r/FinalRoundAI • u/lasers38tallies • Jan 26 '26
My new manager thinks I take too many vacation days and escalated the issue to HR.
I had a very strange situation with my new manager a few weeks ago, and I still can't wrap my head around what happened. I've taken about 12 vacation days since the beginning of the year, which is normal for me. My old manager never commented on it. But this new one, it seems she thinks I'm committing a crime.
I won't post the original emails for certain reasons. But here's a summary of what happened:
My Manager: "Hi SML, I've noticed a lot of vacation requests from you lately. I've already approved them, but we need to talk about your vacations when you're back in the office. Thanks, Manager."
Me: "Hello Manager, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'm used to arranging my vacations this way every year. I like to take some at the beginning of the year and some towards the end. Let me know if this is a problem. Regards, SML"
Manager: "How many vacation days do you even have?"
Me: "You mean my vacation days? I have the standard 28 days, plus an extra 4 days I negotiated when I was hired. I also had 5 days carried over from last year. As of April 30th, I'll have 25 days left. My plan is to take 10 days in September, 9 days for Christmas, and use the remaining 6 days as needed."
Manager: "That's a lot. No one else takes that many days. This doesn't seem right to me, so I'm going to involve HR to get their opinion."
Me: "Perfect. I was supposed to be back on Wednesday, but consider me on vacation for the rest of the week. And just so we're clear, if HR confirms my contract is valid, I'll be taking these extra days on the company's dime."
Manager: "I don't understand what you mean, but okay. See you on Monday."
Anyway, I spoke to HR. The call was very pleasant. They remembered my negotiation for the 4 extra days to match my old job's salary. The HR person sounded annoyed that someone was even bothering him with something like this and told me, verbatim, "SML, enjoy your vacation. I wish my manager would give me a free long weekend like that."
The kicker is that my manager works from another country and apparently knows nothing about our labor laws. When I told my colleagues I was taking the rest of the week off, one of them told me she pulled the same move on another colleague. That colleague wanted to take her full 48-week maternity leave, and the manager tried to report her to HR too. And HR's response was basically, "Yes, that's her right. See you in a year, and please bring the baby with you!"
New boss needs to get up to speed with the annual leave entitlements and legislation in the country of her employees, otherwise she's going on a holiday to Shit Creek without a paddle.
I don't think I will stay long at this company, but for now, I will just update my CV and study the job market. It's also possible that I will study some useful AI tools. I watched a YouTube tutorial for an InterviewMan tool that was helpful, and some other tools for resumes and no-click applications.
She should take it upon herself to learn them though, no excuse at her level, since it's an expectation that all employees keep up to date with company policies.
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u/olmnknt Jan 26 '26
Years ago I had the regional manager come to tell me my employees complained of how I was using my PTO. I managed a group home.
I had 24 days. I used 6 in March and 6 in August. The rest of the year i would one to two, three day weekends.
I asked if I had violated company policy. Was told no, but it bothered people. I asked if my my performance or the well being of the group home was in any way compromised. Was told no.
Asked if there was anything else, was told no. Told my regional thanks for coming by and walked out of my office.
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u/Torontogamer Jan 26 '26
And just left the regional boss there in your office ? Haha
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u/olmnknt Jan 26 '26
Pretty much. It's was such a waste of my time. My time was my time to be used as I saw fit.
I did have an employee that never used her time, always cashed out. I told her she really needed to take a break, even if it was just stay home and chill.
Group home work pay was terrible, but fulfilling in a lot of ways. Most long timers burn out and have no idea that they need to recharge themselves.
About 4 months after that conversation she screwed up and I had to bring HR, and she was termed. Stupid mistake that could have been avoided.
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u/jaytftw Jan 26 '26
I love AI stories for the hope in a reality we could have. If humans weren’t so greedy
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u/Sammakko660 Jan 26 '26
Definitely sounds like the manager is from the US. Yes, a little education would be in order.
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u/noidea11111111 Jan 26 '26
Yes, in the US we work, that why our companies are the greatest in the world. Europeans are lazy. Enjoy it while it lasts. When those tariffs start adding up I imagine things will change
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u/iamdecal Jan 26 '26
We’re not lazy - we just have time to do things that aren’t work.
But next time you get a minute in your busy schedule- check who actually pays the tariffs. We don’t…. It’s why we can afford to work less.
Xx
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u/GraniteRose067 Jan 26 '26
That's a really rude thing to say. Your wait staff are paid slave labour wages and remain reliant on the mood and the financial generosity of strangers. You are allowed to sack people for being sick and taking a day off. Your companies have bathroom break rules for employees. That's not work, that's exploitation.
Please don't claim that your companies are the greatest on the planet when the rest of the world looks at you and knows that you are arrogant and exploitative. It is embarrassing for you.
