covering due to maternity leave

[Anonymous]

How long is the maternity leave and why is it you are the only person covering it? I could understand if its a 6-12 week leave. But if the wedding is in the fall and colleague not coming back until februrary, seems like work should develop an alternate plan for coverage. After all, what happens if OP gets sick and is out for 2 weeks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you just submitted your leave request, but the maternity leave had already been submitted prior to yours, no?

So friggin’ what. It is MY earned leave. I’m not being compensated for the loss. Ridiculous.

Take your leave at a different time so it doesn't overlap and therefore won't be denied.

Sounds like you waited too long.

Ridiculous logic. Maybe the person who got pregnant did it too early to allow me my leave.

Next time people who get pregnant should ask their coworkers beforehand so that the team can accommodate their leave in case other team members want to use their vacation.

That’s the same kind of logic. Be mindful about when you get preggers…..jeez.

I know you think you’re being clever but this is actually a real issue for a lot of people. I have friends who made best efforts to time due dates to avoid anticipated busy periods at work (eg accountant delaying trying to get pregnant so as not to have a baby during tax season) or to time with a slow period at work (eg summer recess on the Hill).

[Anonymous]

Also, at least in the federal government you usually can have leave carry over if leave requests are denied due to circumstances like these. I had my annual leave carried over one year because I was covering for someone who was out on extended medical leave. I still took some time off, but didn't take a long break until the following year.

[Anonymous]

Quit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you just submitted your leave request, but the maternity leave had already been submitted prior to yours, no?

So friggin’ what. It is MY earned leave. I’m not being compensated for the loss. Ridiculous.

Take your leave at a different time so it doesn't overlap and therefore won't be denied.

Sounds like you waited too long.

The leave is to roll in a mini vacation in prior to a fall wedding. The wedding is far, so I’d like to take a few days off prior to the wedding so we can explore the area and make traveling that far worth it. I cannot move a wedding date.

It’s not my responsibility to accommodate maternity leave so that I can use my earned leave. If you are going to deny my leave, then I should be getting a cash payout at the end of the year.

You aren't entitled to leave for a wedding. You can't go. Or you can go but must spend the money to travel without the extra time.

Maternity leave is mandated by the government. The company can't force someone on maternity leave back before their federally mandated FMLA period. This is true whether the leave is paid or unpaid. And it's not reasonable to expect your employer to hire a temp for you to take off a few days, unless your job is incredibly simply and easy.

This has nothing to do with "punishing" you for not having kids. It's a practical consideration based on relevant laws and liabilities. It's honestly only incidentally about children or who is a parent.

I am entitled to my leave. Wrong. It is stipulated in my work contract that I get X number of days per year for leave as part of my compensation. The employer is violating the contract they signed.

If you really think that, run with it and see what happens.

You are entitled to your leave, but you aren't entitled to leave for this specific purpose. Unless you are actually being told you may not use ANY leave at all this year, and then will lose it at the end of the year (which I don't think is what is happening), you are not being denied leave. You are just being denied this specific request.

Look, you can throw a fit about this, but I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm telling you that this is how it is. Not all workplaces have these coverage issues -- some places staff up more, some accept that certain work just doesn't happen during an employee's leave, etc. If you don't like the way they handle it, look for a different job. But you seem convinced you have some kind of legal recourse here and again, unless you are truly being denied ANY way of using your leave, you don't. You have no legal entitlement to go to take those specific days off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you just submitted your leave request, but the maternity leave had already been submitted prior to yours, no?

So friggin’ what. It is MY earned leave. I’m not being compensated for the loss. Ridiculous.

Take your leave at a different time so it doesn't overlap and therefore won't be denied.

Sounds like you waited too long.

The leave is to roll in a mini vacation in prior to a fall wedding. The wedding is far, so I’d like to take a few days off prior to the wedding so we can explore the area and make traveling that far worth it. I cannot move a wedding date.

It’s not my responsibility to accommodate maternity leave so that I can use my earned leave. If you are going to deny my leave, then I should be getting a cash payout at the end of the year.

You aren't entitled to leave for a wedding. You can't go. Or you can go but must spend the money to travel without the extra time.

Maternity leave is mandated by the government. The company can't force someone on maternity leave back before their federally mandated FMLA period. This is true whether the leave is paid or unpaid. And it's not reasonable to expect your employer to hire a temp for you to take off a few days, unless your job is incredibly simply and easy.

