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Is there more obligation if I am taking a week off?

I am doing job interviews during this time and I don't want my boss to know.

user2562609
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    It's nobodies business but your own. That is why they consider it a vacation day. In fact, I advise you not to mention what you do on "vacation days" even if it were / were not interview taking. – JonH Jul 07 '15 at 19:23
  • Why would you advise that? Wouldn't it make you look transparent to your boss? – user2562609 Jul 07 '15 at 19:24
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    Its not his business what I do on my off days. You'd be surprised how management deals with simple things such as what you are doing on your days off. You need the day off for "personal reasons" they are personal to you and no one else. If my boss doesn't respect that than maybe I'm not working in the right place. When I request time off, using our tool that we have developed here, there is a multiline textbox for reason that is optional and for that reason I keep it empty. – JonH Jul 07 '15 at 19:25
  • What DOES management do when they know what you're doing during your off data? – user2562609 Jul 07 '15 at 19:26
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    it's not worth the discussion, my point to you is you do not have to tell your co workers or your boss why you are off. Its a vacation day for a reason...its nobodies business but your own. The more info you give out the more reasons to question it. Keep it short and simple, I need a vacation day off...period NOTHING ELSE. If there is a question about why you END IT with personal matters and that is all nothing else. – JonH Jul 07 '15 at 19:27
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    @JonH Your attitude is way over confrontational. Personal reasons is fine and should be respected, but never telling anyone why you're having time off is, frankly, going to appear odd. If you're going on holiday, why wouldn't you say? Inter personal relationships are important and you should put effort into them. – Dan Jul 07 '15 at 20:45
  • @dan why because I won't disclose every single detail to my boss about why I need a vacation day? – JonH Jul 07 '15 at 20:47
  • @JonH I hit enter early - clarification above. – Dan Jul 07 '15 at 20:48
  • I don't agree its not anyone's business as to why you are making the request. No one said you can't come back from taking a vacation and brag about the leaning tower in Italy. But my humble opinion is the request itself is no ones business. – JonH Jul 07 '15 at 20:51
  • What if you're going to a job interview, that's a trickier situation. – user2562609 Jul 07 '15 at 20:51
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    The one caveat I would add is that some companies have policies regarding how much notice you need to give to take annual leave. For an interview, you may need to request leave at shorter notice than that. It can be tricky asking them to bend the rules regarding leave notice if you won't say what you want the time off for. – Carson63000 Jul 08 '15 at 01:11

3 Answers3

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You tell the boss that you want to take the day off because you have personal business to take care of. Just don't disclose what that personal business is. If the boss pries further, simply reiterate with a chagrined look that "it is business in my personal life that I need to take care of"

Alternatively, take a sick day. Food poisoning, diarrhea, a skin rash get the strongest of us. "I thought I was sick but it was just my body whining" :)

Vietnhi Phuvan
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    I disagree with the lying but totally agree to just politely say "Personal business", then escalate to a less jolly "personal business" remark if prying ears want to know. – Lan Jul 07 '15 at 20:34
  • @John If you HAVE to take a day off on a specific date and you know your boss won't sign off on it, what do you do? That's why I also proposed taking a sick day as an alternative. – Vietnhi Phuvan Jul 07 '15 at 21:00
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    A sick day on a day where you have requested and been denied a day of leave looks awfully suspicious, though. Of course, if you're on your way out the door anyway, you may not care.. – Carson63000 Jul 08 '15 at 01:13
  • @Carson3000 I'd say, if you have a pretty good idea that you are going to be turned down for a personal day, then go for the sick day. If I asked for a personal day off to take care of business that I thought was important to me and I got turned down, I'd take the sick day. And I don't care what it smells like. My attitude is that when you get sick, you get sick. You don't get to choose when you get sick. I wouldn't pull this too often, for obvious reasons. – Vietnhi Phuvan Jul 08 '15 at 02:55
  • I strongly disagree with calling in sick when you aren't, especially in arrangements where your sick days are paid — that's stealing, on top of lying, and a breach of contract. – magma Jul 09 '15 at 01:28
  • @magma I'll remind you that the OP worked for the sick days that I am advising him to "steal " as a last resort. I really love the smugness, the self-righteousness and the judgement passing - I just can't get enough of that. End up in a situation when your employer won't let you take a day off that you absolutely need to take care of your personal business, and let's see how you'll react – Vietnhi Phuvan Jul 09 '15 at 03:25
  • @VietnhiPhuvan lying is lying, I'm sorry you feel judged. – magma Jul 09 '15 at 04:50
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No, but the boss generally isn't obligated to give you that particular day off either...

keshlam
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  • Then how do I go about taking the day off? I obviously don't want my boss knowing I'm interviewing at other companies. – user2562609 Jul 07 '15 at 18:49
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    @user2562609 you say "Boss, I need XY day off." Your boss says, "why?" You say, "personal reasons." – mikeazo Jul 07 '15 at 18:54
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    @user2562609 take pto? Typically you're not obligated to tell them why you're taking your vacation, just that you would like to.Just say "I need a few personal days" if they ask. They won't probe. Your business is your business. – zfrisch Jul 07 '15 at 18:55
  • don't say 'personal reasons'. say you have to go to a marriage or some diddly umpthing better. – easymoden00b Jul 07 '15 at 19:54
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    @easymoden00b But then that's a lie - lies are hard to keep and are bad for your integrity. – Dan Jul 07 '15 at 20:50
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If it's PTO (paid time off) then no, PTO is earned, it's like salary compensation you get to use it however you see fit and don't have to disclose any of that information to your employers - just make sure you use it in the way disclosed (ie. if they require you to send an e-mail 24 hours before using to confirm you're using it or whatever) and everything will be fine. If they decide not to give you that time that you've 'earned' well that's like not giving you a pay check after you worked and there are some legal repercussions and no company wants to go through those just to pry.

If you are just 'taking time off' unpaid (say you work at McDonalds) then they aren't by any means required to give you that time off so they may pry a little since they have to fill the position for the time you were scheduled to work but again, you still don't have to disclose that information.