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Taking Leave

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MCW

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? S. Carolina

My husband and I have planned a vacation for May and bought plane tickets in February. We had been planning this trip since January and he talked to his boss about it, and made him aware that he was planning this vacation (even though he would be taking unpaid leave). The trip was planned around a work related (for him) expo, that could benefit his job and performance, we are not asking the company to send him to the expo, or pay for any expenses of the trip, only to give him the time off (unpaid). Now it's rolling up on three weeks before we leave, and his boss is hinting around that he may not be able to go on the vacation, however he won't tell him a definite yes or no (says he has to talk to his boss) . The company is notorious for waiting till the last minute and we are trying to prepare ourselves for the worst. I feel this is morally wrong, but don't know if it is illegal. The plane tickes are non-refundable, and I feel that if the company waits till the last minute they should at least have to refund us the price we paid for the plane tickets. Do we have any rights here? Any type of advise is greatly appreciated.
 


Beth3

Senior Member
No, this is not illegal. An employer has no obligation to provide vacation time (whether paid or unpaid) in the first place and if they chose to, time off is granted at "the employer's pleasure."

If your husband's employer decides he can't go, your choices are to forgoe the trip and swallow the cost of the nonrefundable tickets, or quit and take the trip. Absent an urgent business situation arising that can on occasion necessitate an employee to forgoe personal plans, I do think it's a lousy deal for an employer to play "cat and mouse" games over employees' vacation plans though.
 

JETX

Senior Member
I agree completely with Beth, and add the following:
Did he make this request in writing?? If so, did he get a written confirmation of the vacation dates?? If he was only verbally advised, did he confirm them in writing to management??
The answers to these won't affect the 'legality' of the situation, but could go a long way to help 'remind' management of their prior agreement.
 

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