# A Jerk at Work!



## Eeeekim (Aug 14, 2009)

I have to vent and everyone here will understand.
I work for a small company and only one of us can have a day off at a time and we only get 2 weeks off so I try to save my time because sometime you need to take a day off for something like a sick kid, etc.
A co-worker has managed to sneak in a day off request for HALLOWEEN before me, 3 years in a row!! 
Now this guy never expressed any real love for 'Ween but ever since my display has ramped up and I need time to set it up he started asking off. He is very aware of my display and how much work I put into it.
GRRRRRRRRR!!!!! What a (insert your fav. string of 4 letter words here)!!!


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## Zombie-F (Apr 12, 2004)

I used to work in a very small company too. I got into the habit of putting in for the time off a year in advance because of that. Every year on November 1, I would put in for Halloween week off the next year.


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## Drago (Sep 5, 2011)

Truly sorry to hear that, if he doesn't do a 'ween display then he it's a real a......


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Go with the year-in-advance method ZombieF uses. Hopefully your co-worker won't figure out and use that tactic for the following year

Halloween not being a national holiday, this may not work, but perhaps you could suggest to the person in charge of approving days off that there be a fairness policy instituted so the same person does not get the same holiday off every year. Being a small company, it seems appropriate that holiday requests like this one be rotated among the staff.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

That sucks. Call in sick. Or at the very least, **** on his tires just for spite.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

That really stinks Eeeekim. I'd use Zombie-F's suggestion too. I have guys request on the first day of the year certain days off, well in advance. That way they can finalize their plans and be assured they have that day off. If it is Christmas or Thanksgiving and we have a bunch of people wanting the same day, (we must maintain a minimum number of officers) we will then go by seniority. Most times we can accomodate them. 

Talk to the guy and ask him if he would consider changing his mind being that you do a haunt and such. You won't know until you try. Go for it and good luck!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I foresee a 24 hour stomach flu coming on, Eekim.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

That sucks out loud! Put next years request off in tomorrow! And maybe Debbie is right, there DOES seem to be a string of the flu going around right now


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

A couple of good suggestions .... I have learned this year about drawing the line in the sand .... I would confront the person 1st (as someone suggested) see where this leads you ..... next step is to (as someone suggested) get that day off a year in advance.

I'll leave you with this "nice guys finish last" they get everyone's sympathy & support ... still finish last.....something I've learned this year.
Draw your line.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I agree on asking for the day off a year in advance, but not with the spiteful behavior or retribution. That person may have a birthday or special occasion that's important to them. Just because they don't talk to you about it doesn't mean they don't hold the day as being important. Frankly, I'd rather have the day after (November 1st) off to clean up and recover.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

I was kidding about the stomach flu thing. If someone sees you working when you are "home, sick" many employers will fire you. I'd offer the guy $20 to take his day off another time & give you his day.....


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Pepper spray in the vents on his car. The problem would solve itself.


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## R. Lamb (Oct 11, 2011)

I'm kinda self employed but now and again I do find a need to take on a "Regular" job. I always start with the stipulation that I can work just about any time but, the week before Oct. 31 is not available.


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

So it sounds like the other employee is doing it for no other reason than to bother you with it... So do they have a special day they want off each year? Take that and see if you can negotiate.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Or you can follow randomr8's signature line! Lol! Kidding!


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

I'd just go up to the guy and ask him if he's doing it just to get your goat. If that's the case, then you work with one goofy dude, why would someone do that? Do like a lot of us and ask for it off the year before. Maybe they have something going on that day that you are unaware of, like an anniversary.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

If you have any kind of rapport with this other guy, try asking him if he'd be willing to change a date for you or even offer to work something for him at another time. Explain that Halloween is a big deal for you and that you'd really appreciatre having it off. You'll be able to tell by his attitude and response if he's being spiteful or not. If that's the case, then by all mean get your request for next year in to your boss ASAP along with an explanation of your Hallowen activities and how important it is for you. I'm fortunate enough to have seniority in our office and get the vacation planner first so I hav e Halloween week off every year. None of my co-workers mind either which makes it nice.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

My bosses know that I will not be at work on October 31 or November 1. I will work every other holiday, plus my birthday, with no complaints. I have put in for it every year since I started. 

This year, with our new supervisor ( The Evil Humpty-Dumpty) it has become an issue. No one else has requested the time off for this year, but he continuously disapproves my request for it. Tuesday I decided that since he wants to play that game, I am putting in for the entire week leading up to Halloween, and if he rejects it, our warden and I will know the exact reason why. 

Maybe what you should do is ask the guy politely to rotate years with you, or something of that nature. If he refuses, take it to the boss.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Wow. I cannot beleive the difficulty some of you have with getting days off. As far as I am concerned, EARNED vacation is like earned paychecks. Work does not tell me how to spend my money, so...


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

True, jaege, but when you work for a small company, there is an issue of keeping adequate staff on hand to cover each work day. I work for a company that has nine employees at the moment, and if three ask for the same day off, that can impact our ability to cover jobs for our clients. That's why it comes down to negotiation on those rare occasions when it occurs.


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## Doc Doom (Aug 28, 2008)

jaege said:


> Wow. I cannot beleive the difficulty some of you have with getting days off. As far as I am concerned, EARNED vacation is like earned paychecks. Work does not tell me how to spend my money, so...