This has nothing to do with "punishing" you for not having kids. It's a practical consideration based on relevant laws and liabilities. It's honestly only incidentally about children or who is a parent.

I am entitled to my leave. Wrong. It is stipulated in my work contract that I get X number of days per year for leave as part of my compensation. The employer is violating the contract they signed.

If you really think that, run with it and see what happens.

You are entitled to your leave, but you aren't entitled to leave for this specific purpose. Unless you are actually being told you may not use ANY leave at all this year, and then will lose it at the end of the year (which I don't think is what is happening), you are not being denied leave. You are just being denied this specific request.

Look, you can throw a fit about this, but I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm telling you that this is how it is. Not all workplaces have these coverage issues -- some places staff up more, some accept that certain work just doesn't happen during an employee's leave, etc. If you don't like the way they handle it, look for a different job. But you seem convinced you have some kind of legal recourse here and again, unless you are truly being denied ANY way of using your leave, you don't. You have no legal entitlement to go to take those specific days off.

Just another brainwashed employer who thinks it is perfectly acceptable for compensation theft.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you just submitted your leave request, but the maternity leave had already been submitted prior to yours, no?

So friggin’ what. It is MY earned leave. I’m not being compensated for the loss. Ridiculous.

Take your leave at a different time so it doesn't overlap and therefore won't be denied.

Sounds like you waited too long.

Ridiculous logic. Maybe the person who got pregnant did it too early to allow me my leave.

Next time people who get pregnant should ask their coworkers beforehand so that the team can accommodate their leave in case other team members want to use their vacation.

That’s the same kind of logic. Be mindful about when you get preggers…..jeez.

I know you think you’re being clever but this is actually a real issue for a lot of people. I have friends who made best efforts to time due dates to avoid anticipated busy periods at work (eg accountant delaying trying to get pregnant so as not to have a baby during tax season) or to time with a slow period at work (eg summer recess on the Hill).

+1, teacher time pregnancies to coincide with summer break all the time, it's actually rare for a teacher to have a baby midyear and when she does it's usually an unwelcome surprise for her.

Also, teachers regularly can't use their leave because of lack of available subs. OP is throwing a huge tantrum because she wants to take a "mini-vacation" before a wedding and her company said they can't spare the days. Cry me a freaking river. OP is either very young or just extremely entitled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long is the maternity leave and why is it you are the only person covering it? I could understand if its a 6-12 week leave. But if the wedding is in the fall and colleague not coming back until februrary, seems like work should develop an alternate plan for coverage. After all, what happens if OP gets sick and is out for 2 weeks?

This is the issue. Maternity leave is lengthy and not like swapping out vacations and nurse shifts. OP is prohibited from taking any leave for a 1.5 month to a 3 month or 6 month period? That's completely unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the pp are insane. I understand team members coordinating so that each person's 1-2 week vacations are not at the same time. But that is not what the OP is describing. The OP is being told that she can not take leave for the next 6months because another coworker is out. That is ridiculous. I hope OP works for a big enough company that their is someone above her supervisor.
OP do not take this first no as an answer. Make sure you have this information in writing. If any of this was a verbal conversation please follow up with your supervisor in an email and clarify. This way you have the situation documented to go up the chain of command.

Are you the only person covering the work for the employee on maternity leave? Therefore the only person in the company being denied leave? IF that is the case I would start asking for more compensation while your coworker is out. You are being held responsible for 2 jobs. You should be getting paid for that.

Unfortunately, I predict that OP is going to need to start looking for a new job. Companies that act like this don't change. Even if OP wins this battle she will now be engaged in a war with her supervisor.

+1000. OP, start looking for a new job now. I feel like there must be a bunch of boomers on this thread. I am genx and can not imagine telling one of my team members that they can't go to a wedding because Larla is out on maternity leave until 2/24. WTFFFF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you just submitted your leave request, but the maternity leave had already been submitted prior to yours, no?

So friggin’ what. It is MY earned leave. I’m not being compensated for the loss. Ridiculous.

Take your leave at a different time so it doesn't overlap and therefore won't be denied.

Sounds like you waited too long.

The leave is to roll in a mini vacation in prior to a fall wedding. The wedding is far, so I’d like to take a few days off prior to the wedding so we can explore the area and make traveling that far worth it. I cannot move a wedding date.

