“Can’t even take a Monday off”: Employee’s one-week vacation request denied despite 5 years at job

A Reddit post has gone viral after an accounting and finance analyst shared how their manager refused to approve a simple one-week vacation. The employee, who has been in the role for five years, says they haven’t taken a proper break in over a year and now just want a beach holiday—but even a single Monday off is being denied.

The situation has triggered a wider discussion about workplace boundaries, PTO policies, and whether some managers are creating unnecessary dependency on key employees.

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Heavy Workload With No Backup

According to the post, the employee works as the only analyst in the team after multiple resignations over the past year. For a long period, there was no manager, and when a replacement finally arrived, the structure reportedly didn’t improve much.

The employee’s responsibilities include:

Leading weekly sales presentations to the division president
Preparing all presentation materials and reports
Managing full analyst duties without support

Since no one else is trained to handle the presentation, the employee believes their manager is avoiding stepping in due to discomfort presenting to senior leadership.

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PTO Request Denied Despite Long Tenure

The employee says they requested a one-week vacation, but the manager refused, stating they “won’t be able to take a Monday off” because of the weekly presentation.



This has frustrated the employee, who feels that after five years in the role and consistent performance, they should be able to take earned PTO without disruption. The key issue is not just the vacation denial—but the lack of backup planning that makes any absence difficult.

What Reddit Users Are Saying

The post sparked strong reactions, with many users pointing out that the issue likely goes beyond a single vacation request.

1. Consider switching jobs

Many commenters said a manager who refuses to respect time off is unlikely to improve. They suggested the employee start looking for other opportunities.

2. Follow formal PTO process

Several users recommended submitting the leave request formally in writing and forcing a clear approval or rejection. If denied without valid policy reasons, escalation may be necessary.

3. Speak to HR carefully

Others suggested contacting HR not as a complaint, but to clarify official PTO rules and escalation procedures. This approach keeps the conversation procedural rather than emotional.

4. Take sick leave (risky advice)

A few users suggested calling in sick if leave is denied, though many warned this could harm trust and create workplace issues.

The Bigger Issue: Single Point of Failure

Beyond the immediate conflict, the situation highlights a common workplace problem—one employee becoming essential to a critical function without backup coverage.

In healthy teams, managers ensure:

Cross-training for key responsibilities
Backup coverage for presentations and meetings
Employees can take PTO without operational breakdowns

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.