Generosity Gone Wrong: When Letting a Friend Lodge Turns Into a Nightmare

Generosity Gone Wrong: When Letting a Friend Lodge Turns Into a Nightmare

A random act of kindness turned into a stressful situation…

My new boss doesn't like how much holiday I'm taking and has reported me to HR. I've taken 11 days of annual leave this year so far. Nothing unusual, did pretty much the same last year and my boss was fine with it. However, new year, new boss, and she seems to be offended that I've dared to take so much time off. I won't share screenshots of the emails for obvious reasons, but our conversation was as follows: My boss: "Hi SML, I notice you've taken a lot of PTO recently. I've approved this for now but when you are back we need to discuss why you are taking so much time off. Thanks, boss." Me: "Hi boss, this is nothing new and I have done this every year. I tend to use up some annual leave in the first few months of the year, and then some more in the last few months of the year. Please let me know if you are unhappy with this. Kind regards, SML" Boss: "How much PTO do you have?" Me: "I assume you mean annual leave? I have the company standard 31 days, plus an extra 3 days as negotiated in my contract. I also have 4 days carried over from last year. As of 31/03/25 I will have 27 days left for the year. I plan on taking 11 days in August, 8 days in December, and the remaining 8 days as and when needed." Boss: "That seems excessive, we don't have that much PTO so I'm unsure where your numbers are coming from. I have referred this to HR because I think this isn't right." Me: "Okay, fine. I was due to come back on Wednesday, please put me on leave for the rest of this week. If HR agree my holiday terms are correct, I expect the extra 3 days to be gratis." Boss: "I don't know what you mean but fine, I'll see you on Monday morning." I then spoke to HR - we had a polite conversation, as when I joined this company we negotiated a salary match but an extra 3 days of holiday. HR were pretty unimpressed that they were going to be getting a report, and told me "SML, enjoy the week off. Wish I had a boss who'd give me free holiday like that." The boss herself is located overseas and has absolutely no idea about employee rights. When I spoke to my colleagues, letting them know I'd be off for the rest of the week, one of them told me that the same boss also referred a friend of hers to HR because she wanted to take her full 52 weeks of maternity leave in one go. Again, apparently that wasn't acceptable - to which HR said nope, she's good to go, see you in a year. Bring baby photos.

“American Boss Shocked by European Vacation Rules — Gets a Reality Check”

Managing employee motivation can be challenging, but destroying workplace morale…

McDonald's Break Room Policy Backfires During High-Demand Shift​

McDonald’s Break Room Policy Backfires During High-Demand Shift​

Workplace policies are essential for HR compliance and maintaining business…

Best Friend Left Out of Bridal Party: Reasonable Boundary or Petty Reaction?

Best Friend Left Out of Bridal Party: Reasonable Boundary or Petty Reaction?

When wedding planning collides with friendship expectations, tensions can quickly…

Balancing Wedding Etiquette and Family Dynamics: Addressing Plus-One Dilemmas

Balancing Wedding Etiquette and Family Dynamics: Addressing Plus-One Dilemmas

Weddings often bring to light complex family dynamics and etiquette…

AITA: I want my husband to pay for half my car bills

“Is It Fair to Split Car Expenses When Only One Owns the Car?”

Money management in relationships is one of the most common…

"Thank you for your time, but this isn’t the right fit for me."

“Walked Out After One Interview Question—Did I Overreact?”

The original poster (OP) recounts a bold decision made during…

End of content

End of content