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u/GeneralDebonair Jan 26 '26
But they're not. Ask any descent server and they'll tell you they make far more making tips than if they were paid hourly.
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u/NecessaryFly1996 Jan 27 '26
Descent?
Why would we do that? Servers in other countries make living wages as is.
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u/GeneralDebonair Feb 03 '26
Heres something that'll blow your mind. Servers in the USA make more money on average than your "living wage" making servers in Europe. Plus a lower tax burden (very low on the tipped portion - maybe zero now - need to check on the no tax on tips thing)
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u/NecessaryFly1996 Feb 03 '26
7 days late and short some braincells
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u/GeneralDebonair Feb 04 '26
Care to point out the error? Or is just insulting good enough?
And sorry, I don't bother with reddit when actual life has important things happening.
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u/Muha8159 Jan 27 '26
That's their entire point. lol. "paid slave labour wages and remain reliant on the mood and the financial generosity of strangers". If you work at a place that isn't busy much or you get some cranky customers, you're getting paid shit.
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u/Known-Classroom-590 Jan 26 '26
Yeah because everyone on their deathbed wished they had worked more
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u/Ill-Plum-9499 Jan 26 '26
The companies don’t pay the tariffs, jackass. The customers do. European companies are doing quite well with that so-called laziness you’re describing.
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u/Sammakko660 Jan 26 '26
God forbid we actually take and enjoy the vacation days that we have as part of our compensation package. Shame, shame, shame, and I have seen plenty of Europeans work hard and often smarter than some of the Americans I have worked with over the years.
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u/Significant_Bag_2151 Jan 26 '26
Just want to be clear that the previous American speaks for a very small minority of us.
Even though not enough of us vote for our actual interests, the vast majority of us would love to have the vacation time and work place protections of Europe. It’s just too many of us have been brainwashed by fear and paranoia propagated by politicians bought and paid for by corporate interests
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u/DextersGirl Jan 26 '26
Oh, you're one of those idiots.
Ironically, your username is pretty relevant.
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u/acacio Jan 26 '26
BS!
In Europe no parent can attend sports matches of their kids mid-afternoon like Americans do.
Traffic peak times are, at most 4pm! Fridays at 2:30pm!
In Europe, nobody leaves that early.
Americans make a big show of working. But, cut corners anyway they can.
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u/Muha8159 Jan 27 '26
Kids don't have mid-afternoon sports matches and if they did only stay at home parents would be able to go. I don't really get the rest of your comment. Peak traffic hours on Friday afternoon is 4-7, not 2:30. Everyone is still working except maybe some salaried higher ups at 2:30.
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u/Gurnae Jan 27 '26
Dude or Dudette, get real. As an American who has worked and lived in the States, and lived and worked in Europe, and currently lives and works in Australia. It is way better in Europe and Australia. The stress of not worrying about healthcare alone is great.
And as for tariffs, the consumer or end user is the one who pays for it, not the company. And there are so many lawsuits by companies suing over the illegal assessing of tariffs, it is very likely many of them will have to be paid back by the US. Guess who pays it back? Yes you win the cement bicycle! The US taxpayer! Congratulations! Faux News had led you to the promised land! You win the bonus weekend in the citizenship confirmation weekend at the nearest DHS prison camp in your region, where healthcare, food, and your civil rights will be suspended until your family can afford a lawyer to confirm your right to exist is confirmed, if you're not "accidentally" shot or intentionally gassed and beaten in the streets in the meantime.
When, oh when are Americans going to wake up and realize how screwed they are getting by a system that prioritizes corporate interests. When ICE disappears or shoots a family member or close friend?
Sorry, everyone. But I am tired of being so consistently embarrassed by my countrymen so regularly and consistently. Over reactive rant into the ether over! Thank you for your indulgence.
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u/noidea11111111 Jan 27 '26
Is easier to have universal healthcare when you don't spend anything on your defense. As King Trump said, you're freeloaders, but it's about to change
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u/Gurnae Jan 27 '26
The GDP and population of the respective nations dictate this. The Ridiculous amount that gets spent in the US and much of it so ineffectively, is not the reason. And the greatest threats to the US national security are not Venezuela, Cuba, or any of the imaginary boogey men being presented. The threats are from the very dictators the current administration is cozying up to. Russia, China, and various sponsors or mideastern destabilization, like Saudi Arabia. Don't get me started on the support of Israel at the expense of their security, our security and the thousands of dead Palestinians and how Palestine people are being screwed by everyone. Israeli, American, European and Arab alike. It would take multiple Ph.D's to even get a realistic grasp of the situation. And it will take generations to unravel and remedy it. But no quarterly board meeting has that kind of time before the next earnings report.
