Time off request rejected

[Anonymous]

I’d make sure they can’t require a dr. note if you take sick leave. You want to leave on your own terms, not get fired. Esp if you need them for a reference.

I agree this is messed up and you’ll be better off looking for another job. I’m a supervisor and would have to have a work related reason to deny someone use of their earned leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not call in sick. This is now a fireable offense, as they know you intended to take the day off.

Go talk to your boss and tell him exactly why you need to take the day off - last minute college tour spot opened up. Tell him that you will be taking a vacation day and that he needs to work it out directly with the HR manager. Remind him that you have not taken any time off in two years and have generally never given him troubles.

But you need to definitively tell him you won't be in that day and that you're happy to make an action plan, if needed, to ensure work gets done on time while you are out. Stand firm.

That is not necessarily true. I worked a a company with a similar 2 weeks notice policy for vacation. Sick leave was to be used for anything with less notice than the two weeks. We all had 2 weeks of vacation and 1 week of sick leave. So, at this company a vacation request would have been rejected because it was less than 2 weeks away, but the expectation would be that you would use a sick day. I would notify my manager/team lead that I will be using a day of sick leave for an appointment on xx date. That way your manager can plan ahead for the work but you are following HR policy. At every company I have ever worked at sick leave was allowed to be used for medical appointments for the employee and family members that needed the employee to attend. HIPPA laws say the employer can not ask what the appointment is for. To me it sounds like OP needs a mental health sick day.

I am kind of at a loss tbh now. HR is incredibly rigid and the handbook has absolutely no provision for anything in between the two week notice and sick day, but surely this scenario must occur, because life happens. Yet they didn't say to resubmit as a sick day (even though I do have sick time off accrued). Part of me thinks I should not go on the trip now but I am very resentful about it. I don't feel treated like a human being. I hesitate about asking if a sick day would be appropriate.

OP - talk to your manager. Find out what's going on.

[Anonymous]

Call in sick the day before, day of, and day after. Coincidences happen.

[Anonymous]

In the age of Covid, this cannot seriously be a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call in sick the day before, day of, and day after. Coincidences happen.

agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not call in sick. This is now a fireable offense, as they know you intended to take the day off.

Go talk to your boss and tell him exactly why you need to take the day off - last minute college tour spot opened up. Tell him that you will be taking a vacation day and that he needs to work it out directly with the HR manager. Remind him that you have not taken any time off in two years and have generally never given him troubles.

But you need to definitively tell him you won't be in that day and that you're happy to make an action plan, if needed, to ensure work gets done on time while you are out. Stand firm.

That is not necessarily true. I worked a a company with a similar 2 weeks notice policy for vacation. Sick leave was to be used for anything with less notice than the two weeks. We all had 2 weeks of vacation and 1 week of sick leave. So, at this company a vacation request would have been rejected because it was less than 2 weeks away, but the expectation would be that you would use a sick day. I would notify my manager/team lead that I will be using a day of sick leave for an appointment on xx date. That way your manager can plan ahead for the work but you are following HR policy. At every company I have ever worked at sick leave was allowed to be used for medical appointments for the employee and family members that needed the employee to attend. HIPPA laws say the employer can not ask what the appointment is for. To me it sounds like OP needs a mental health sick day.

I would not notify anyone that I would be taking a sick day in advance. It may put you in a box with HR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call in sick the day before, day of, and day after. Coincidences happen.

This is the way

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound harsh, but OP's inability to push back and try to find a resolution to her problem could explain why she is stuck in a low level job at middle age.

Totally and context is important. Perhaps if they knew that the day off was for a college visit, they would change their minds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the sick day and update your resume.

+10000. This is ridiculous.

💯

And to the pp asking why both parents need to go-that’s be beside the point. Op is clearly not valued at their job and needs to start looking elsewhere. I would if I were you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound harsh, but OP's inability to push back and try to find a resolution to her problem could explain why she is stuck in a low level job at middle age.

Totally and context is important. Perhaps if they knew that the day off was for a college visit, they would change their minds?

Why does it matter what the day is needed for, though? I don't care why my staff needs a day off, that's not my business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take the sick day and update your resume.

+10000. This is ridiculous.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your manager directly and tell him/her that you need this day off. Ask for clarification of why it was rejected. Is there a big meeting going on that day? Something that you absolutely need to be there for?

My job isn't like that. We do not have meetings on Fridays and the only work is the same work we always do. We don't have any special deadlines coming up. Many other people do what I do and extra hours are given if someone takes off, which is why I thought it was best to give some notice so someone else could take my hours. So no, it's just about the petty "two week notice" aspect. Now I can see if I were a frequent flyer at this but it is literally the very first time I ask for a personal day.

If they’re going to be petty, you can be petty too. Just call out sick. Disrespectful people don’t deserve your respect.

I am going to do that I think. I absolutely hate lying, especially since my managers will know this is totally fake and I am not sick. But at the same time what do they expect me to do exactly after rejecting my request?

Why are you so resistant to having a conversation with your manager about the time off? You say they are second in line to HR, but as your manager it is their job to go to bat for you and send HR an email saying it was cleared by them. Seems like a big step to go straight to faking a sick day that they will know about. Ask them what is so important that they can't give you the day off, and see if there is a way to come to an agreement. If they blow you off, that's an answer in and of itself.

