A LinkedIn post detailing the denial of a US-based employee’s request for year-end leave has reignited debate about workplace culture, managerial authority and the gap between company policies and everyday practice.
A post shared on a professional networking platform describes the experience of a woman working in the US who was denied scheduled leave despite requesting it well in advance.
According to a LinkedIn user, the employee informed her team almost six weeks before the intended vacation, completed all the required formalities and booked a trip to India after a long absence.
“My leave was just denied.
The post states that on the same day the leave was submitted through the internal system, the employee received a call from her supervisor who questioned the timing of the request. She was allegedly told there was “too much work” and that “too many people are already on holiday”, despite being given prior notice.
The user claimed that the discussion soon became unpleasant, with indirect pressure on employees and references to future career prospects. She was allegedly “asked” to either cancel the leave or take it as unpaid leave.
With already booked tickets for a price of around ₹1.5 lakh, the employee opted to take unpaid leave and forfeit almost half of her monthly salary to continue with her travel plans.
The post noted that the situation was particularly troubling because it involved a large multinational firm known for its generous paid time off (PTO) policy and public messages encouraging employees to take breaks.
According to the LinkedIn user, the incident reflects a broader problem many professionals face — that formal policies offer little protection without management support.
“If your manager doesn’t believe in taking vacation time, there is no policy in the world that will protect you,” the post said.
The user concluded by advising employees to consider internal team changes where possible and to evaluate potential managers as carefully as the organization when looking for new job opportunities. The post also highlighted that while a supportive manager can improve even a challenging workplace, a bad manager can make an otherwise ideal organization difficult to cope with – something no offer letter clearly outlines.
Here’s how people reacted on social media:
One user wrote: “A manager is the most important person in corporate life. Your peace of mind depends on your manager. I was lucky enough to be assigned to the best managers who were understanding and fought for you. I do the same with my charges now that I am one.”
Another said: “Another lesson is to never book tickets until the holiday is approved! That way you at least have the option to change dates or not go if you don’t want to anymore.”
A third user said: “This only happens to Indians. It happened to my cousin. Why? Because she is Indian. Indians are known to work hard for money. For promotion. For family. Indians can live for everyone else but themselves. We don’t know when to stop listening to everyone outside of us. That’s a specialty in all of us that makes us do what we do because that person doesn’t deserve to change jobs or work. report back to this manager Sad but believe me everyone who works abroad especially in service companies faces this aspect unfortunately we realize it too late.
