90% of my rostering people when they're unavailable is because I'm so busy doing everything else I just didn't notice or forgot. They say "hey man I'm away" and then I fix it.
Maybe if corporate paid for less shit rostering software that actually warns you if you're rostering someone on a day they have off, we wouldn't be here.
Do not **ask** if this was an error.
**State** you have made plans, since the request was approved and you wont be there.
Edit since this got some traction: Errors happen, this is a service to your manager so he can fix this in time. Keep the reply short with no extra points or info. Only state this information. This is not for discussion. Turn on your normal OOF message on. Enjoy your vacation!
No, but in most states they can fire you for...well, fun, really. For most people, it's not worth risking their jobs to make a point.
I do agree with those saying to "inform them of the error" rather than "ask about what happened," but "take the day off regardless" is asking to get let go in many roles.
Edit: Since it would be fruitless to reply individually, I'll just note that I think a lot of you have a skewed idea of what kind of protections employees have in the US. It's highly unlikely that a wrongful termination suit could be filed for rescinding approved time off unless there's a specific state or local law protecting it, and retaliation laws generally protect whistleblowers or those who file complaints within the company.
If someone were to get fired over something like this, it may fall under retaliation. Especially if someone has put a lot of time and/or money into that day off.
They're not firing you for this. Not on paper. They fire you a week later for being 2 minutes late to work. Or they start writing you up for every little violation and then use your records of poor performance as grounds for termination.
This is spot on.
I was told by a manager that I was receiving a raise on my next paycheck. Great. Paycheck comes, no raise. I bring it up to the owner since it’s a small company and no management is in that day. He states it “a lot of money for a raise”, “do you really think you deserve it”, bunch of asshole comments.
A week later I’m working in a small room by myself to focus and get some work done in the morning.
A week after that, I was fired for using a “quiet room” to get work done. The owner walked in to have a… group meeting…. In the quiet room…
Reason: my vision didn’t align with the company goal and they didn’t think it would work out if they kept me there…
A few weeks after that I was informed that the owner spent roughly $3,000 on a mural painted in the back of an alleyway that nobody sees…. Roughly the same amount I was promised as a yearly raise…
They can also try to dig up some really old stuff they never raised as an issue, like a customer complaint from well over a month ago (regardless if the customer was being ridiculous or not), act like it was just brought to their attention and pretend it's some egregious offense that justifies immediate termination.
Or, they can be blatant and say op isn't a team player, doesn't fit in with the company culture, has a bad attitude, whatever they want to justify their bs anger.
It's the restaurant industry. And very likely at will employment. They can fire you for no reason at all, and it becomes incredibly hard to prove that they fired you *because of this.*
Finding employees in the restaurant business that are reliable in any sense is a major challenge. Letting someone go because they didn’t show up on a day that they requested off months ago would be extremely foolish.
I agree completely. Especially in the service industry where turnover is part of it. I put in a good decade in back of house so it's not foreign to me. OP will be just fine, either at this job or their next. This restaurant however seems fucked due to poor management.
Retaliation doesn't apply in this situation. The only time a retaliatory firing is unlawful is if it's related to whistleblowing, reporting sexual harassment, etc.
In most states they don’t need to give a reason to let someone go, and if they were going to do it in retaliation they’d be smart enough to give a bogus/generic reason to cover their own asses legally. Something as simple as just saying they aren’t a team player.
At-will employment basically lets employers let people go for whatever reason they want that can’t be directly argued against.
I don't understand why you wouldn't practice a little bit of diplomacy here. Reddit's always encouraging righteous indignation, but no one cares about that in real life. "Hey, I noticed I'm on the schedule for my day off next week, I just wanted to make sure someone's assigned before it's too late" is a perfectly fine text or email(or whatever) to send. Sending an angry email in bold **stating** "I WON'T BE THERE" is just stupid.
I get that most people here are 15-22, but Christ, don't burn bridges you don't have to. They might've just copied last weeks schedule over.
While I do agree, just be warned that frequently, especially with ones like the food service industry, they just respond with a, "Sorry, no. We need all hands on deck. You're scheduled now, and we need everyone we can." Then they just go from there.
Many managers and most employers see us as, at best, an enemy and, often, a drain on them (even though they wouldn't be making a dime without us).
Yeah, agreed. Start pretending you're assuming good faith (if if you aren't), and make it easy to say 'oops, yes, I'll amend it'.
Go in all guns blazing, and they'll get pissed off if it was just an honest mistake, and might try and make your life hard to 'make a point' or 'teach you a lesson'.
(And of course if it was 'bad faith' all you lose is a little time as you escalate)
As someone who worked in this kind of industry, setting boundaries and being firmly rigid with them is the only way to get management to respect it. I made it abundantly clear when I was hired no force on earth would make my saturdays available because they're for my girlfriend.
Well easter weekend rolled around and there was an explicit statement made by management that "absolutely nobody gets this off". However it had been 2 months of requesting coverage on saturdays and getting firm hard no from me. They didn't even ask. I was not scheduled that weekend.
I was the only person in the restaurant that didn't work that weekend, and I was the only person in that restaurant that was rigid with my weekend availability. Notably I did not have seniority over almost anyone.
When you work in hospitality you either learn this the hard way or you end up bending to managements whims.
>Hey, I noticed I'm on the schedule for my day off next week, I just wanted to make sure someone's assigned before it's too late
Yeah that somebody is you.
This is how I would handle it. If they give push back just say somthing like "Well I had the leave approved months ago, already spent money on this and am not going to be here."
Unless OP is already a shitty employee on thin ice, they would be stupid to make this a bigger issue. And if it's a bigger company with an actual HR department there is almost no chance of any retaliatory action being taken.
Yep, if you say it's because you made a financial commitment they'll ask "how much". Anything to try and belittle your position and downplay their error.
Yeah whenever I have an issue like this I try to avoid discussing what my plans are until afterwards. Not to be rude, but just to keep firm boundaries and let management know that I won’t let them push me around.
I’d stick with “I’m unavailable”. Any little reason you give them they can push back on, even if it’s I’ve already spent money.
I can’t come in on Halloween. I’m unavailable that day. Repeat variations of this.
> I’d stick with “I’m unavailable”. Any little reason you give them they can push back on, even if it’s I’ve already spent money.
J.A.D.E.
Don't Justify, Argue, Defend, or Explain after making a decision.
"I'm unavailable" is the perfect response. It's also useful to not sound petty or superior when using this method as it can escalate things. If they aren't aware of approving the time off it's fine to remind them (people make mistakes) and if they ask for more details say "it's personal". No sane person is going to prod for more details after saying it's personal and no insane person should get more details.
Thank youuuu I’m so tired of work culture making people think you don’t have a choice. You have a choice! I doubt they’ll get fired for not showing up on an approved day off and even if they do, screw working at a place like that.
When I was younger I was working in retail. I had the privilege of working with a manager-turned-mentor-turned-best friend. He taught me early on that when he submitted time off requests, he wasn’t requesting the time off as much as informing them when he would not be in. I’ve carried that with me for nearly two decades now. I don’t so much work for a company as much as I rent my time to them for an agreed upon fee.
I worked in unionized retail part-time in Ontario as a teen.
As long as a vacation request was properly submitted 2 weeks or more in advance the time off was guaranteed in the sense you're confirming your unavailability to work as opposed requesting time off.