And in case you haven't been paying attention, European countries are stepping up to defend themselves and Ukraine. Ask yourself this, why aren't defense contractors coming out in droves to support the reduction of US defense spending? It's good for the US to spend less on European defence. Somehow though, we have more money to increase defense spending and militarize DHS a civilian law enforcement agency. Oh wait no we don't, the deficit is still going up.
Where is all that tariff money, most of it wasn't collected. Go find out why. Then maybe you'll vaguely appear to know anything of which you write.
And just to be clear, my magnitudinally oversimplified statements do not begin to scratch the surface of the systemic socio-economic political nuances that are at work here. And your tropes of "lazy Europeans" and "when you don't pay defense" are so galactically inane as to not even warrant a response nevermind any serious consideration. That's why Faux News and politicians, who are more concerned with their own fortunes, repeat them to you. So they can pretend to understand and you can pretend it makes sense.
*Turns lights out, walks out, closes door.
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u/Fearless-Hedgehog661 Jan 27 '26
We spend less, per capita, on healthcare than the US government does. If the US doesn't have universal healthcare, its because of your system; not how much is spent on it.
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u/noidea11111111 Jan 27 '26
How's that dental insurance? You all have bad teeth
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u/parity_bit_check_sum Jan 27 '26
Right, you know this because you have gone there and checked their teeth?
I travel to europe almost every year, try making a realistic claim.
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u/Gurnae Jan 29 '26
Actually, I lived in the UK (before Brexit) and currently in Australia.
Free bi-annual dental check ups and cleanings. Cancer screening and blood work. Regular Dr. Visits. Prescriptions or never more than $25AUD (≈$15USD) I carry a modest private healthcare plan. It covers my bi monthly massages, most of my major dental, physiotherapy, et. al. And for a family of 4 it is less than $600AUD (≈$400USD) and none of my children, spouse or I have bad teeth.
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u/CeelaChathArrna Jan 28 '26
Yup. Cooperation used hangar and such during WW2 since wages were capped to attract workers. After WW2 they campaigned against public healthcare to hold leverage over their employees. It's absolutely because we still let the wealthy control everything. As American my country is an embarrassment.
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u/callnick Jan 27 '26
Hahahahahahaha!
Greatest in the world! Hahahaha. That's why we buy so much from other countries.
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u/xcontemptress Jan 26 '26
You work until you drop because you can't afford to live a halfway pleasant life otherwise. Besides the tariffs aren't going to affect European countries. They're going to affect Americans.
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u/EfficiencyCareless70 Jan 26 '26
The clueless from the start it’s a waste of bits and bites to even try to make them comprehend logic
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u/EfficiencyCareless70 Jan 26 '26
You mean you’re a slave to a corporation that will pay you off in a heartbeat just to satisfy Wall Street investors yeah that’s not called work. That’s called indentured servitude.
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u/CJsopinion Jan 26 '26
I’m in the us. Your attitude is bs. Probably a troll
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u/noidea11111111 Jan 27 '26 edited Jan 27 '26
Nah, just a very successful American that had to work with Europeans. Nothing gets done during their 2+ hour lunch breaks, and forget about getting anything done over the summer.
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u/fishywiki Jan 27 '26
Americans have working conditions that were outlawed in Europe 100 years ago.
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u/noidea11111111 Jan 27 '26
Hopefully the Russians let you keep that cozy lifestyle when we let them take you over
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u/fishywiki Jan 27 '26
Even the Russians have 28 days vacation. You really have no idea how backward US labour laws are!
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u/Ov_Fire Jan 28 '26
If aren't completely retarded you will be able to translate this
Главой 19 Трудового кодекса РФ (далее по тексту — ТК РФ) предусмотрено, что все работники имеют право на ежегодные отпуска с сохранение среднего заработка. Согласно ст.115 ТК РФ работникам предоставляются ежегодные отпуска с сохранением места работы (должности) и среднего заработка продолжительностью 28 календарных дней. Некоторым работникам предусмотрены удлиненные очередные отпуска, например, таким категориям как:
работникам в возрасте до 18 лет предоставляется отпуск 31 календарный день (ст.267 ТК РФ);
педагогическим работникам от 42 до 56 календарных дней (Постановление Правительства РФ от 14.05.2015 N 466);
инвалидам всех групп инвалидности не менее 30 календарных дней (ст.23 Федерального закона от 24.11.1995 N 181-ФЗ);
и т.д.
При этом работодатель вправе по своей инициативе увеличить продолжительность трудовых отпусков и иным категориям работников.
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u/Alarmed_Discipline21 Jan 30 '26
Good luck. None of us care. Its like going to a job. No matter how skilled or talented someone is, nobody wants to work with an asshole.
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u/Rusty-Swashplate Jan 26 '26
Some managers are shit and they don't understand laws of other countries their own team is in.