You are correct that earned vacation is owed to employees. As management, I try to grant requests to the maximum extent possible, however my primary responsibility is to deliver services which I can't do without staff being present. You're right, I don't control what the do while on vacation, but I do control when they take it.


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## Eeeekim (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I have thought of all of these options. I did ask him about it last year and he said "it's my vacation day I can use them whenever I want." Grrrr!! I had made the decision last year to put the request in early But I had forgotten about this guys glitch by the time vacation request forms came out this year. NEVER AGAIN, SHALL I FORGET!!!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

jaege said:


> Wow. I cannot beleive the difficulty some of you have with getting days off. As far as I am concerned, EARNED vacation is like earned paychecks. Work does not tell me how to spend my money, so...


They, the employers, may not be able to tell you how to spend your money or your time off, but they can tell you where you will or won't get a paycheck from. From the employers end, they are not in business to give you days off, they are in business to make money, and that requires employees to be there at crucial times/days. I know for many employers, Fall is a huge time for them, it's close enough to the holidays that the timing is critical in who is or isn't there. Trying to strong arm your employers is a recipe for unemployment, or an ill tempered workplace at best. Most companies have stipulations about potential vacation days, and emergency/sick days, and trying to ignore those will only come back to haunt you in the end.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh man, do I sympathize. Two years ago I told my manager I needed to take off Halloween. (Actually the Friday before Halloween (Sunday) which was the day my mother was flying into town and the final build was set to begin.) A week before the date, I learned that afterward she scheduled a trip on that day _with all the other programmers on the team_ (herself and two others). Meaning not only was it impossible for me to take off - I was the only programmer left - but I had to be on-call (unscheduled) the whole weekend while the rest of the team was in Las freaking Vegas. The date of this trip had, conveniently, been kept from me until the final week.

I filed my PTO paperwork for the 31st and the 1st just this morning. I would say that's cutting it too close, except my current workplace is beyond cool about that kind of thing. I work for an awesome company now.


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## zombastic (Aug 27, 2012)

I guess I'm lucky I've never been denied in 17 years at the county. 
You should find out his birthday, anniversaries ect. And take them off...LoL!


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Doc Doom said:


> You are correct that earned vacation is owed to employees. As management, I try to grant requests to the maximum extent possible, however my primary responsibility is to deliver services which I can't do without staff being present. You're right, I don't control what the do while on vacation, but I do control when they take it.


To a limited degree. You cannot continually deny an employee his vacation just because the company is busy or understaffed. That is not his fault and he is owed the days. Neither can vacation be denied without some reason. I used to work for the wage and hour division of the Dept of Labor. According to them, vacation is not quite as sacrosanct as a paycheck but it is close. This does not apply to sick leave or "paid time off", just days that are accrued as "vacation".

Unfortunately in the case of Eeeeek, the employer has a valid reason.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

fontgeek said:


> They, the employers, may not be able to tell you how to spend your money or your time off, but they can tell you where you will or won't get a paycheck from. From the employers end, they are not in business to give you days off, they are in business to make money, and that requires employees to be there at crucial times/days. I know for many employers, Fall is a huge time for them, it's close enough to the holidays that the timing is critical in who is or isn't there. Trying to strong arm your employers is a recipe for unemployment, or an ill tempered workplace at best. Most companies have stipulations about potential vacation days, and emergency/sick days, and trying to ignore those will only come back to haunt you in the end.


In my 40 some odd years of working I have never had a problem. Ever. But then I am very clear as to my position on such things before I take a job, as is any company I would be willing to work for. Just as an employer can "tell you where you will get your paycheck from" (I assume you mean they can decide to not hire you) an employee can decide whether or not to take a job from that employer. Remember, a job is a two way contract. Either entity can end it when they wish. I always enter such a "contract" with the full knowledge that they need me far more than I need them. The companies that realize that their employees are their most valuable commodities are the ones that do the best.

Again, just because a company is busy is not a valid reason to repeatedly deny vacation. The key word is repeatedly. It should be built into staffing to absorb the requirements of a few employees being away for scheduled leave or being out sick. If a certain time of year is exceptionally busy then the company has to plan ahead (by hiring temps, or subbing work out, whatever) to cover its needs, and that does not mean by taking advantage of its employees. Yes, it is a businesses "business" to make money but it is also the LAW that they pay their employees and provide whatever benefits that are required by the government and their own policies. If their policy is to provide vacation, then they have to allow the employees to use it, bottom line. It is not a privilege that can be granted or taken on a whim, it is part of the employment contract and as such has to be paid out.

It is amazing the number of employers who either do not know or just do not care about these types of laws. Typically when they learn about them it is a bitter education. The fines from the Dept. of Labor are pretty stiff and I have seen them doled out on many occasions.


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

I have a small staff and a 24/7 365 schedule to cover so my gang are pretty used to working holidays. I try my hardest to not deny time off requests. Luckily, we go by seniority, so that makes my life a bit easier. But with me, when people interview, I make it clear that the job is nights, weekends, and holidays-so they have an out before we waste each other's time.


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## MorbidFun (May 8, 2012)

call in sick


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## LAG (Sep 10, 2012)

I agree with fontgeek. Just think about taking Nov. 1 off instead. That gives you two days without the co-worker jerk.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

I would just call in with Hemmerhoid flare up that mysteriously only lasted on the night of Halloween.


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