My DH's A-hole boss is threatening to take our vacation away!!

[Raven66]

Not to be a total jerk, but this thread really doesn't belong in this section.

Not to be rude, but, do you think it was necessary to jump in just to tell her that she put this thread in the wrong place??



Anyway.......I think your husband should start by calmly talking, because he doesn't want to burn any bridges if he doesn't have too. But I completely understand you being mad. Because I would be as well. Vacations are scheduled for a reason. Has your husband and his boss butted heads before? Maybe he is just trying to cause him problems. I really hope every thing works out for you. Please let us know how it comes out.

Good luck!!!! :wave:

 

[wannabeBelle]

Not sure if this is an issue, make sure if there is any cost to be incurred such as cancelling reservations, changing flights, etc. the company is aware that you expect to be reimbursed. I typically just ask where should I expense those costs and let it go from there. Of course they answer I can't, to which I simply/dumbly ask what I'm supposed to do since I've already incurred the obligation based on being told I could be on vacation and now the vacation is revoked. I further state that if I have to stay for "business reasons" then this is a valid business expense. The company may not be under any obligation, but it has worked for me once they realize there are penalties associated.

Be forwarned, though, that I'm willing to push, and push hard, because my skills are rare and the last thing they want is for me to leave. I don't attack them, I simply treat it as a business issue and a reasonable expectation. It's all in how you approach it.

An "unique" (i.e. perhaps underhanded) approach would be to go to his bosses boss and state "I don't want to create any problems since we all should take vacation and I don't mind having to cut my vacation short so someone else on the team can go even after being cleared, but I have some sunk costs that I'd like the company to reimburse me for in exchange for my obvious flexibilty. It wouldn't be fair for me to cut my plans short and then have to pay for it, right? I didn't want to bring this up to xxxxx because I didn't want it to appear like I'm pressuring him into changing his plans. I want to be a team player."

If nothing else, perhaps you can write it off on your taxes.

I am not sure about the taxes thing, but I can tell you the rest of it would be dead on correct!!! I think this is a very professional way of handling it. Hubby's boss needs to understand that if he wants o mess with your vacation that there are more than hurt feelings at stake here. Well said! Belle

 

[Trishnh]

Here is the plan. First your husband finds a new job. Second he acts professional and leaves his 2 weeks notice the last day of which will just happen to fall 1 day before his former boss wants to leave. The higher ups make your husbands former boss cancel his vacation. You guys go to Disney and your husband can start his new job when you get back.Remember the Klingon proverb “Revenge is a dish best served cold”. :fork:

This is how my plan would go, too!! :animwink: Unfortunately we are not in a position (we have 4 kids after all!! ) for him to just up & leave without having a new job lined up, but I am definitely going to push him into looking for a new job. His boss has been a jerk before--making him drive to a customer 3 hours away during a blizzard--only to have the business close at noon due to the weather. His response "oh, well". When the jerk told him he would have to cancel his vacation he said "it sucks to be you" :fork: How completely unprofessional can you get???

"I would hardly characterize the boss's plans as "last-minute". "

The trip is in 3 weeks, not 10 months. So, I absolutely characterize his boss' trip as last minute. I also think he planned it at the same time as ours on purpose--just to show his position. :hurl: He knows my hubby is in no position to just tell him to f- off and leave (which is what he SHOULD do) and there is nothing we can do about it. The trip has been planned to the "T" and is all paid for. I like the idea of showing them what it will cost them to cancel my vacation!!

 

[jsfra209]

God, I hate that, I swear some bosses are such jerks... I swear they do this kind of stuff on purpose!! I say go to HR and inform them that the "business reasons" your boss is speaking of , is actually his own vacation...Selfish a** ..

I'm soooo sorry for you, and wish you the best :fork:

 

[Ashitaka]

How high up on the food chain is your husband's boss? Is he THE BOSS or does he in turn report to others and if so, how many levels are there above him? I'd certainly be taking this to the Boss's superiors, not just HR. And I'd be going with a cost estimate of what it is going to cost the company for you to cancel your vacation. After all, you had signed permission to take the time off and it was being revoked for "business reasons."

Who knows? In a perfect world, the higher-ups would realize what a jerk this guy is and fire him.

 

[DizkneeBoi]

Well your husband could always fight fire with fire. Have him slash his boss's tires or key his car. Delete important files and throw away his important memos. Pretty much just ruin everything that is important to him. I'm sure he'll change his tune after all of that!

 

[EpcotGrl]

His boss has been a jerk before--making him drive to a customer 3 hours away during a blizzard--only to have the business close at noon due to the weather. His response "oh, well". When the jerk told him he would have to cancel his vacation he said "it sucks to be you" :fork: How completely unprofessional can you get???

Oh that would drive me mad...I'd say definitely conduct your "counter-offensive" in a professional manner...I'd list all of the things (+ whatever else) and file and complaint with the company (assuming they do such things), because that's quite simply no way to run a business.

I hope you get this guy! Email him pix of your vacation, too Good luck!!!

 

[notnothin]

Well your husband could always fight fire with fire. Have him slash his boss's tires or key his car. Delete important files and throw away his important memos. Pretty much just ruin everything that is important to him. I'm sure he'll change his tune after all of that!

This sounds like great advice if you're interested in going to jail. I can't believe you'd suggest such a thing.

I agree with those that say let the company know what it will cost them for you to cancel a vacation. That has worked for me in the past as well.

 

[disneysailor]

Wow. That's tough.