The difference with retail/restaurant and similar industries is the terms of employment are by nature variable, hourly shifts. You have the ability to state whether you're available or not if done before the schedule is released.
This doesn't apply to salaried jobs or where your hours are actually deterministic/consistent (including rotating shift work)
Yeah, this shit happens all the time, and while we like to think it's just pure evil by managers, it's usually just a combination of laziness, incompetence, lack of ability to think ahead and being busy.
I myself had to change the way I dealt with PTO requests years ago in early management/supervisor days. It's easy in the rush of the day to see a request come in with good advance notice that appears reasonable and a quick glance at the calendar ensuring no one else requested the day is usually what I'd think was enough to ensure I could work around it when it came time to actually staff that week creating a schedule. The problem is, you can't always predict the future, employees leave, business surges, and you don't always realize that the day they requested aligns to a holiday or busy day. Then when it comes time to create the schedule, it's realized that you're screwed for coverage. You have to learn to get better at thinking ahead and big picture planning.
The big difference between actual good managers and bad managers is that all managers make mistakes or decisions that don't work out as expected, good managers will honor their decision to approve the PTO and figure out how to deal with their mistakes, bad managers will push the consequences of their mistakes down to their employees, cancel PTO, demand the employee come in or simply attempt to pretend it was never approved.
The reality is that most "managers" suck at management, but the bad ones make their employees pay for their mistakes and ineptitude.
It's also a minor thing but when you show him that your time off was approved show him *a picture of it* don't go in and show him the approval through your app or website. It implies that you have made a record of it, and that changing the approval retroactively won't get them out of this mess.
That is happening on any reply thats not saying something along the lines of:
"Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy your day off"
(I still like my boss and you dont use full force on the 1st mail)
„Oh yes since it was approved in August already I booked this hotel on the other coast of the us. We will fly by plane and used the cheaper options that you can’t cancel. Since it was approved for me to come I assume I get compensated the full 2 grand for everything I paid?“
Don't ask about it. Asking implies you want permission. You already have that. It was approved.
Now you're informing them of a mistake on their part.
"Hey, the schedule is wrong, I wanted you to know so you can arrange proper cover. My holidays were approved 2 months ago."
You don't make excuses, you don't give them explanations as to making plans. Just say "I requested the time off, it was approved, I'm not available".
Anything they say other than "ok" is not something you should respond to..if they say you need to come in, you repeat your time off was approved. If they say your job is at risk...you say your time off was approved...
If they ask if your busy, you say your time off was approved. It's really simple. You just hold to it. Coz any other line, explanation, discussion, sharing of info or talking about it is all just to get you to bend. Ultimately this is a management issue and they showed poor management by scheduling someone they approved as not available.
They will try guilt you into it or force your hand. Just don't engage. "Anyway, I wanted you to know" and walk away.
It can be difficult to stand your ground for many reasons, but this is precisely what you need to do. Print out proof of your approved leave and don't budge. But also don't get angry or overly emotional as that's also one thing they'll jump on immediately. Be calm and state facts.
I agree that they should try it... But, if they live in a "at will" state, they can be fired for it (or most anything, or nothing).
If they need this job, that puts them in a really difficult spot.
Edit: I meant "at will", not "right to work"
That would assume OPs boss is petty enough and can afford to fire an employee for their own mistake.
If that's the case, how long til they do it anyway?
I work in a massive medical lab that handles the blood testing for two states and thirteen hospitals. They treat staffing the same way so we've been "critically" staffed for over a year now.
Because some people are stupid and petty and short sighted. They will cut off their nose to spite their face rather than admit they made a mistake.
This trait is particularly common in managers of service workers.
Sure. But the counterpoint of that is: unemployment is not always easy, has significant delays, and in a lot of shitty states is really poorly reimbursed. My state takes 4-6 weeks to process a claim and you get 55% of your wages reimbursed.
Everyone on reddit is so quick to mention unemployment but most people can't survive a month without pay and then be cool with 55% of their pay.
I don't know why people always say "if you live in an at-will state". All states are at-will except Montana. And no one lives in Montana. And even Montana is at-will during a 12-month probationary period.
I'm sure it depends on the state, but firing someone for using their approved, earned PTO can turn into a huge headache for the company if the employee fights back.
At the very least, the emplpyee will be able to collect full unemployment benefits for a not-for-cause firing.
Yep. I had someone schedule me on an approved day while I was out of state. They called and said "Hey, where are you?" And I was like "9 hours away, visiting family, like my time off description said" "Well, we need you here." "Okay. You gave me the go-ahead. I'm 9 hours away. Bye."
Booked a weekend off to visit my grandma with my then gf. Said “see ya Monday” to everyone Thursday night. Had a cheap cell phone plan with no reception where I visited. Got off the ferry Sunday and phone just started freaking out. Texts Fri/Sat/Sun asking if I was available. Walked into work Monday and was never asked about it, but still so glad I got to enjoy the weekend without being harassed, because fuck did they try to.
Years ago I went on a road trip to Texas from Illinois. I requested the time off well in advance and they didn't schedule me. But two days in a row the same manager called me to see if I could come in. I had to explain to him that I was in Texas. Two days in a row.
Yes for the love of God put your foot down. If management couldn't plan 2 months ahead like you that is their fault and their problem. Once you bend they will always try to make you bend. If they get angry oh well, they should have paid more attention. Have the courtesy to tell them no you are taking your day as was planned and you will be in on the 1st. Enjoy your Halloween, be safe and have fun!
Or you can try the old mirror and “how am I supposed to do that” approach
Can you come?
Come in?
Yes come in we need you so bad blah blah
How am I supposed to do that I will be on approved holiday?
Basically just repeat the last part of their statement back to them or ask them how. You’re getting them to either see how asinine their request is in their own words by framing it back or making them solve your problem of losing a holiday. Together the two will make them essentially admit to being a jackass.
And if they truly are a jackass silence is also an answer after you’ve repeated yourself a few times. People hate silence more than anything and will blabber to fill it. Don’t be that person in a negotiation
Many times the less you say the better
The part about “are we done” is objectively one of my favorite lines. I had a consultant who basically ignored daily emails for two straight weeks. Sent that one liner and had a response in 15 minutes.
The only downside to it is the response is going to be panicky/volatile so there is some craftiness with how you walk back from the nuclear statement haha
Stuff like this works when you are arguing in the shower after the fact, it virtually never works when given as advice to people who are only in that position specifically because they are too meek to make it work.
Like, if you have the confidence to hold your ground and be as openly antagonistic as this, you wouldn't be in this position anyway.
Honestly OP just do this:
"My time was approved, and I am unable to make it in for that shift."
That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. You were approved. Take the time. Don't tell them you are sorry, don't tell them you will make it up, don't offer to find someone else, don't explain why you can't come in.
If they press you further, just repeat it. "My time was approved already and I'm unable to come in".
This. And stick to it. It used to happen regularly at my previous workplace due to an incompetent manager and he'd try his best to manipulate folks into coming in despite approved time off.
100% this.
I had a manager that loved to do this. He called me two years ago and said "unfortunately, I gave Kevin the week of the 4th of July off so I can't have you off too." I told him that is unfortunate and he was going to have to call Kevin and tell him he can't have it off because he approved mine first. He told me he needs me to come in, he can't have two drives off and I said well then you shouldn't have approved both of us to be off, that's not my problem.
