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Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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How do you deal with a passive/aggressive boss who just ignores vacation requests? My husband only has a few months per year when he can take time off (the business is seasonal). He put in for his vacation weeks ago. It was supposed to start Tuesday. We had not reason to think it wouldn't be approved. Yesterday, his boss wrote the schedule for the next two weeks and just put my husband on the schedule. No formal denial, nothing. Just wrote him on the schedule. My husband would ask his boss about this, but his boss did it right before he (meaning the boss) left for the Florida Keys--for his little vacation. Wth. So now my husband can't even reach his boss (the jackass is ignoring texts, calls, etc).
Obviously, he's trying to get out of this place, but is there anything to do in the meantime? I guess I'll cancel my vacation. This totally sucks.
Can your husband make a suggestion which would both satisfy company objectives and also allow him to take a vacation? Make it to his boss's boss or the person acting as the boss. Maybe switch with someone else.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,930,296 times
Reputation: 9885
Thanks, Charles. Yeah, my husband has always had an ownership mentality so this time off request was for one of the absolute slowest periods. I truly can't comprehend why the leave wasn't approved. I suspect it may have something to do with the business sales being down and the owners seem to be in a panic. My husband and his boss have made numerous suggestions to lower expenses that the owners just don't want to hear. I just can't figure out how ticking off one of the guys who helps you make money is in your best interest.
Someone is in charge and responsible for schedules while the boss is gone. They would be the first ones to go to. Though it sounds like you don't think it was the case, maybe the boss flat out made an error. (Approach it that way with whoever was in charge.)
Call in sick or quit . This is pretty much what I've have done in the past. Does this person boss do this on a regular?
I have had a couple of bosses in the past that would try these type of shenanigans and resulted me calling in sick or they got the pink slip from me and I quit The later one always end with them asking me to come back or a state of shock, which ends up with my answer of no thanks. I have a policy I do not accept do-overs from employers. If I earn vacation time with you as an employee I expect to be able to take it.
How do you deal with a passive/aggressive boss who just ignores vacation requests? My husband only has a few months per year when he can take time off (the business is seasonal). He put in for his vacation weeks ago. It was supposed to start Tuesday. We had not reason to think it wouldn't be approved. Yesterday, his boss wrote the schedule for the next two weeks and just put my husband on the schedule. No formal denial, nothing. Just wrote him on the schedule. My husband would ask his boss about this, but his boss did it right before he (meaning the boss) left for the Florida Keys--for his little vacation. Wth. So now my husband can't even reach his boss (the jackass is ignoring texts, calls, etc).
Obviously, he's trying to get out of this place, but is there anything to do in the meantime? I guess I'll cancel my vacation. This totally sucks.
Is it possible the boss was preoccupied and forgot? Not trying to say this is the case, but I used to do scheduling for a large retail location and without fail on the weeks where the schedule was difficult due to requests, I would forget someone's random request, or request that was not usual because it took me so long to do the schedule. Schedules can take hours (I had 122 people at one point) and the random 4 hour gap on Tuesday that you just can't fill takes more mental power when you are 4 hours in to completing a schedule than you can imagine).
Also, many places I have worked (this sounds like it also may be retail or something similar) do not deny vacation, only approve it. So, while I see this is annoying, I am also going to say it was the fault of your husband for not confirming the vacation had been approved. He asked for it months ago. He waits until the Friday before to clear it? If the boss was also off that week, and scheduled in advance prior to your husband's request , your husband probably would have been denied anyway.
As for the boss not answering calls or texts, he is on vacation. If your husband was on vacation and his boss called or texted him, you wold be furious that the man dared bother your husband during vacation.
But, yes, I do think you need to cancel your vacation.
... I am also going to say it was the fault of your husband for not confirming the vacation had been approved. He asked for it months ago. He waits until the Friday before to clear it?
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
4,640 posts, read 11,930,296 times
Reputation: 9885
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebunny
Is it possible the boss was preoccupied and forgot? Not trying to say this is the case, but I used to do scheduling for a large retail location and without fail on the weeks where the schedule was difficult due to requests, I would forget someone's random request, or request that was not usual because it took me so long to do the schedule. Schedules can take hours (I had 122 people at one point) and the random 4 hour gap on Tuesday that you just can't fill takes more mental power when you are 4 hours in to completing a schedule than you can imagine).
Also, many places I have worked (this sounds like it also may be retail or something similar) do not deny vacation, only approve it. So, while I see this is annoying, I am also going to say it was the fault of your husband for not confirming the vacation had been approved. He asked for it months ago. He waits until the Friday before to clear it? If the boss was also off that week, and scheduled in advance prior to your husband's request , your husband probably would have been denied anyway.
As for the boss not answering calls or texts, he is on vacation. If your husband was on vacation and his boss called or texted him, you wold be furious that the man dared bother your husband during vacation.
But, yes, I do think you need to cancel your vacation.
Interesting points, thanks. My husband is a restaurant GM and has been with the place (and this boss) for over 10 years. The boss never approves or denies vacations. My husband and his boss simply let the other know when they are going on vacation. This is the first time something like this has happened. Also, my husband was very forthcoming in telling his boss that if that week didn't work, he would take another. While his boss didn't specifically approve it (he never does/has), he definitely had the option to simply say no. The passive/aggressive way that he did this is just a jerk move.
As for texting calling while on vacation, I think you have a responsibility to address an issue like denying your employee's vacation before you leave for yours. Incidentally, had my husband done this (and he schedules well over 100 people); his phone would blow up from his boss contacting him. His boss does routinely text/call him when he's off work. That will be changing starting now.
As a follow-up, his boss did leave a note that he is on vacation for the week that my husband had requested so this issue won't be resolved for days. I would venture to guess that his boss wanted this week off and just took it. My husband had no idea he was even considering this week.
Our next plan is to keep requesting time off until he approves it.
Incidentally, his boss is also a partial owner so going over his head, directly to the owners, won't work.
unfortunately your husband shouldve made sure that his request was approved. he should've followed up will before now to ensure that he could get the time off. since he cant get in touch with the boss he can contact the boss' boss or the next person in charge. he has two choices 1. take the stand that he had given his request and made plans accordingly and isnt available to work the scheduled time 2. be less aggressive and ask the next person in charge if he can still take the days off. choice 1 will probably ruffle feathers and annoy the boss but youll have a better chance in getting the originally planned days off. good luck
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The later one always end with them asking me to come back or a state of shock, which ends up with my answer of no thanks. I have a policy I do not accept do-overs from employers. 
If I earn vacation time with you as an employee I expect to be able to take it.