It's a shame that many people in the States work more hours and have less time off than in Europe. Over here, it would be very difficult for a boss to do such a horrible thing. A two week vacation is considered average, and it most employers wouldn't dare interfere with a family holiday.

There's been some good advice on this thread so far, so I won't repeat it. Good luck though! :animwink:

 

[Raven66]

Well your husband could always fight fire with fire. Have him slash his boss's tires or key his car. Delete important files and throw away his important memos. Pretty much just ruin everything that is important to him. I'm sure he'll change his tune after all of that!

Not only is that immature, it's just crazy. He definately wouldn't be able to go on his vacation if he was in jail.

 

[fjm777]

Your husband's boss is one sorry individual but you really can't do anything if your husband needs his job.

Last December I was called while at WDW (12 hours away by car) and was told by my boss to come back to work. I was very angry, as were my wife and 3 kids, and lost 2 of my 6 days on vacation. But I did have to remember that it is my job that gives me the funds to go to WDW in the first place.

I'm not saying your situation is fair but you should keep a calm, cool head when dealing with "THE BOSS" no matter how big a jerk he is...

AND GOOD LUCK!

 

[Scooter]

I wouldn't get too upset.
These things have a way of working themselves out.

 

[tecowdw]

OMG! I am so mad right now!! My hubby put in for this vacation in the beginning of Feb. Initially his boss gave him a hard time because we are going to be gone almost two weeks. Finally he approved it and everything has been fine. Now today this A-hole tells my hubby that HE is going to be on vacation dring the 2nd part of our vacation and both of them cannot be out at the same time so we have to CANCEL OUR VACATION!! :fork: Can you believe it??? We have had these plans for a few months now and he KNEW about it and just because he decides on a whim to plan a vacation at the same time he thinks his takes precendence!! There is no way in hell I am cancelling it because he is a total jerk! I am so mad!!!! :fork: We are going this week because the kids will be on vacation and we are meeting some friends there that we have not seen in over a year and he has no kids to plan around so he can go on vacation pretty much any time. My Dh really needs to get a new job!!

As a boss myself, I can't imagine cancelling one of my staff member's vacations when they got it approved (verbal or writtten). That's just rotten! But, hey, some people are rotten. What in the world does he do that one of them has to be there all the time?

Myself, I would just tell the boss that I would change plans if the company reimbursed what I would be out. If that's not accepted, then I would tell him I will be going on vacation anyway. Chances are though, if he's as rotten as you say, it won't matter what your DH does. He's not going to come out the winner. Time to job search, for sure. I might say otherwise if this was an isolated instance but it's not apparently.

In my case, if my people just say to me that they're going to WDW, it's a given that come heck or high water, I'm approving their vacation (but don't tell them that). We all need a WDW vacation!!

Actually, I'm just a great boss!!

 

[tk421-sw]

Makes me rethink how luckey I am to live just an hour away, and how I wish I was at Disney 5 min.s after I get home, but go back every two weeks! If there is anything I can do for ya let me know. I can get stuff or whatever. Just let me know!

 

[tecowdw]

Makes me rethink how luckey I am to live just an hour away, and how I wish I was at Disney 5 min.s after I get home, but go back every two weeks! If there is anything I can do for ya let me know. I can get stuff or whatever. Just let me know!

Ya, rub it in!!

 

[diddy_mouse]

that truly sucks!! i'm very sorry your hubby's boss is such a huge jerk.

i also find it sad and crappy that we have such precious little vacation time that we are allowed (and *paid* vacation time at that) everyone is expected to work hard, but when the time comes for a well deserved break it's too darn hard to get.

sorry 'bout that...that was just me ranting about the workplace... :zipit:

 

[Lynx04]

If I was your man I would have looked at his boss and laugh at him. The other thing I would say is, "If you want me to cancel my vacation then that is just fine, but the company will have to reimburse me for rescheduling my trip and on top of that allow me to pick a future date that will not be interfered with."

 

[wdwforus]

I wouldnt say that this is a standard practice. Where I work my boss asks for input from the 5 supervisors that work for him when we want to take vacations and he adjusts his around what we want or makes sure we have adequate coverage from others to help. It also helps that we have back up supervisors we could use if we need to. My suggestion would be to have your husband talk to his boss first, he works for the man,whether he likes him or not he should have some sort of relationship with him where they can negotiate an agreement. The hard part is that in most of corporate America, vacation is at the companies will. Where I work the employees are union and can take their vacation time whenever. We have had cases where a supervisor put in for time off and it was denied and he went anyways and got fired. If his boss cant understand what kind of expense you have put out there already and be reasonable about things then I would aproach his boss about the situation. I would also make sure I had every ounce of info on this guy about the way he treats his employees to show that he is not a team player. We are instructed to keep notes on any bad situations with our employees that may be needed in the future for disciplinary reasons. He might have to do the same to make a worthy case for an HR investigation. Maybe a little heat from the HR dept. might soften him up. Hopefully this all works out for you.

 

[Number_6]

Well your husband could always fight fire with fire. Have him slash his boss's tires or key his car. Delete important files and throw away his important memos. Pretty much just ruin everything that is important to him. I'm sure he'll change his tune after all of that!

Yeah, he'd change it from "I'm being a jackass just because I can" to "By the way, YOU'RE FIRED!" Great idea.

 

[mkfan23]

My pride just wouldn't let me accept what this sad sack is doing. I definitely would freshen up the ole resume. It's one thing to require him to change his plans for business reasons, but an entirely a different thing to bump him because he "can". That little remark " It sucks to be you" would have sent me over the edge.