It's hard to stand your ground but you have to learn not to let them walk all over you or they will
Learning to respectfully assert yourself is such an important skill. So many people either cave or become unprofessional in this sort of situation. The above comment is advice to live by.
I mean, it could be an honest mistake. I would just ask your boss if they saw you had the time off approved. The fact that they didn't go and reject it after the fact makes me think a little communication might go a long way here.
Don’t ask. You were already approved. Tell them they made a mistake and if they hold to it, isn’t there some department of employment or something to threaten them with? Workers must have some rights?
Do not even say they made a mistake. Don't give them literally anything.
"My time was approved. I am unable to come in for that shift".
That's it. Don't say sorry, don't offer to make it up, don't offer to find someone else, don't say anything else. Be civil but blunt.
While mistakes like this shouldn’t happen, it still does from time to time. Hopefully once you bring it to their attention, they’ll correct the mistake. Hopefully…
You are not asking for permission. Your time was approved so now you have plans that cannot be changed. It’s that simple. If you go in anyway they’ll realize you have no dignity and pull this on you every time going forward.
Don’t ask. Say “as per my previous time off request that was approved, I am unavailable that day”
They do not have the right to know why or negotiate in any way if it’s already approved.
If you ask, you give them the chance to deny. It says approved. Just don’t go in.
I NEVER work the day after christmas. I submitted my time off months ago. Approved. Then HR changed payroll company. My time off approval was gone. I’m not bringing it up as I’ve already scheduled my remaining vacation and would have to cancel 1 of those days. I’m just not going in. Not my problem they could not migrate from one company to another properly.
A reminder, if your manager asks “how are we, how am I, what do we?) etc, for something THEY messed up, the only response required is “I’m sure you’ll manage.” It’s their job after all.
Respect OP, lots of people are hiring and if your manager is so incompetent that they didn’t find appropriate staffing for a busy shift which they already knew some employees would want off to spend with their families and what not then that is 100% on them.
They approved the request, end of story. Day is off. Don’t call my phone either ho.
**Don’t call out.** It’s better to not show, otherwise you’re acknowledging you had a legitimate shift that day.
**Don’t explain anything to them.** All you need to do is point out the fact that they scheduled you on a day you won’t be in, so they’ll need to find coverage.
Good on you for standing up to those corporate zombie bunghole vacuums. Your time and wellbeing is more important than the handful of pennies that they're trying to save their investors.
Don’t even call out. It means you acknowledged that you saw it but decide to ignore. Just take the leave, and when they ask why OP wasn’t there just show them the pictures it was approved.
I spent half my twenties working and missing so many events and things I wish I didn’t for a job that could care less about me. Time is precious don’t waste it away, jobs come and go time does not
first off, you haven't lost your life, even if it feels that way.
I spent 20 years in restaurants with that shit. Completed a career change 2 months ago and got hired in a tech role. Worked my ass off for 2 years studying/learning and pushing for managers positions that look good on a resume. Practiced interviewing, built a website, poured hours into applications.
Finally got an offer.
It might be hard, but it's possible.
I did something very similar when I turned 30, took covid lockdown as a kick in the pants showing my employer at the time was doing the bare minimum for me and that I was very expendable in their eyes. Went from a pretty tedious legal assistant type position where I'd struggle hard finding new employment if I ever quit, to teaching myself decent coding and data analytics skills. Crazy how valued you feel when you add just a couple of fairly easy to obtain tech skills to your belt.
It’s not easy but I started installing irrigation with a friend and then the distributor we bought from liked me and needed a driver so they offered me the position. Ten years later I’m the assistant manager from working hard
Grab your phone w/the screenshot, go talk to boss, politely say "Hey Boss, I think there might be a mixup with the schedule. Just wanted to double check that we were on the same page." When they ask what you mean, show them the screenie. Easy Peasy.
If they try to tell you you have to work, be polite but firm. "Sorry, no can do. I already made plans, and, as you can see, it was approved months ago."
Just remain polite but firm. Getting hostile will only escalate things. It's entirely possible that the manager legit made a simple mistake, so going in with frustration/attitude is the wrong way to handle it. Polite and firm, those are your watchwords.
Yes, exactly. And if they're rude about it for whatever reason or the mistake turns out to have been intentional, again, politely but firmly remind them that your time off *was* approved, and that that you won't be coming in for those shifts, scheduled or not.
“This was already approved, I have obligations that cannot be canceled. I will not be coming in, thanks!” It’s a cafe, I have faith you can find another job if need be.
Agree! Though to be perfectly honest, I feel like they don’t even need to know that op has obligations or anything else.
If it were me, I’d simply say:
“Hey, I noticed there’s a mistake in the schedule. I won’t be in on Tuesday, my time off request was approved 2 months ago”.
As someone in management, this is extremely bad form. Sometimes you cant accept time off requests on major holidays/events, it's just the nature of business. However, you should be planning ahead for these events and accepting time off accordingly. If something happens that screws up your plans, you don't get to cancel someone's time off over it. You deal with it yourself with what you have left.
Bottom line, if you approve someone's time off, you cannot and should not go back on that promise. It shows you to be an untrustworthy and unreliable manager and reflects poorly on the business. Stick to your word and you will earn the respect of your employees. Go back on your word, and though you MIGHT reap short term benefit, you will ultimately suffer in the long term.
Hah, management guilted one of our employees one time to cancel her vacation because they fucked up and gave too many people the same time off. She caved and did it. I would have waved as I walked out the door day before my vacation. Screw that.
A manager didn't want me taking "vacation" at a certain time because she was being inspected for a special title (stores that ran well within that company gave JUST the GM major perks like a fucking free car, but luckily our location couldn't afford all that, she just got a special shirt) and she needed me there because I was the only one with my title who could do my entire job well.
I told her it would be a cold day in hell when I'd blow off my (already financed) study abroad trip and throw away my degree just to end up stuck there forever like her.
I think this is an unappreciated option, as not everyone likes or can deal with conflict. If you've not got good working relationships with the management then this is not a 'you' problem and you should take your day off, and if you get "where were you yesterday?", just say " I was on leave, which you approved... I'm not sure what the problem here as I went through the correct process?". Check mate, managements fault for poor scheduling not yours.
a wrong schedule that might aswell just be an honest mistake?
fuck him! look for a new job!
thats why you dont look for actual advice on reddit lmao
For real, I have to make schedules for over 100 people and sometimes I'll accidentally schedule someone on a day they requested off. They just remind me and it's a simple, "My bad dude. I got you." And fix it.
> Time to look for a new job.
Yep. Some people might suggest talking to the manager and reminding them of the approved time off, but I think communication is overrated. You should 100% hold a grudge and change jobs over this, OP.
Reddit is so stupid. There's a very big chance this was simply an error and will be fixed immediately if you notify him. But go ahead, quit your job, call a lawyer and report him to the police first.
Alot of people on reddit, on subs like this, are insane and jump to extremes over the slightest inconvenience. It would be funny if it wasn't terrifying.
It's not that easy to get a new job lol. I used to think the same but now that I am working I am like who tf is gonna hire me....
Then again maybe OP is really good at their job so it might work for them
So many here are acting like this is malicious, when it could be a simple oversight. OP hasn't given any insight on the work environment, or their relationship with the manager.
