Boss Grants Time Off, Then Denies 3 Weeks before Int'l Travel *UPDATE*

[wolfie]

How badly do you need a job? In this economy you could be out of work for a long time. It is easier to find a job when you have a job. If you can go 2 - 3 months without a job but no more then that then i wouldn't quit over it - but I would send out resumes. If you can go indefinitely then go ahead and quit - but be aware that it is likely you will be out of work for 10 - 12 months.

[veronaz]

Sounds like the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, OR your boss has some reason she told HER boss, as to why you shouldn't be allowed to go.

Obviously Temper Tantrum boss has some real power if she is allowed to get away with physically assaulting an employee.  This is an unsafe work atmosphere, imo.

Then perhaps tell one of your best buds at work that your DH is fine with you quitting to go on this trip so you are seriously thinking of that as an option and maybe that will get back to boss and they can change their mind without a loss of face.

I would not tell a "best bud" or anyone else.  People know what side their bread is buttered on.  This will just stir the pot, and they (bosses) don't care about "saving face"......it's obvious from the history.

[Pioneer]

Next I get to write my very first letter of resignation!

Dear Bosses,

I quit. You two need couple's counseling.

Peace out,

JillyBean

Glitter always says something to make me giggle! 

[OSUJillyBean]

Next I get to write my very first letter of resignation!

Dear Bosses,

I quit. You two need couple's counseling.

Peace out,

JillyBean

    Oh I'd love to give them that!!  (I will give them something professional and appropriate when the time comes in case a future employer calls them for a reference).

[JenJay]

Unbelievable. 

Here's hoping you have a fantastic vacation and then come home and land your dream job!

[cheyne]

Good for you on getting out of there, OSUJillyBean.  I've worked some crap jobs in my life (literally, cleaning toilets etc...) but I've never had to work for a lunatic that hits employees.

Enjoy your trip!

[Hmmmmm]

Friday the 24th will be two weeks before my vacation start so I suppose I'll give my notice then.  And I get two "floating holidays" and my husband thinks I should use them my last two days with this company.  Thoughts?

I'm really sorry this is coming around like this but sometimes being out of work is the best way to motivate yourself to getting a new job.

I wouldn't use the 2 days as holidays, instead I'd use the money they'll have to cash out for you to have a really special dinner on your vacation. Or stock it away to go have a special treat when you might be feeling down or a little blue if job hunting takes longer than you expected.

Really happy your DH is being so supportive.

And I'd make sure I gave the resignation letter to Professional Boss. Don't worry about burning your bridges with crappy boss as I doubt she has the ability to give a decent reference.

[Jones]

Some places do not cash out unused time off; my previous place of employment did not, though my current does. If yours does, Jilly, that is the option I would take too.

[TootsNYC]

Is it that that need your hands in the office for workload?

Or is it just that you don't have the days off accrued?

If it's the second one, maybe you could suggest some of those days be unpaid, given that they were so unclear with you.

[OSUJillyBean]

We switched to accrued vacation and accrued sick leave (which is stupid imho) on Jan 1st 2014.  So I started the year with no leave of any kind except my two floating holidays.  We are not allowed to take unpaid leave (according to Professional Boss).  We CAN take time-off before we've technically accrued it, so long as we continue to work for the company afterwards to "pay that back", as it were.  Or you leave anyways and then you have to pay the money back out of your paycheck or out of your pocket.  That's a new company policy but my bosses don't seem to want to let me invoke it.   

I accrue vacation time at 1.25 days/month.  So does everyone else.  This means everyone will be eligible to take their vacation time towards the end of the year.  But of course not everyone is allowed to be gone at the same time so I'm not sure what will happen.

Unused sick days and floating holidays are NOT paid out at the end of the year, or when an employee leaves. 

[Deetee]

We switched to accrued vacation and accrued sick leave (which is stupid imho) on Jan 1st 2014.  So I started the year with no leave of any kind except my two floating holidays.  We are not allowed to take unpaid leave (according to Professional Boss).  We CAN take time-off before we've technically accrued it, so long as we continue to work for the company afterwards to "pay that back", as it were.  Or you leave anyways and then you have to pay the money back out of your paycheck or out of your pocket.  That's a new company policy but my bosses don't seem to want to let me invoke it.   

I accrue vacation time at 1.25 days/month.  So does everyone else.  This means everyone will be eligible to take their vacation time towards the end of the year.  But of course not everyone is allowed to be gone at the same time so I'm not sure what will happen.

Unused sick days and floating holidays are NOT paid out at the end of the year, or when an employee leaves.

Does your accrued holiday time go over to next year? Or will this be an issue every year where no-one can take holiday time until half way through the year.

Let us know what happens when you resign!

[OSUJillyBean]

You can keep 40 hours of vacation time from one year to the next if you haven't used it.  And those who've been here longer get something like 1.75 days/month accrued. 

[mimi_cat]

Oh wow.  The smart way to handle it would have been to give people a year's notice, so if anyone wanted to bank vacation time they could plan that out. 

But yes - you are going to have a large # of people taking vacations all at once towards the end of the year.

If you can afford to be w/o work and think that you can find another job, then quitting does sound like your best option.  I'd also lay this out to whoever does your exit interview.  This is a crazy reason to lose an employee ever.

[Ceallach]

We work on accrued leave time here (it's legislative in Australia anyway).  But even so, we do let people take a bit in advance or even without pay if they are an employee in good standing.

I just can't imagine any company ever thinking a person was just going to skip their already booked vacation because of work?  What kind of power trip are they on!     I do remember a US friend of mine having a similar situation where her boss told her they needed her to stay and work at a time where her honeymoon was booked for, which had been approved ages beforehand.  She laughed and said absolutely no way, and they backed down.   She too would have quit if they'd pushed it.   I wonder if it's because holidays aren't a legal thing over there but often an employee benefit bestowed by the company, so there isn't that same expectation of people being able to use it, more of a "we giveth and we taketh away" type mindset by bosses.   (We do have some discretion here, for example we can insist people take it during quiet periods or if they accrue too much, but it's fairly rare to decline a request! I've never in my whole career had a vacation request declined, and I use all of my leave each year).   And re waiting for approval, usually we do the opposite here.   I'll say to my boss "I'm thinking of taking X amount of time off in X month for X reason, will that be ok?"  they say yes, I book flights etc, and then I submit the formal request knowing it will be approved.

[fountainof]

I would be prepared with my answer should they decide to approve the vacation once you provide the resignation letter, things like that happen all the time, especially if they are short handed.

The economy comments really depend what you do and where you live as the economy is strong in my area and many firms have a hard time getting suitable candidates so I don't think it is a guaranteed 10-12 months unemployed.  I am not saying everyone who seeks employment here finds it as there are some unemployable people based on skills, personality, etc. but unemployment is low overall.