You sa

Because I don't think they care. They manage huge teams of people and we don't know each other physically. There is nothing important or a good reason for not giving me a day off, so it's pretty clear where they stand. I don't want to make needless waves.

For crying out loud stop being a wet noodle and go talk to the one you are the closest too. Stop speculating and feeling sorry for yourself. Stop making excuses. If they are jerks to your face and have no good reason for denying your time off, then at least you had the discussion and know exactly where you stand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not call in sick. This is now a fireable offense, as they know you intended to take the day off.

Go talk to your boss and tell him exactly why you need to take the day off - last minute college tour spot opened up. Tell him that you will be taking a vacation day and that he needs to work it out directly with the HR manager. Remind him that you have not taken any time off in two years and have generally never given him troubles.

But you need to definitively tell him you won't be in that day and that you're happy to make an action plan, if needed, to ensure work gets done on time while you are out. Stand firm.

That is not necessarily true. I worked a a company with a similar 2 weeks notice policy for vacation. Sick leave was to be used for anything with less notice than the two weeks. We all had 2 weeks of vacation and 1 week of sick leave. So, at this company a vacation request would have been rejected because it was less than 2 weeks away, but the expectation would be that you would use a sick day. I would notify my manager/team lead that I will be using a day of sick leave for an appointment on xx date. That way your manager can plan ahead for the work but you are following HR policy. At every company I have ever worked at sick leave was allowed to be used for medical appointments for the employee and family members that needed the employee to attend. HIPPA laws say the employer can not ask what the appointment is for. To me it sounds like OP needs a mental health sick day.

I am kind of at a loss tbh now. HR is incredibly rigid and the handbook has absolutely no provision for anything in between the two week notice and sick day, but surely this scenario must occur, because life happens. Yet they didn't say to resubmit as a sick day (even though I do have sick time off accrued). Part of me thinks I should not go on the trip now but I am very resentful about it. I don't feel treated like a human being. I hesitate about asking if a sick day would be appropriate.

Even if you have never met your manager in person, surely you have communicated with the manager over the phone or video chat. It would not hurt to say that your need for a day off came up last minute and if there is any way the manager can override the policy. You can say that this is the first time you have asked for this and you are disappointed that there is no flexibility, especially when you are flexible and take on extra work. Your manager may surprise you and go to bat for you since it is only one day. You will only know if you try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound harsh, but OP's inability to push back and try to find a resolution to her problem could explain why she is stuck in a low level job at middle age.

Totally and context is important. Perhaps if they knew that the day off was for a college visit, they would change their minds?

Why does it matter what the day is needed for, though? I don't care why my staff needs a day off, that's not my business.

I agree with you that it should not be the norm to have to provide that.
However, taking leave on any particular day is not a right. For example, if I tried to schedule vacation nine days before an annual event that I was a key part of, my management would have questions. It is a balance and workplaces are made up of people. However, if I explained that the need was for a truly important once in a blue moon opportunity AND I helped work out a plan to mitigate the effects of my absence, it might be OK.

All of this could just be a misunderstanding and all OP needs to do is have a conversation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Talk to your manager directly and tell him/her that you need this day off. Ask for clarification of why it was rejected. Is there a big meeting going on that day? Something that you absolutely need to be there for?

My job isn't like that. We do not have meetings on Fridays and the only work is the same work we always do. We don't have any special deadlines coming up. Many other people do what I do and extra hours are given if someone takes off, which is why I thought it was best to give some notice so someone else could take my hours. So no, it's just about the petty "two week notice" aspect. Now I can see if I were a frequent flyer at this but it is literally the very first time I ask for a personal day.

If they’re going to be petty, you can be petty too. Just call out sick. Disrespectful people don’t deserve your respect.

I am going to do that I think. I absolutely hate lying, especially since my managers will know this is totally fake and I am not sick. But at the same time what do they expect me to do exactly after rejecting my request?

Why are you so resistant to having a conversation with your manager about the time off? You say they are second in line to HR, but as your manager it is their job to go to bat for you and send HR an email saying it was cleared by them. Seems like a big step to go straight to faking a sick day that they will know about. Ask them what is so important that they can't give you the day off, and see if there is a way to come to an agreement. If they blow you off, that's an answer in and of itself.

You sa

Because I don't think they care. They manage huge teams of people and we don't know each other physically. There is nothing important or a good reason for not giving me a day off, so it's pretty clear where they stand. I don't want to make needless waves.

For crying out loud stop being a wet noodle and go talk to the one you are the closest too. Stop speculating and feeling sorry for yourself. Stop making excuses. If they are jerks to your face and have no good reason for denying your time off, then at least you had the discussion and know exactly where you stand.

Their reason was very clear: I did not ask soon enough. The decision was endorsed by all the managers in the email I received. So why would I go and beg for explanations or a change of mind? They made it pretty clear it was a no. We (not just me, all employees and managers) communicate only about work and the tone at work is extremely dry and business-like. I really have no reason to think based on past interaction that asking would help at all. My lesson was that honesty does not pay and I should have taken a sick day. The second part of the lesson is I need a new job.