PTO Time .

So for the people who ask, what do you say for a reason when you just don't want to be at work?

"I'm gonna sit around on the couch and watch Family Guy all day. Can I have Friday off please?"

By law a reason is not required and the boss can't ask.
 
By law a reason is not required and the boss can't ask.
Do you mind citing the law that says your boss isn't allowed to ask? PTO isn't mandated by any law, so I'm curious what the laws are that you're talking about.

Certainly, it's not really their business to ask, but I'm not sure there's any law preventing them from asking.
 
Do you mind citing the law that says your boss isn't allowed to ask? PTO isn't mandated by any law, so I'm curious what the laws are that you're talking about.

Certainly, it's not really their business to ask, but I'm not sure there's any law preventing them from asking.

Privacy laws
 
  • Funny
Reactions: isufbcurt
Privacy laws
Ok, I see you're sticking with vagary. Can you cite those laws, and where they specifically apply to PTO? Because I don't think you're going to find anything. Employers are absolutely allowed to ask for a reason for PTO requests.

You're flat out misinformed on this. It's up to the employer to decide whether or not they want to ask for a reason. There's no law dictating it.
 
Ok, do you want to cite those, and where they specifically apply to PTO? Because I don't think you're going to find anything. Employers are absolutely allowed to ask for a reason for PTO requests.

You're flat out misinformed on this. It's up to the employer to decide whether or not they want to ask for a reason. There's no law dictating it.

And that's exactly why I don't ask for permission. I'd get denied if I told the truth and said I wanted to get wasted and be left alone instead of work.

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission in my office.
 
Last edited:
MY first job we had to get written approval.

My 2nd job we just put it on the vacation calendar and reminded the boss in advance (and then the week before) when we're gone.

My current job I set my own schedule so I just tell people when I'm going to be gone.
 
I've worked at three companies and have never had anyone question or deny a PTO request. I started by asking, but I've changed to a "speak now or forever hold your peace" approach. I almost always send an email to my boss saying "I intend to take X dates off with PTO. Please let me know if you have any objections."

That way, I'm not dependent on them to say "yes" for me to take the time off.
 
MY first job we had to get written approval.

My 2nd job we just put it on the vacation calendar and reminded the boss in advance (and then the week before) when we're gone.

My current job I set my own schedule so I just tell people when I'm going to be gone.

At the factory job, we just had to give an hour's notice to call in, and reasons weren't necessary.
On basketball game nights, I would call in during halftime from Hilton, and the previous shift supervisor would ask for reasons, even though I could barely hear him. My team leader got it and didn't mind.
After the first season, my boss just wrote the home games on the calendar and set me up like I had called, and I could just not bother. If I was on time, he just deleted the request.

That job was awful, but that guy was awesome.
 
I've worked at three companies and have never had anyone question or deny a PTO request. I started by asking, but I've changed to a "speak now or forever hold your peace" approach. I almost always send an email to my boss saying "I intend to take X dates off with PTO. Please let me know if you have any objections."

That way, I'm not dependent on them to say "yes" for me to take the time off.

The only time we run into issues, at my workplace, involves the holidays. That's a popular time to request off, so they had to institute a rotational vacation schedule, so we can meet minimum staff requirements, as some folks will, given the opportunity, request the entire week between Christmas and New Years off, on the first date the computer system will allow, and do it every year. We're talking 6 plus months in advance. It's led to some bad feelings in the past, because the vacation calendar fills up with the same folks every year, freezing out other people.
 
Anything FMLA approved is off limits for an employer to ask about or deny. Does this get abused? Hell yes it does. I know coworkers that have FMLA approval and I see facebook posts of them partying and other stuff then calling off and not getting in trouble for it. But legally it's off limits to the employer.

My manager never asks why I am taking time off. And as long as it's not a same day request and not on a day that the calendar is full, there's never any issues or repercussions.
 
The only time we run into issues, at my workplace, involves the holidays. That's a popular time to request off, so they had to institute a rotational vacation schedule, so we can meet minimum staff requirements, as some folks will, given the opportunity, request the entire week between Christmas and New Years off, on the first date the computer system will allow, and do it every year. We're talking 6 plus months in advance. It's led to some bad feelings in the past, because the vacation calendar fills up with the same folks every year, freezing out other people.

Thats why businesses should just shut down for the week between Xmas and NY
 
  • Like
Reactions: CycloneErik
Thats why businesses should just shut down for the week between Xmas and NY

I work for an Ag company so my office basically does shut down. The trick I've found is to not take PTO that week and just not show up to work since there is no one around and nothing to do. It's like getting 5 extra days of PTO every year
 
Last edited:
Thats why businesses should just shut down for the week between Xmas and NY
Sounds good. I'll be sure to let the community know not to get sick, or have any medical emergencies, or require any hospitalization during that week.:cool:
 
Anything FMLA approved is off limits for an employer to ask about or deny. Does this get abused? Hell yes it does. I know coworkers that have FMLA approval and I see facebook posts of them partying and other stuff then calling off and not getting in trouble for it. But legally it's off limits to the employer.
This is true. And in my experience people don't have to work very hard to find a doctor who will sign anything just to get them out of their office so it isn't that hard to get Family Medical Leave. I don't even think you have to work harder at avoiding work than you actually have to work to do your job so I can't say that anymore. I still can't fathom how people blow through all of their sick time, all of their vacation time and all of their FMLA unpaid leave and still aren't showing up for work with half of the year left to go.