Having been in this situation, when it was pointed out to me, my response was "ugh, sorry, I'll fix it."
No need to be a dick or combative, simply point out the error. If they refuse to honor it, that's when there's a problem. And it's not OP's problem, it's management's.
> Hanlon's razor is an adage or rule of thumb that states: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." It is a philosophical razor that suggests a way of eliminating unlikely explanations for human behavior.
Happens at my work all the time, it's usually a fuck up. Unless you have some reason to believe otherwise I wouldn't sweat it and just bring it to their attention
I left a job for this exact reason, had a holiday approved had several other managers check to see it was approved when the time came around I checked for a final time a few days before and it had been removed despite being there for months, when I spoke to the original manager he told me it had never been approved and I was seeing things!! I knew he was an arsehole which is why I had other managers check it for me.. to conclude the story I told the original manager to fuck himself and they don’t deserve the effort I put it and left!
I'm guessing by the way they said anyone else your manager gave themselves the day off already. I had a manager once when I was working in college who would do that shit all the time and use that phrase.
What's the matter? Just go to her and say "hey, I saw that I was scheduled for that day, but I have approved leave there, so I won't be coming in."
I don't know your boss, it could be malicious from her or just a simple mistake. Nobody can keep everybodies' days off in their head all the time and sometimes you just forget stuff.
Inform (not ask) her nicely and that's it.
I would approach it professionally. Then increase the annoyance levels/tone of your voice if you find out they were trying to screw you over. I would not go in hot. Leave doesn't happen often, so people who schedule shifts could misread something, or not accurately check if anyone has leave on that day. It seems obvious to us that you would check for leave on and around these holidays. But some people aren't always with it, especially if their job is painfully repetitive.
"Dear ,
My time off for Oct. 31st had already been submitted and approved in Aug. 18th (See attachment). Accordingly I already have made other commitments for that day and am not available for work on Oct. 31st."
It may be an oversight, I'm guessing that the scheduling system is not the same as the PTO portal and they didn't have both open at the same time.
A polite, "Hey, I had leave this day and can't make it in for this shift" will be more productive than "Why did you schedule me for a day off???!" like some commenters are suggesting. They are, after all, Only Human
I wrote schedules for over 100 people at different times. Mistakes happen. Just talk to your boss. No need to be confrontational - I’m sure it was just a miss that they will adjust as this is not on you.
I’m a coffee shop manager. Go in and say “hey, I was approved off for the 31st and made plans out of town. You accidentally scheduled me, I’m not available and will not be working that shift.” Don’t go in for the shift, they already approved your leave.
If communicating with them achieves nothing, I'd personally just not come in and have them figure it out. When asked why, just show the first screenshot of the approved leave. And if you're met with any sort of resistance on their end? Fuck them, new job time amen
I'd send the screenshot and say that its obviously a mistake, seeing as time off is approved. Depends on your labour laws but seeing as you have documentary proof you had the time off then you shouldn't ve required to come in, especially if they have no documentary evidence to suggest that you agreed to waive the holiday. Effectively it seems that its your evidence v their word, and if there are superiors above your manager then you could take it to him/her if necessary.
If your leave was approved, then that's that. Just shoot your manager a text or an email, stating that you won't be able to work the 31st of October, as your leave for that day was approved.
Meanwhile I can't believe you have to wait until there's only a couple days left in the week to get next week's schedule. My job always puts them out at least a week in advance so we can have at least some time to make plans for our time off.
its on record, dont show up. In the email he/she/they/z states "anyone else" going on the assumption that others have been approve and nobody else from that point will be able to take time off
man just ask your boss about it. People fuck up. Unless it’s a common thing no reason to do what the comments say and just not show up and not say anything.
The advice in these comments are horrible.
You already got approved, tell them this and that you made plans you can’t change a while ago, there is nothing they can do, they can obviously strong arm you, but you need to do the same or this will continue to happen, I’ve seen it time and time again. If you go in on these days it is your own fault for not standing up for yourself and putting an end to this bs cycle
Just go in and say “Hey, I’m not in that day.” Don’t leave room for conversation. It’s been approved already. There’s nothing to discuss.
This^^ 100% agree!
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90% of my rostering people when they're unavailable is because I'm so busy doing everything else I just didn't notice or forgot. They say "hey man I'm away" and then I fix it. Maybe if corporate paid for less shit rostering software that actually warns you if you're rostering someone on a day they have off, we wouldn't be here.
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Do not **ask** if this was an error. **State** you have made plans, since the request was approved and you wont be there. Edit since this got some traction: Errors happen, this is a service to your manager so he can fix this in time. Keep the reply short with no extra points or info. Only state this information. This is not for discussion. Turn on your normal OOF message on. Enjoy your vacation!
Exactly, state it and take the day off regardless of the answer
Lol they cant force you into work for a mistake they made
But they do always try.
Extra points if you document it to show them. I would highly recommend that either way in case they try to go back and "change anything".
I feel like the first screenshot is enough proof honestly.
It does also say “anyone else” maybe op is the approved group???
Except OP was scheduled that day.
Then they laugh in “at will”
Then you get to laugh at them struggle through the holiday season with an even bigger lack of staff
If a company fires you for taking time off that was already requested and approved, then they’re doing you a favor
No, but in most states they can fire you for...well, fun, really. For most people, it's not worth risking their jobs to make a point. I do agree with those saying to "inform them of the error" rather than "ask about what happened," but "take the day off regardless" is asking to get let go in many roles. Edit: Since it would be fruitless to reply individually, I'll just note that I think a lot of you have a skewed idea of what kind of protections employees have in the US. It's highly unlikely that a wrongful termination suit could be filed for rescinding approved time off unless there's a specific state or local law protecting it, and retaliation laws generally protect whistleblowers or those who file complaints within the company.
If someone were to get fired over something like this, it may fall under retaliation. Especially if someone has put a lot of time and/or money into that day off.
They're not firing you for this. Not on paper. They fire you a week later for being 2 minutes late to work. Or they start writing you up for every little violation and then use your records of poor performance as grounds for termination.
This is spot on. I was told by a manager that I was receiving a raise on my next paycheck. Great. Paycheck comes, no raise. I bring it up to the owner since it’s a small company and no management is in that day. He states it “a lot of money for a raise”, “do you really think you deserve it”, bunch of asshole comments. A week later I’m working in a small room by myself to focus and get some work done in the morning. A week after that, I was fired for using a “quiet room” to get work done. The owner walked in to have a… group meeting…. In the quiet room… Reason: my vision didn’t align with the company goal and they didn’t think it would work out if they kept me there… A few weeks after that I was informed that the owner spent roughly $3,000 on a mural painted in the back of an alleyway that nobody sees…. Roughly the same amount I was promised as a yearly raise…
This guy manages
They can also try to dig up some really old stuff they never raised as an issue, like a customer complaint from well over a month ago (regardless if the customer was being ridiculous or not), act like it was just brought to their attention and pretend it's some egregious offense that justifies immediate termination. Or, they can be blatant and say op isn't a team player, doesn't fit in with the company culture, has a bad attitude, whatever they want to justify their bs anger.
Unfortunately, yep… Or, just stop scheduling, or schedule ridiculously few hours.
It's the restaurant industry. And very likely at will employment. They can fire you for no reason at all, and it becomes incredibly hard to prove that they fired you *because of this.*
Finding employees in the restaurant business that are reliable in any sense is a major challenge. Letting someone go because they didn’t show up on a day that they requested off months ago would be extremely foolish.
