Fired for taking vacation

[johsonmichelle]

I never stated her boss was right. I also read the post correctly she knew she would lose her job. I don't know about you, but we need my income in my family. Jobs don't come easy where I live. Getting fired around here and you could be out of work for a year or be forced to relocate your entire family, kids change schools, etc....some people can do that and not care about how it impacts their family, but it's not anything I could do and sleep well at night.

Did she have a right to be upset? She absolutely did. I would have went through the CNO before I handled it in the same manner as the OP and sent an email to everyone involved so there is evidence you were in compliance and they were aware of it.

Absolutely look for another job...but the OP may be writing a very different post in a few weeks when she tries to find a job when she was fired from the last one, which can absolutely be legally disclosed to anyone who calls for a reference.

Life isn't fair. But you can't eat or pay bills with being right.

I'm sure that the OP has thought about the consequences before she did what she did. Most working class people need income to survive but that does not mean that they should tolerate abuse.

[cyc0sys]

I'm sure that the OP has thought about the consequences before she did what she did. Most working class people need income to survive but that does not mean that they should tolerate abuse.

I originally made this post to empower people, as another stated so succinctly, "A lot of us like to complain a lot but we are also complacent with foolish rules". If you're in a dead end job or an area where employment isn't conducive to fair treatment or a living wage, I implore you to take a stand.

Whether it's moving, gaining higher education, or quitting to prove a point. We are not wage slaves or children of the corporation. We are in fact, one their most valued resources and deserve the same respect and courtesy being provided to our patients.

Side note, had I produced documentation stating a medical or family emergency occurred during that time period, it would be covered by Family Medical Leave Act. Something to consider if you're in a similar situation and don't desire the same outcome as me. Believe me, it would've been a family emergency if I told my wife we weren't going on vacation and were out a couple grand.;-)

I had a job offer 3 days after my termination and one just yesterday, so I'm not really concerned about what the company might say. Nursing is in high demand in this area so companies who have a need care very little about what might be said by another. I have plenty of professional references from Physicians to Therapist if they want a professional opinion.

My Ex-company should be really more concerned about what might be said to state and federal regulators. Especially if you know where all the 'bodies' are buried, near sentinel events, delays in care, and medically negligent decisions made by non-clinical admin personnel to increase profits. Idle hands are the devils' plaything and we all know, job security isn't what it once was.

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

I worked for an employer for 28 years. I went without vacation, possibly for 10 years ,because management asked me to find my own coverage for vacations. I worked at an outpatient setting in a not so safe inner city area. I was not able to find coverage. I lost vacation time. Sometimes I was fortunate enough to finish early and was able to take PTO. I finally left that job for personal reasons, not vacation.

I started working for another employer and was told during the interview, it would be easy to get PTO request. Some time in the middle, a two week request for PTO became the standard. A year later, my PTO request depends on weather the next schedule is out. I was told I should give a 3 week request, but if the manager completes the schedule for a month, I can't make a request because the schedule is out. If the manager makes the schedule for two weeks, and I have requested 3 weeks ahead of time, I may get my PTO. I work for a large not for profit university hospital setting. Three call in and it's a write up, medical excuse notes are not accepted. I checked the policy, but policy states that PTO and breaks are approved pending the needs of the unit. Yes, even breaks! Are there any government agencies that routinely check into this ? It's in their policy. I soppose I can request FMLA somehow, but I fear doing so may prompt management to seek work performance issues in order to teach me a lesson. I never imagined becoming a nurse would mean giving my life over to my employer or no pay check. I take my PTO when allowed, because I need my pay check more. I suspect I will loose some PTO due to accumulation because I'm not allowed to take it. There are preferences given to some for PTO with fancy titles or connections, but I feel there's not much I can say because the policy basically states PTO approval is up to management discretion.