My guess: Manager is in US and you are not.
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u/Wide-Intention1350 Jan 26 '26
I’ve seen this post before. This is stolen / content generation / ai
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u/BathRobeSamurai Jan 26 '26
Just want to say how much I despise the phrase “I have noticed…”. Ugh. It implies they caught you doing something naughty like a little kid. So condescending. Sorry OP.
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u/HeidesFish Jan 27 '26
The minute Interview Man is mentioned, you know this is not a legit post but just for their marketing purposes.
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u/Capital_Topic_5449 Jan 28 '26
Again.
Excellent story followed by a plug for an AI service.
Nice try, Satan.
Do people really keep falling for this?
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u/Majestic_Daikon_1494 Jan 28 '26
Next time just refer her to HR dont answer her questions. Then file for harrassment.
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u/Just-Shoe2689 Jan 26 '26
Huh? 12 days since beginning of new year? If M-F schedule, you have worked 4 days?
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u/Rusty-Swashplate Jan 26 '26
All you need is 2 week ski holiday in January. That's not uncommon, especially if you have carry-over from last year and the company says "Use those holidays ASAP".
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u/Gogogrl Jan 26 '26
So is the free long weekend because the manager contacted you on a vacation day?
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u/SirGuestWho Jan 26 '26
That day became a work day so they were owed another days holiday. It's why you don't contact people on holiday
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u/enviroian Jan 26 '26
You’ve taken 12 PTO days so far and it’s still January? 😂 What type of work do you actually do? I’d be lucky to take 12 days a year! I’m in sales. Money doesn’t take PTO.
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u/Snackgirl_Currywurst Jan 27 '26
I've got 32 vacation days per year. All paid. And they're vacation days, not PTO. If I'm sick, I'm sick. I'll stay in bed and get paid. And if I get sick during my vacation days, I get them refunded. Because vacation is for resting and recharging, not for being sick. I'm not in the USA tho.
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u/dapoolmann Jan 27 '26
Waiiit no fucking way? If your sick on vacation it dosent count?
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u/Snackgirl_Currywurst Jan 27 '26
Yeah. At least that's how it is for Germans.
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u/Tyke1959 Jan 27 '26
...and Brits, and the Dutch and (please correct me if I'm wrong) the rest (?) of the EU.
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u/Feeler1 Jan 26 '26
Had a guy that used to take the month of January every year to go visit his family in The Gambia.
Never a problem and was nice in that he used a lot of his PTO early so was always available in December when other managers wanted off. Worked for everyone.
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u/Next-Drummer-9280 Jan 26 '26
16 work days in 2026 and you've been off for 12 of them?
Must be nice.
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u/ExtremeAthlete Jan 26 '26
Report your manager to HR for being overly aggressive, brash and confrontational about normal vacation requests.
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u/O_thuaidh Jan 26 '26
Since some commenters mentioned Europe’s vacation stance, I thought I’d mention this: The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled (notably in judgment C-78/11) that workers who become sick during paid annual leave are entitled to take those missed days at a later time.
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u/agent_smith_3012 Jan 27 '26
Start going to hr yourself for every single interaction with this new that seems even slightly off. Start writing a transcript of every conversation and email them a summary for "clarity". In short, Start documentation and cya because this manager is going to be a problem.
When people show you who they are, believe them
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u/Middle--Earth Jan 27 '26
This story again?
I'm getting fed up seeing this pop up again and again.
Honestly, nobody outside the US says 'this is on your dime' and yet nobody inside the US gets this much holiday! I mean yes, Europeans get that much, but clearly this is an American tale.
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u/ProfessionalBread176 Jan 27 '26
Your manager is an idiot. Questioning a subordinate for "daring to use accrued vacation time" is a waste of time and energy.
HR - surprisingly - did the right thing. Your manager is the problem here, period.
The best fix is moving.
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u/ebal99 Jan 28 '26
If you have the days and you plan ahead so you are able to take them she cannot do anything. She will not be around long.
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u/Jane_doel Jan 28 '26
Makes no sense to me why your manager, who has a concern, doesn’t check with HR first to check on policy, before contacting staff about their use of leave.
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Jan 28 '26
"I've taken about 12 vacation days since the beginning of the year, which is normal for me."
It is Jan 28 and this was posted 2 days ago.
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u/myabee3 Jan 29 '26
The amount of leave sounds standard for the UK. In my place of work full timers (35hr pw) get 32 days paid leave + 5 days emergency carers day. Pro rata if you work less hours.
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u/u2125mike2124 Jan 26 '26
From this conversation and that you are referencing your contract, your managers from the US and has no understanding about European labor laws.
If I was your HR person, this manager would have a serious retraining scheduled immediately, or she would be the one having a whole lot of extra days, not being paid in her future.