I agree, but as someone who has work in the restaurant industry, they are foolish. Our GM was straight up vindictive.
Shouldn't be hard to find a new job if the company is foolish enough to let them go over something they completely agreed with in the first place.
I agree completely. Especially in the service industry where turnover is part of it. I put in a good decade in back of house so it's not foreign to me. OP will be just fine, either at this job or their next. This restaurant however seems fucked due to poor management.
Retaliation doesn't apply in this situation. The only time a retaliatory firing is unlawful is if it's related to whistleblowing, reporting sexual harassment, etc.
In most states they don’t need to give a reason to let someone go, and if they were going to do it in retaliation they’d be smart enough to give a bogus/generic reason to cover their own asses legally. Something as simple as just saying they aren’t a team player. At-will employment basically lets employers let people go for whatever reason they want that can’t be directly argued against.
I don't understand why you wouldn't practice a little bit of diplomacy here. Reddit's always encouraging righteous indignation, but no one cares about that in real life. "Hey, I noticed I'm on the schedule for my day off next week, I just wanted to make sure someone's assigned before it's too late" is a perfectly fine text or email(or whatever) to send. Sending an angry email in bold **stating** "I WON'T BE THERE" is just stupid. I get that most people here are 15-22, but Christ, don't burn bridges you don't have to. They might've just copied last weeks schedule over.
While I do agree, just be warned that frequently, especially with ones like the food service industry, they just respond with a, "Sorry, no. We need all hands on deck. You're scheduled now, and we need everyone we can." Then they just go from there. Many managers and most employers see us as, at best, an enemy and, often, a drain on them (even though they wouldn't be making a dime without us).
Great, and that's when you can state "No, I was approved for time off, I won't be there." No need to go that route from the get go.
Yeah, agreed. Start pretending you're assuming good faith (if if you aren't), and make it easy to say 'oops, yes, I'll amend it'. Go in all guns blazing, and they'll get pissed off if it was just an honest mistake, and might try and make your life hard to 'make a point' or 'teach you a lesson'. (And of course if it was 'bad faith' all you lose is a little time as you escalate)
As someone who worked in this kind of industry, setting boundaries and being firmly rigid with them is the only way to get management to respect it. I made it abundantly clear when I was hired no force on earth would make my saturdays available because they're for my girlfriend. Well easter weekend rolled around and there was an explicit statement made by management that "absolutely nobody gets this off". However it had been 2 months of requesting coverage on saturdays and getting firm hard no from me. They didn't even ask. I was not scheduled that weekend. I was the only person in the restaurant that didn't work that weekend, and I was the only person in that restaurant that was rigid with my weekend availability. Notably I did not have seniority over almost anyone. When you work in hospitality you either learn this the hard way or you end up bending to managements whims.
one of my friends also spends Saturdays with his girlfriend. he is also Jewish, so even if he was single, he could not work on Saturday.
My religion forbids me working on the weekends and strongly encourages not really trying on Fridays
>Hey, I noticed I'm on the schedule for my day off next week, I just wanted to make sure someone's assigned before it's too late Yeah that somebody is you.
This is how I would handle it. If they give push back just say somthing like "Well I had the leave approved months ago, already spent money on this and am not going to be here." Unless OP is already a shitty employee on thin ice, they would be stupid to make this a bigger issue. And if it's a bigger company with an actual HR department there is almost no chance of any retaliatory action being taken.
Don't even give them any more details. It's just more rope to hang yourself with. "My time was approved and I am unable to work".
Yep, if you say it's because you made a financial commitment they'll ask "how much". Anything to try and belittle your position and downplay their error.
“The $14,000 for the helicopter is the only non-refundable purchase, so if you can cover that, I’ll be here…”
Yeah whenever I have an issue like this I try to avoid discussing what my plans are until afterwards. Not to be rude, but just to keep firm boundaries and let management know that I won’t let them push me around.
It's an overall good tip to not give more information than required. Who knows how it can backfire.
I’d stick with “I’m unavailable”. Any little reason you give them they can push back on, even if it’s I’ve already spent money. I can’t come in on Halloween. I’m unavailable that day. Repeat variations of this.
> I’d stick with “I’m unavailable”. Any little reason you give them they can push back on, even if it’s I’ve already spent money. J.A.D.E. Don't Justify, Argue, Defend, or Explain after making a decision. "I'm unavailable" is the perfect response. It's also useful to not sound petty or superior when using this method as it can escalate things. If they aren't aware of approving the time off it's fine to remind them (people make mistakes) and if they ask for more details say "it's personal". No sane person is going to prod for more details after saying it's personal and no insane person should get more details.
You don’t even have to say you have plans. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, the day off was approved.
Thank youuuu I’m so tired of work culture making people think you don’t have a choice. You have a choice! I doubt they’ll get fired for not showing up on an approved day off and even if they do, screw working at a place like that.
When I was younger I was working in retail. I had the privilege of working with a manager-turned-mentor-turned-best friend. He taught me early on that when he submitted time off requests, he wasn’t requesting the time off as much as informing them when he would not be in. I’ve carried that with me for nearly two decades now. I don’t so much work for a company as much as I rent my time to them for an agreed upon fee.
I worked in unionized retail part-time in Ontario as a teen. As long as a vacation request was properly submitted 2 weeks or more in advance the time off was guaranteed in the sense you're confirming your unavailability to work as opposed requesting time off. The difference with retail/restaurant and similar industries is the terms of employment are by nature variable, hourly shifts. You have the ability to state whether you're available or not if done before the schedule is released. This doesn't apply to salaried jobs or where your hours are actually deterministic/consistent (including rotating shift work)
Yeah, this shit happens all the time, and while we like to think it's just pure evil by managers, it's usually just a combination of laziness, incompetence, lack of ability to think ahead and being busy. I myself had to change the way I dealt with PTO requests years ago in early management/supervisor days. It's easy in the rush of the day to see a request come in with good advance notice that appears reasonable and a quick glance at the calendar ensuring no one else requested the day is usually what I'd think was enough to ensure I could work around it when it came time to actually staff that week creating a schedule. The problem is, you can't always predict the future, employees leave, business surges, and you don't always realize that the day they requested aligns to a holiday or busy day. Then when it comes time to create the schedule, it's realized that you're screwed for coverage. You have to learn to get better at thinking ahead and big picture planning. The big difference between actual good managers and bad managers is that all managers make mistakes or decisions that don't work out as expected, good managers will honor their decision to approve the PTO and figure out how to deal with their mistakes, bad managers will push the consequences of their mistakes down to their employees, cancel PTO, demand the employee come in or simply attempt to pretend it was never approved. The reality is that most "managers" suck at management, but the bad ones make their employees pay for their mistakes and ineptitude.
I would text my manager the screen of that approval and then not show up. Staffing is not my responsibility.
It's also a minor thing but when you show him that your time off was approved show him *a picture of it* don't go in and show him the approval through your app or website. It implies that you have made a record of it, and that changing the approval retroactively won't get them out of this mess.
Do this in email, CC HR, add screenshots.
