Gen Z Manager Shares 3 Examples Of PTO Requests She’s Denied — ‘Boomer Managers Could Never’
One manager is known for denying PTO requests so employees are free to use that time how they want.
insta_photos | Shutterstock In the workplace today, employees are looking for flexibility and understanding more than ever before. Managers who have loyal employees are the ones who are attuned to these needs and allow employees the leeway they need to be successful both at work and in their personal lives.
This is a concept that a Gen Z manager named Elizabeth understands well. She wants her employees to feel like they can always come to her when they have a problem and trust her to be on their side. Elizabeth shared that she thinks PTO “is meant to recharge and be used how you need it, not to handle life changing events.” She shared three examples of times that she’s denied her employees requests for time off — and her reasoning just might surprise you.
A Gen Z manager revealed three PTO requests she denied for surprising reasons:
1. An employee miscarried
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“I had a rep text me,” Elizabeth shared. “She’s like, ‘Hey, I think I’m miscarrying. I need to cancel the day. How do I submit the time off?’” Elizabeth was having none of that. “Girl, what the? Go to the doctor!” she exclaimed. “We’re not submitting time off for that. Absolutely not. You use your time off for vacation. This is a medical emergency. Let’s get you taken care of.”
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), policies allowing employees to take time off unpenalized when dealing with a pregnancy loss are becoming more and more common, with companies like Bumble and Pinterest leading the charge. As SHRM pointed out, “Miscarriage leave has historically been a rare company offering; it hasn’t been an isolated benefit or a part of most employers’ bereavement policies.”
This still wasn’t enough for Elizabeth, however, who felt that her rep deserved to take time off with absolutely no strings attached. Her behavior surely meant the world to her employee, and other managers should take note. Being there for your employees pays off in the long run.
2. An employee was up all night because his kid was in the hospital
Elizabeth explained that she got a call saying, “I’m so sorry I’m running late. I know we’re supposed to meet this client at 9:00. Is there any way you can start it for me? I just, I’ve been up all night.” Her initial reaction was one of complete understanding because she knew this employee had a new baby at home and she had been through those “sleepless nights” herself.
“And then he said, ‘Actually, um, I had to take my oldest into the hospital last night. My wife is there with her right now, and I had to find childcare for the baby,’” she recounted. Elizabeth was indignant. “Sir, turn your car around!” she exclaimed. “Get back to the hospital. Hang out with your baby. What do you mean you’re coming into work today? Absolutely not.” This particular employee was concerned because he didn’t have any PTO left that he could use, but Elizabeth told him that was not necessary.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explained that when a child has a “serious health condition,” a parent is entitled to take sick leave or time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Elizabeth, however, didn’t see this as necessary. She understood what this employee needed, and she gave it to him. It was as simple as that. More managers should use this type of approach.
3. An employee was celebrating his anniversary
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It turns out that Elizabeth was just as understanding of personal issues as she was of medical emergencies. Another employee informed her, “Hey, it’s my anniversary. Do you mind if I cut off early? Like, I submitted the request to HR. I’m just gonna take a half day. I wanna take my wife out and get a hotel. After we had our kids, like, we haven’t really connected for a while.” Once again, Elizabeth really couldn’t understand her worker’s request. “Dude, you are doing great at your job,” she said. “Why are you getting HR involved in this? Like, just … go. It’s fine.”
BetterUp shared that when workers have situations in which they would like to take time off for some kind of family event or something similar, like an anniversary, they are typically required to use personal days if they have them. Elizabeth doesn’t believe in this. If you’re all caught up on your work, why wouldn’t you be allowed to take a little time off for something that’s important to you?
By allowing employees to take some time off for significant events, and not forcing them to use PTO, managers build a better rapport with their workers and signify that they trust them enough to make smart decisions. That’s what employees really want.
Giving employees the reasonable time and space that they need will allow managers to quickly build strong relationships with them. At the end of the day, work is just a part of life, not someone’s entire life. It shouldn’t get in the way of things that are important, whether it’s a medical emergency or celebrating an important milestone. Family always comes first, and it’s important to make sure your employees can have their priorities in proper order.
Elizabeth ended her video with some strong advice for her fellow managers: “If any of these triggered anyone, you probably need to re-evaluate how you run your team as a manager,” she said. If the world had more managers like Elizabeth, it would undoubtedly be a better, more equitable place.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.