Broaching the subject of annual leave with your boss can be a daunting prospect for even the boldest of employees.
So much so, that you can begin question whether or not you really need the time off.
You wouldn't want to get onto your manager's bad side, after all!
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But holiday leave is an employee's basic right, which all workers on full-time contracts are absolutely more than entitled to. So, why is it that we feel so guilty requesting away days?
This week, an employee named Noel has been asking himself the exact same question, sharing an update on a professional predicament he was forced into after his boss actually REVOKED his annual leave following another employee's resignation.
The 'appalling' professional predicament was exposed by TikTok star Michael Sanz - a business owner and outsourcing expert with millions of followers - after the manager himself, a man named Nick, actually shared screengrabs of the text exchange with employee Noel, as if proud of his controversial request.
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He may have hoped that Michael would take his side and shift the blame onto Noel, but the reality of what went down couldn't be farther from the truth.
Michael went on to read the first text Nick sent: "Hi Noel, Jenny has resigned so we need to cancel your leave next week - all hands on deck while we try to replace her. We can push back a few months.
"I've advised HR it's now changed for you. Appreciate your understanding."
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Naturally, Noel was left FLABBERGASTED by his manager's audacity.
"Hi Nick. Sorry to hear," he wrote back. "I totally appreciate how frustrating this would be to management. But what do you mean you already told HR my leave has changed?
"Unfortunately I can't cancel my leave as it's my brother's wedding in Bali, all flights are paid for and my kids are in the wedding party."
Noel went on to explain that they'd booked the trip seven months earlier, meaning cancelling it wouldn't be a possibility.
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After a heated back and forth, the staff member reached breaking point, telling boss Nick that he'd had enough, wouldn't be coming into the work for the foreseeable, and would be starting his three week vacation earlier.
Since then, viewers of the viral video have been DYING to know what went down between the duo when Noel finally did show up to work.
And it turns out, we have an update for you, after the employee got back in touch with Michael to spill the beans...
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Revealing he'd had a great time at the family wedding, Noel went on to say that he turned his phone, emails and social media off after his text debacle with Nick, and was left saddened after hearing how many employees go through similarly awkward situations with their own managers.
"My wife had some missed calls from the office but we ignored them," he went on. "I came back to work after my leave and management were all a bit distant.
"I had decided on my break to find another job but also didn't want to let my clients down."
Noel then disclosed he gave his official notice, passed his clients on to his competent colleagues and found a new job 'with higher pay', adding he was 'grateful' for how much Michael's original expose had 'blown up'.
Dubbing Noel a 'decent guy', the TikToker went on: "This is such a great success story where people see their value and they don't need to put up with how their companies are treating them.
"So, well played, well done."
Rhianna Benson