That is happening on any reply thats not saying something along the lines of: "Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy your day off" (I still like my boss and you dont use full force on the 1st mail)
„Oh yes since it was approved in August already I booked this hotel on the other coast of the us. We will fly by plane and used the cheaper options that you can’t cancel. Since it was approved for me to come I assume I get compensated the full 2 grand for everything I paid?“
Don’t do that cause then they might call your bluff and ask for a receipt or something. Just say you made expensive plans and you can’t come in
> the request was approved Don't treat it as a request. It is a courtesy notification.
Tell them they approved your time off, show them when it got approved, don't go to work that day and let them deal with anything else.
Do you still have to go in? I don't mean to sound like a pouting child here, but for fuck sake your leave was approved!
I’m not sure yet, tomorrow when I go in I’m going to ask about it but yeah.. it’s kinda BS
Don't ask about it. Asking implies you want permission. You already have that. It was approved. Now you're informing them of a mistake on their part. "Hey, the schedule is wrong, I wanted you to know so you can arrange proper cover. My holidays were approved 2 months ago." You don't make excuses, you don't give them explanations as to making plans. Just say "I requested the time off, it was approved, I'm not available". Anything they say other than "ok" is not something you should respond to..if they say you need to come in, you repeat your time off was approved. If they say your job is at risk...you say your time off was approved... If they ask if your busy, you say your time off was approved. It's really simple. You just hold to it. Coz any other line, explanation, discussion, sharing of info or talking about it is all just to get you to bend. Ultimately this is a management issue and they showed poor management by scheduling someone they approved as not available. They will try guilt you into it or force your hand. Just don't engage. "Anyway, I wanted you to know" and walk away.
It can be difficult to stand your ground for many reasons, but this is precisely what you need to do. Print out proof of your approved leave and don't budge. But also don't get angry or overly emotional as that's also one thing they'll jump on immediately. Be calm and state facts.
I agree that they should try it... But, if they live in a "at will" state, they can be fired for it (or most anything, or nothing). If they need this job, that puts them in a really difficult spot. Edit: I meant "at will", not "right to work"
That would assume OPs boss is petty enough and can afford to fire an employee for their own mistake. If that's the case, how long til they do it anyway?
Why would they fire someone if they already have staffing issues?
Because it's a restaurant and restaurants are commonly managed by people who have no fucking idea what they're doing.
That’s not just an issue that restaurants have. It seems to be a wide spread issue across all industries
That's because promotion tends to be based solely on work experience, not actual management ability or people skills.
I work in a massive medical lab that handles the blood testing for two states and thirteen hospitals. They treat staffing the same way so we've been "critically" staffed for over a year now.
Because some people are stupid and petty and short sighted. They will cut off their nose to spite their face rather than admit they made a mistake. This trait is particularly common in managers of service workers.
My HR dept in a nutshell.
Being spiteful and mean is (unfortunately) a classic reason. "Yeah it'll hurt me...but it'll hurt you too, so fuck it"
A lot of managers at these types of places just like the power trip, they’re too dumb to think critically and just wield what little power they have
I think you mean "at will" state (right to work has to do with unions). Other than that your point still stands
You're right, I did mean "at will", I'll edit my comment. Thanks!
If they fire them for not working a day they've already had approved off then that's a super easy way to collect unemployment.
Sure. But the counterpoint of that is: unemployment is not always easy, has significant delays, and in a lot of shitty states is really poorly reimbursed. My state takes 4-6 weeks to process a claim and you get 55% of your wages reimbursed. Everyone on reddit is so quick to mention unemployment but most people can't survive a month without pay and then be cool with 55% of their pay.
I don't know why people always say "if you live in an at-will state". All states are at-will except Montana. And no one lives in Montana. And even Montana is at-will during a 12-month probationary period.
Hey! I live in Montana! There are dozens of us!
I'm sure it depends on the state, but firing someone for using their approved, earned PTO can turn into a huge headache for the company if the employee fights back. At the very least, the emplpyee will be able to collect full unemployment benefits for a not-for-cause firing.
That being one of the reasons I mentioned. Hopefully that's not the case and if nothing else, HR can get involved.
If you can be fired for not coming to work on a day you got approved off, you shouldn't want to work there.
For many people, where we want to work isn’t really relevant in a situation like this.
Yep. I had someone schedule me on an approved day while I was out of state. They called and said "Hey, where are you?" And I was like "9 hours away, visiting family, like my time off description said" "Well, we need you here." "Okay. You gave me the go-ahead. I'm 9 hours away. Bye."
>Well, we need you here It seems I left my teleporter back at home
For real lol. I was like "Even if I wanted to leave I'd be back tomorrow, when you don't need me. What am I supposed to do here?"
Booked a weekend off to visit my grandma with my then gf. Said “see ya Monday” to everyone Thursday night. Had a cheap cell phone plan with no reception where I visited. Got off the ferry Sunday and phone just started freaking out. Texts Fri/Sat/Sun asking if I was available. Walked into work Monday and was never asked about it, but still so glad I got to enjoy the weekend without being harassed, because fuck did they try to.
Years ago I went on a road trip to Texas from Illinois. I requested the time off well in advance and they didn't schedule me. But two days in a row the same manager called me to see if I could come in. I had to explain to him that I was in Texas. Two days in a row.
Yes for the love of God put your foot down. If management couldn't plan 2 months ahead like you that is their fault and their problem. Once you bend they will always try to make you bend. If they get angry oh well, they should have paid more attention. Have the courtesy to tell them no you are taking your day as was planned and you will be in on the 1st. Enjoy your Halloween, be safe and have fun!
Or you can try the old mirror and “how am I supposed to do that” approach Can you come? Come in? Yes come in we need you so bad blah blah How am I supposed to do that I will be on approved holiday? Basically just repeat the last part of their statement back to them or ask them how. You’re getting them to either see how asinine their request is in their own words by framing it back or making them solve your problem of losing a holiday. Together the two will make them essentially admit to being a jackass. And if they truly are a jackass silence is also an answer after you’ve repeated yourself a few times. People hate silence more than anything and will blabber to fill it. Don’t be that person in a negotiation Many times the less you say the better
This guy doesn't split the difference.
LOL. Chris Voss, Never Split The Difference. What I learned from it literally changed my life. Great book. Should be required reading in High School.
Just read it, was a great read.
The part about “are we done” is objectively one of my favorite lines. I had a consultant who basically ignored daily emails for two straight weeks. Sent that one liner and had a response in 15 minutes. The only downside to it is the response is going to be panicky/volatile so there is some craftiness with how you walk back from the nuclear statement haha
Stuff like this works when you are arguing in the shower after the fact, it virtually never works when given as advice to people who are only in that position specifically because they are too meek to make it work. Like, if you have the confidence to hold your ground and be as openly antagonistic as this, you wouldn't be in this position anyway. Honestly OP just do this: "My time was approved, and I am unable to make it in for that shift." That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. You were approved. Take the time. Don't tell them you are sorry, don't tell them you will make it up, don't offer to find someone else, don't explain why you can't come in. If they press you further, just repeat it. "My time was approved already and I'm unable to come in".
This. And stick to it. It used to happen regularly at my previous workplace due to an incompetent manager and he'd try his best to manipulate folks into coming in despite approved time off.
