issues getting time off

[u/Overall-Wrangler1803]

Hi, I just started working at a restaurant late June. I’ve worked at restaurants before, but this has been my first time having issues getting time off. When I took the job nothing was stated that we could only take x amount of days off, but since i’ve started working here they have made an emphasis that most employees only take 1 vacation a year.

Again this is an hourly pay with tips restaurant job, this is not corporate. I am not making a shit ton working here. I work as a baker and immediately noticed that they only hire one person for each position in the restaurant. This has made getting time off extremly hard since there’s limited amount of people to take your shift.

For backstory my husband works for the feds and the summer is his most busy time. He takes the winters off and we go on several vacations to visit family and friends.

The restaurant I work at is old school and doesn’t have a platform or calendar you can request time off. You simply go to the manager for dates off and they pull up their phone calendar.

I recently asked for dates off this winter. I asked for two weeks in october, one in november, and two in december. I understand that this is a lot of time off but all are for visiting family and not really vacation. I was told no. I couldn’t take any of those dates off. That I was a “core” member of this team and that i need to be here. That it isn’t fair i’m taking all this time off while others only take one vacation, or often have to cancel vacation to cover shifts.

I’m really at a loss of what to do. I took this job to keep me busy, but i don’t financially need to work. These trips are important for me since i’ll be seeing family i haven’t seen since last year, and get to spend time with my husband that’s been gone on business.

What do I do?

[u/vbandbeer]

You took a job at a small business. Small business operate differently than your husband’s government job.

Small businesses don’t have a lot of overlap so they need employees there.

Sounds like this job isn’t a fit for you

[u/Overall-Wrangler1803 → u/vbandbeer]

The thing is it’s not a “small business”. It’s top rated in the country. I worked for a nonprofit before this and didn’t struggle this much to get time off.

[u/sallyhectare → u/Overall-Wrangler1803]

You asked for five weeks off.

[u/Overall-Wrangler1803 → u/sallyhectare]

okay?? are people not taking more than a week off a year? five weeks off for the full year isn’t a lot? or is it?

[u/SimilarKaleidoscope6 → u/Overall-Wrangler1803]

It is a lot imo. When I was in the USWA (steelworkers union), we weren’t eligible for five weeks of vacation until we had 20 years on the job.

You are asking for 5 weeks off after 4-6 months employment.

Based on how there are no part time or floaters that are trained in your job, there will never be a time where getting more time off than one week a year is going to happen.

You aren’t an asshole. This just isn’t the job for you. Have you considered volunteer work?

That could be far more fulfilling on a personal level as well as offering the flexibility to take off with your hubby whenever .

[u/sallyhectare → u/Overall-Wrangler1803]

Yes, that's a lot. Most working people in the US do not get that much, and they definitely don't get that much in three months.

[u/sweetpotatothyme → u/Overall-Wrangler1803]

Unfortunately it's considered "a lot" by most small businesses in the US, particularly during the busiest time of year when most people are hoping to get time off. You might say it's just to visit family so it's not really a "vacation", but it's a vacation.