It’s not my responsibility to accommodate maternity leave so that I can use my earned leave. If you are going to deny my leave, then I should be getting a cash payout at the end of the year.

You aren't entitled to leave for a wedding. You can't go. Or you can go but must spend the money to travel without the extra time.

Maternity leave is mandated by the government. The company can't force someone on maternity leave back before their federally mandated FMLA period. This is true whether the leave is paid or unpaid. And it's not reasonable to expect your employer to hire a temp for you to take off a few days, unless your job is incredibly simply and easy.

This has nothing to do with "punishing" you for not having kids. It's a practical consideration based on relevant laws and liabilities. It's honestly only incidentally about children or who is a parent.

I am entitled to my leave. Wrong. It is stipulated in my work contract that I get X number of days per year for leave as part of my compensation. The employer is violating the contract they signed.

If you really think that, run with it and see what happens.

You are entitled to your leave, but you aren't entitled to leave for this specific purpose. Unless you are actually being told you may not use ANY leave at all this year, and then will lose it at the end of the year (which I don't think is what is happening), you are not being denied leave. You are just being denied this specific request.

Look, you can throw a fit about this, but I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm telling you that this is how it is. Not all workplaces have these coverage issues -- some places staff up more, some accept that certain work just doesn't happen during an employee's leave, etc. If you don't like the way they handle it, look for a different job. But you seem convinced you have some kind of legal recourse here and again, unless you are truly being denied ANY way of using your leave, you don't. You have no legal entitlement to go to take those specific days off.

Just another brainwashed employer who thinks it is perfectly acceptable for compensation theft.

Answer this question: are you being denied taking ANY leave between now and the end of the year (resulting in you losing saved leave), or are you simply being denied this specific leave? If just this specific leave, it's not compensation theft at all and you are being a child.

Second question: regardless of which situation it is, have you simply asked HR if you can roll over this leave since your request to use it was denied? If you haven't and you are this worked up before even knowing for sure whether you are losing your leave, you are being a child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How long is the maternity leave and why is it you are the only person covering it? I could understand if its a 6-12 week leave. But if the wedding is in the fall and colleague not coming back until februrary, seems like work should develop an alternate plan for coverage. After all, what happens if OP gets sick and is out for 2 weeks?

This is the issue. Maternity leave is lengthy and not like swapping out vacations and nurse shifts. OP is prohibited from taking any leave for a 1.5 month to a 3 month or 6 month period? That's completely unreasonable.

1.5 month is reasonable especially in certain industries, 3-6 months is unreasonable except in extreme circumstances (you're the person who prepares security briefings for the president and have a special clearance to do your job, though in that case, they'd just assign someone not on maternity leave as backup, and also a person in that job would not be as petulant about a wedding as OP is being).

OP has yet to confirm she's actually being denied leave for the duration of the leave. For all we know, her request happens to coincide with an all-hands summit or she's an event planner and has a conference that week that normally her colleague could cover but can't due to maternity leave.

I think OP is being intentionally sketchy about this because she's mad she can't go on this specific vacation.

[Anonymous]

Another attempt by a corporation to get the peons to fight each other so they can continue to abuse employees as much as they wish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happens all the time at my work because we need X number of people. If Jane requests 2 weeks off and then Mary requests those same 2 weeks off, Mary's leave will be denied. It has nothing to do with having kids or not. You are covering someone's leave so can't take time off during it.

unfortunately, this. OP's company policies of "use it or lose it" sucks. It's unfortunate, but that's your company's policy. It's not the fault of the person who took maternity leave way in advance of your request for leave.

This. The policy sucks but the maternity leave aspect is wholly irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

I would not work at a place where they deny reasonable leave and force employees to forfeit PTO simply to accommodate the schedules of women given very generous maternity leave.

You deserve a better work environment, OP. Get out of there now and let your manager figure out how to manage more effectively next time.

[Anonymous]

You have a right to use your leave, but your boss generally has the right to approve or deny WHEN you use it. Earning leave does not usually mean you get to take off whenever you want.

But, the boss must be reasonable. If you submit leave requests every month, and it's denied every month because "this isn't a good time", that is effectively denying your use of leave at all.

How long are you covering for the person on leave? If it's a short leave, or if you are trading off with someone and this happens to be your week, then the denial is reasonable. If you are covering for 6 months, and your boss is saying that you can't take any leave at all for those 6 months, that is not reasonable and you should talk to HR to ask for more information on the policy.