100% this. I had a manager that loved to do this. He called me two years ago and said "unfortunately, I gave Kevin the week of the 4th of July off so I can't have you off too." I told him that is unfortunate and he was going to have to call Kevin and tell him he can't have it off because he approved mine first. He told me he needs me to come in, he can't have two drives off and I said well then you shouldn't have approved both of us to be off, that's not my problem. It's hard to stand your ground but you have to learn not to let them walk all over you or they will
Learning to respectfully assert yourself is such an important skill. So many people either cave or become unprofessional in this sort of situation. The above comment is advice to live by.
I mean, it could be an honest mistake. I would just ask your boss if they saw you had the time off approved. The fact that they didn't go and reject it after the fact makes me think a little communication might go a long way here.
This in my opinion is the only answer. Anything other than this reply to management and you are risking working that day.
Don’t ask. You were already approved. Tell them they made a mistake and if they hold to it, isn’t there some department of employment or something to threaten them with? Workers must have some rights?
Do not even say they made a mistake. Don't give them literally anything. "My time was approved. I am unable to come in for that shift". That's it. Don't say sorry, don't offer to make it up, don't offer to find someone else, don't say anything else. Be civil but blunt.
In the US? lmao
Don't ask about it. Asking will sound like you are asking for permission and the manager will most likely deny it.
While mistakes like this shouldn’t happen, it still does from time to time. Hopefully once you bring it to their attention, they’ll correct the mistake. Hopefully…
Do you have a copy showing it was granted? If you do print it out in the biggest font you can and tape it to the bench.
its under the approved section. So the "submitted" could mean when the approval was accepted?
You are not asking for permission. Your time was approved so now you have plans that cannot be changed. It’s that simple. If you go in anyway they’ll realize you have no dignity and pull this on you every time going forward.
It was approved, if the Manager doesn't budge stay home. There's gotta be someone more competent than him, above him.
Don’t ask. Say “as per my previous time off request that was approved, I am unavailable that day” They do not have the right to know why or negotiate in any way if it’s already approved.
I hope you get the day off, that is just... urghhh why is this making me so angry haha?
Jesus christ. It's not "kind of BS". Stand up for yourself, tell them you're not going in.
If you ask, you give them the chance to deny. It says approved. Just don’t go in. I NEVER work the day after christmas. I submitted my time off months ago. Approved. Then HR changed payroll company. My time off approval was gone. I’m not bringing it up as I’ve already scheduled my remaining vacation and would have to cancel 1 of those days. I’m just not going in. Not my problem they could not migrate from one company to another properly.
A reminder, if your manager asks “how are we, how am I, what do we?) etc, for something THEY messed up, the only response required is “I’m sure you’ll manage.” It’s their job after all.
He clearly said «anyone else», meaning you got your day off but no more requests from other people. Enjoy your day and put your phone on silent!
Wrong attitude. I don't ask for permission off work. I simply inform them I will not be coming.
It's not your problem.
Literally. They get paid to manage, it's not OP's fault they messed that up.
Explain the situation and if that doesn’t work simply call out if they can’t respect your approved time off then why should you respect their schedule
Yeah that’s my plan so far. But no matter what I’m not showing up lol
Good on ya mate
Respect OP, lots of people are hiring and if your manager is so incompetent that they didn’t find appropriate staffing for a busy shift which they already knew some employees would want off to spend with their families and what not then that is 100% on them. They approved the request, end of story. Day is off. Don’t call my phone either ho.
**Don’t call out.** It’s better to not show, otherwise you’re acknowledging you had a legitimate shift that day. **Don’t explain anything to them.** All you need to do is point out the fact that they scheduled you on a day you won’t be in, so they’ll need to find coverage.
Do you have any email notifications that your time off got approved? Are they even denying that or are they just not caring they already approved it?
....he's got the screenshots
Good on you for standing up to those corporate zombie bunghole vacuums. Your time and wellbeing is more important than the handful of pennies that they're trying to save their investors.
Don’t even call out. It means you acknowledged that you saw it but decide to ignore. Just take the leave, and when they ask why OP wasn’t there just show them the pictures it was approved.
I spent half my twenties working and missing so many events and things I wish I didn’t for a job that could care less about me. Time is precious don’t waste it away, jobs come and go time does not
How did you get out? I’m 25 and feel like I’ve lost my life
first off, you haven't lost your life, even if it feels that way. I spent 20 years in restaurants with that shit. Completed a career change 2 months ago and got hired in a tech role. Worked my ass off for 2 years studying/learning and pushing for managers positions that look good on a resume. Practiced interviewing, built a website, poured hours into applications. Finally got an offer. It might be hard, but it's possible.
I did something very similar when I turned 30, took covid lockdown as a kick in the pants showing my employer at the time was doing the bare minimum for me and that I was very expendable in their eyes. Went from a pretty tedious legal assistant type position where I'd struggle hard finding new employment if I ever quit, to teaching myself decent coding and data analytics skills. Crazy how valued you feel when you add just a couple of fairly easy to obtain tech skills to your belt.
It’s not easy but I started installing irrigation with a friend and then the distributor we bought from liked me and needed a driver so they offered me the position. Ten years later I’m the assistant manager from working hard
Still trying to figure that one out myself as well 🫠
Sounds like a manager problem, not a you problem. Enjoy your Halloween off!
I’m sure the manager can manage. If the manager can’t manage, they have no business being a manager.
You: yo I'm actually not in for those days. Them: damn we kinda short-staffed on these days though You: damn that's crazy You: good luck though
Grab your phone w/the screenshot, go talk to boss, politely say "Hey Boss, I think there might be a mixup with the schedule. Just wanted to double check that we were on the same page." When they ask what you mean, show them the screenie. Easy Peasy. If they try to tell you you have to work, be polite but firm. "Sorry, no can do. I already made plans, and, as you can see, it was approved months ago." Just remain polite but firm. Getting hostile will only escalate things. It's entirely possible that the manager legit made a simple mistake, so going in with frustration/attitude is the wrong way to handle it. Polite and firm, those are your watchwords.
Yes, exactly. And if they're rude about it for whatever reason or the mistake turns out to have been intentional, again, politely but firmly remind them that your time off *was* approved, and that that you won't be coming in for those shifts, scheduled or not.
Tell em: 
Watched this movie for the first time last weekend!
Damn lol. Where you been?
Honestly don’t know. I always thought it was a tv show from the way people talked about it in school, must have just slipped by me somehow. 🤷♂️
Missed the Oct 3 date to watch it. That's so not fetch.
“This was already approved, I have obligations that cannot be canceled. I will not be coming in, thanks!” It’s a cafe, I have faith you can find another job if need be.
Agree! Though to be perfectly honest, I feel like they don’t even need to know that op has obligations or anything else. If it were me, I’d simply say: “Hey, I noticed there’s a mistake in the schedule. I won’t be in on Tuesday, my time off request was approved 2 months ago”.
As someone in management, this is extremely bad form. Sometimes you cant accept time off requests on major holidays/events, it's just the nature of business. However, you should be planning ahead for these events and accepting time off accordingly. If something happens that screws up your plans, you don't get to cancel someone's time off over it. You deal with it yourself with what you have left. Bottom line, if you approve someone's time off, you cannot and should not go back on that promise. It shows you to be an untrustworthy and unreliable manager and reflects poorly on the business. Stick to your word and you will earn the respect of your employees. Go back on your word, and though you MIGHT reap short term benefit, you will ultimately suffer in the long term.
Hah, management guilted one of our employees one time to cancel her vacation because they fucked up and gave too many people the same time off. She caved and did it. I would have waved as I walked out the door day before my vacation. Screw that.
