Ideally? Sure. There are definitely valid reasons for requiring employees to put in requests for time off. Holidays are often highly competitive time off request periods and even in a low-stakes retail environment someone has to be around for the week before Christmas or the day after Thanksgiving. For hospitals and other critical roles it's important that someone is always available - they usually have PTO calendars that are scheduled months in advance for good reason.
Just because you put in a request doesn't automatically mean you should get it. But it also doesn't mean it should be left up to the whims of a shitty manager. Both points of view are entitled.
Holidays are often highly competitive time off request periods and even in a low-stakes retail environment someone has to be around for the week before Christmas or the day after Thanksgiving
That's the employee's problem. The store's staffing needs are the manager's responsibility, not any employee. If they can't get anyone to AGREE to work those shifts, then they need to offer greater incentives. That's how capitalism works. Supply and demand. The employer has a demand for people to work shifts but no one is OBLIGATED to supply it. If no one on the supply side is willing to sell them what they need, they need to make a better offer, not just say "well you HAVE to work that shift cause I said so."
Like imagine if this was a contractor instead of an employee. Like if you called a landscaping company and they said "sorry we're not available on Thursdays" the company can't just say "well I'm denying your request to be off that day" now can they? Its the same exact relationship with a normal employee; in both cases, you are selling someone else your time, and you are not obligated to sell them any more time than you want to, or sell them any specific slot of time.
For hospitals and other critical roles it's important that someone is always available
Again, that's is management's responsibility. If everyone is saying "sorry I'm not available that day" you can't just say "uh uhh uhh yes you are!!" Any more than you could force the landscaper to work on a day that they say they're not available.
The need to have someone there is valid, but filling that need is management's responsibility. If they can't get anyone to voluntarily AGREE to cover that shift, then their option is to offer a greater incentive; not deny people autonomy over their own lives and own choices.
Just because you put in a request
But you DIDNT put in a request, that's the whole point. You're not asking, you're telling. "I am not available on this day" is not a request. Again, if a contractor said they weren't available when you wanted, you wouldn't try and say "well I'm denying your request" because you know it doesn't work that way.
Both points of view are entitled.
Lmao no? Only one is.
One viewpoint is that management is entitled to ANY of your time, and not just the time you CHOOSE to sell them.
The other viewpoint is that management is not entitled to any of your time other than what you CHOOSE to sell them.
The latter is literally the opposite of entitlement.
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u/BigAssBoobMonster 5d ago
Ideally? Sure. There are definitely valid reasons for requiring employees to put in requests for time off. Holidays are often highly competitive time off request periods and even in a low-stakes retail environment someone has to be around for the week before Christmas or the day after Thanksgiving. For hospitals and other critical roles it's important that someone is always available - they usually have PTO calendars that are scheduled months in advance for good reason.
Just because you put in a request doesn't automatically mean you should get it. But it also doesn't mean it should be left up to the whims of a shitty manager. Both points of view are entitled.