Taking time off work is usually exciting. Perhaps you’re planning an exotic vacation abroad or visiting family members that you only get to see a few times a year. But sometimes, time off is a necessity. Having health issues and needing an operation isn’t exactly my idea of fun, but it does require some days off.
But according to one boss, only one employee is allowed to be away from work at a time, regardless of the circumstances. Below, you’ll find a story that was shared on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit detailing how a bride became furious at another colleague for unintentionally stealing her days off.
This person’s boss has a strict policy allowing only one employee off at a time
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels (not the actual photo)
So a bride was furious to find out that her time off had been revoked due to this colleague’s surgery
Image credits: Cedric Fauntleroy / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Liza Summer / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Later, the employee clarified some more details about the situation
Image credits: TAeyeop
Employees in the UK are entitled to 5.6 weeks of vacation every year
It often feels like no matter how many days off your employer will give you, it’s never enough. We all want to go on vacation now and then, we’re bound to get sick at least once a year, and it’s important to take days off for rest and relaxation every now and then. Before you know it, you’ve used up all of your days for the entire year, and you have to be extremely careful not to need any more time off until you can accumulate more days.
This particular story takes place in the UK, where most employees are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday each year, according to the UK government. In theory, employees should be able to use these days whenever they would like. And when it comes to medical appointments, Acas notes that there is “no legal right to time off work” to go to the doctor. But employers do have a “duty of care.”
Employers are obligated to do everything they can, within reason, to ensure their employees are safe, healthy and that their wellbeing is protected at work. It’s recommended for bosses to be flexible about time off when it comes to medical appointments because it’s crucial for their staff to take care of their health, and this can even reduce sickness absence in the future.
It’s unreasonable for companies to expect only one employee to be gone at a time
In fact, it’s not even legally required in the UK for employees to provide proof of a medical appointment to their employers, Acas notes. And as for taking time off for an operation, workers are typically allowed to use their sick leave. How much sick pay they have should be specified in their employment contract, as well as how long it can last and any other rules the company has for sick pay.
Possibly the biggest issue in this story, however, is the fact that the employer refuses to let two workers be off at the same time. While this might not be an uncommon policy for companies to have, it’s not realistic to expect everyone except one person to be there all the time.
If one worker is on vacation, another might become ill. What if someone gets in a car accident on the way to work? Life happens, and it’s not wise to not have a plan in place for when two employees need to be gone at the same time.
It can be extremely frustrating for employees to have their paid time off revoked after it’s already been approved. But according to Workable, there are a few situations where this might happen. This might be because there was a crisis in the business, such as an unforeseen issue arising.
Revoking approved time off can take a huge toll on employee morale
It’s also possible that there are no available replacements, which can make an employee have to come in. And unfortunately, sometimes it’s simply human error. A request that should not have been approved slipped through the cracks.
While bosses might technically have the power to overrule approved PTO, Workable notes that it’s definitely not recommended. This can quickly take a toll on employee morale and trust. Workers might have vacations (or weddings) planned, and they’re likely thrilled about getting time off. Having that taken away can make them bitter and frustrated.
To prevent issues like this from happening in the workplace, Workable recommends implementing a robust PTO system, communicating openly with employees and establishing backup plans ahead of time. Cross training or hiring part-time or on-call employees can be a lifesaver in situations like this.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this employee did anything wrong by taking time off for their surgery? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing similar themes, look no further than right here!
The employee responded to comments from readers to provide more info on the situation as well
The majority of readers assured the employee that their boss was actually the person at fault here