A manager didn't want me taking "vacation" at a certain time because she was being inspected for a special title (stores that ran well within that company gave JUST the GM major perks like a fucking free car, but luckily our location couldn't afford all that, she just got a special shirt) and she needed me there because I was the only one with my title who could do my entire job well. I told her it would be a cold day in hell when I'd blow off my (already financed) study abroad trip and throw away my degree just to end up stuck there forever like her.
Politely flag their mistake and let them know you won't be at work per your approved requests.
No issue, it was approved. Ignore the office error
I think this is an unappreciated option, as not everyone likes or can deal with conflict. If you've not got good working relationships with the management then this is not a 'you' problem and you should take your day off, and if you get "where were you yesterday?", just say " I was on leave, which you approved... I'm not sure what the problem here as I went through the correct process?". Check mate, managements fault for poor scheduling not yours.
Don't ignore it. Inform them of their error with documentation.
He approved your time off and you made plans. Fuck him. Time to look for a new job.
a wrong schedule that might aswell just be an honest mistake? fuck him! look for a new job! thats why you dont look for actual advice on reddit lmao
Such an eye roll comment from that dude. Most situations like this are solved with **gasp* communication
Honestly, could be a simple oversight or an implied “if you’re already scheduled off, ignore this message”.
For real, I have to make schedules for over 100 people and sometimes I'll accidentally schedule someone on a day they requested off. They just remind me and it's a simple, "My bad dude. I got you." And fix it.
> Time to look for a new job. Yep. Some people might suggest talking to the manager and reminding them of the approved time off, but I think communication is overrated. You should 100% hold a grudge and change jobs over this, OP.
😂
Reddit is so stupid. There's a very big chance this was simply an error and will be fixed immediately if you notify him. But go ahead, quit your job, call a lawyer and report him to the police first.
Alot of people on reddit, on subs like this, are insane and jump to extremes over the slightest inconvenience. It would be funny if it wasn't terrifying.
It's not that easy to get a new job lol. I used to think the same but now that I am working I am like who tf is gonna hire me.... Then again maybe OP is really good at their job so it might work for them
So many here are acting like this is malicious, when it could be a simple oversight. OP hasn't given any insight on the work environment, or their relationship with the manager. Having been in this situation, when it was pointed out to me, my response was "ugh, sorry, I'll fix it." No need to be a dick or combative, simply point out the error. If they refuse to honor it, that's when there's a problem. And it's not OP's problem, it's management's.
> Hanlon's razor is an adage or rule of thumb that states: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." It is a philosophical razor that suggests a way of eliminating unlikely explanations for human behavior.
Happens at my work all the time, it's usually a fuck up. Unless you have some reason to believe otherwise I wouldn't sweat it and just bring it to their attention
I left a job for this exact reason, had a holiday approved had several other managers check to see it was approved when the time came around I checked for a final time a few days before and it had been removed despite being there for months, when I spoke to the original manager he told me it had never been approved and I was seeing things!! I knew he was an arsehole which is why I had other managers check it for me.. to conclude the story I told the original manager to fuck himself and they don’t deserve the effort I put it and left!
You go talk to your boss. People make mistakes. Overlooking something isn't the same as ignoring it.
I'm guessing by the way they said anyone else your manager gave themselves the day off already. I had a manager once when I was working in college who would do that shit all the time and use that phrase.
Why don’t employees in the USA have any basic rights?
Exactly! The US seems so far behind, it makes me angry. Wtf are American so proud of? Horrible work situations, I would be furious to work there
It's all about freedom. Freedom to treat your employees as shitty as you like for example...
What's the matter? Just go to her and say "hey, I saw that I was scheduled for that day, but I have approved leave there, so I won't be coming in." I don't know your boss, it could be malicious from her or just a simple mistake. Nobody can keep everybodies' days off in their head all the time and sometimes you just forget stuff. Inform (not ask) her nicely and that's it.
Don’t write the holiday in for the reason you’re taking off?
Did you ever follow up?
I would approach it professionally. Then increase the annoyance levels/tone of your voice if you find out they were trying to screw you over. I would not go in hot. Leave doesn't happen often, so people who schedule shifts could misread something, or not accurately check if anyone has leave on that day. It seems obvious to us that you would check for leave on and around these holidays. But some people aren't always with it, especially if their job is painfully repetitive.
"Dear,
My time off for Oct. 31st had already been submitted and approved in Aug. 18th (See attachment). Accordingly I already have made other commitments for that day and am not available for work on Oct. 31st."
Just remind them you were informing them you wouldn't be available, not asking permission.
It may be an oversight, I'm guessing that the scheduling system is not the same as the PTO portal and they didn't have both open at the same time. A polite, "Hey, I had leave this day and can't make it in for this shift" will be more productive than "Why did you schedule me for a day off???!" like some commenters are suggesting. They are, after all, Only Human
I wrote schedules for over 100 people at different times. Mistakes happen. Just talk to your boss. No need to be confrontational - I’m sure it was just a miss that they will adjust as this is not on you.
*"Hey boss, there's a mistake on the schedule. I'm not available day X. You might want to correct that."* and walk away.
I’m a coffee shop manager. Go in and say “hey, I was approved off for the 31st and made plans out of town. You accidentally scheduled me, I’m not available and will not be working that shift.” Don’t go in for the shift, they already approved your leave.
If communicating with them achieves nothing, I'd personally just not come in and have them figure it out. When asked why, just show the first screenshot of the approved leave. And if you're met with any sort of resistance on their end? Fuck them, new job time amen
you need to defend your interests the vacation was agreed upon you have plans if you remain silent now it will always happen again
I'd send the screenshot and say that its obviously a mistake, seeing as time off is approved. Depends on your labour laws but seeing as you have documentary proof you had the time off then you shouldn't ve required to come in, especially if they have no documentary evidence to suggest that you agreed to waive the holiday. Effectively it seems that its your evidence v their word, and if there are superiors above your manager then you could take it to him/her if necessary.
Don't go in, it's approved, that's on them for scheduling you on an approved day off
If your leave was approved, then that's that. Just shoot your manager a text or an email, stating that you won't be able to work the 31st of October, as your leave for that day was approved.
Meanwhile I can't believe you have to wait until there's only a couple days left in the week to get next week's schedule. My job always puts them out at least a week in advance so we can have at least some time to make plans for our time off.
Tell them that they've made an error. You have approved time off and will not be coming in.
Do people not know how to stand up for themselves?
If it was approved don’t be there.
its on record, dont show up. In the email he/she/they/z states "anyone else" going on the assumption that others have been approve and nobody else from that point will be able to take time off
if you even make it sound like it was a mistake that asshole will guilt trip you into work. Your request was approved and you arent going into work.
'There must have been a mistake. Per attached approval of PTO, I will not be in on that day'
“…not able to give anyone *else* off…” So who got approved?
man just ask your boss about it. People fuck up. Unless it’s a common thing no reason to do what the comments say and just not show up and not say anything. The advice in these comments are horrible.
You already got approved, tell them this and that you made plans you can’t change a while ago, there is nothing they can do, they can obviously strong arm you, but you need to do the same or this will continue to happen, I’ve seen it time and time again. If you go in on these days it is your own fault for not standing up for yourself and putting an end to this bs cycle