It’s silly that we call it a ‘PTO request’ when we shouldn’t really ask for anyone’s permission to use our much-earned time off.
We should all make it a habit to never ask for permission to take our vacation days. Instead, we should simply email our manager saying, “Hey, I will be gone in these days; please plan accordingly” and call it a day. They can say no as much as they want, but as long as you gave them enough of a heads-up, their inability to plan ahead should never be your problem.
Most jobs don’t even require that much planning ahead anyway. You simply take the time off, and your work can wait the few days it will take for you to return. Unless it is a matter of saving lives, nothing will happen if you’re gone, clearing your mind and ensuring you return with actual energy to do the job properly.
When your absence means that someone else has to cover for you, then it is your boss’s responsibility to make sure there is someone to do that. As long as you gave them enough time to prepare, it is not your concern whether they succeed or not. You should be able to go on your PTO regardless of whether or not your boss finds a replacement for you in time. And if they don’t, well, all it sounds like to us is that your boss is going to work a little bit extra while you’re away.
But under no circumstances should you give in to your PTO request being “denied”. You don’t ask for permission; you provide a proper notice, and that’s that. They can say no as many times as you want, but you will not be here to discuss it during your PTO time.
If that gets you in trouble once you’re back, then that workplace might not be a place you should spend your time at…
Author: Kayitsi.com
