BootsnAll Travel Community

hi all,

a friend of mine just invited me to meet up with her in Spain for a couple of weeks of travel. sounds awesome, and i know we'd both feel better safety-wise because she's going alone. i would really like to go. BUT, i would have to leave 2 weeks from now~!

i'm not really sure how to approach this with my boss. it's very last minute, but it's kind of a rare opportunity. and i would only miss 9 days of work (i work 4 days a week to begin with) and, i would arrange to be back in time to have a day to catch up with my colleague, whom i am covering for for two months while she goes on an awesome trip.

also, i am planning to take a couple of weeks off late in the summer to go visit my boyfriend's family, which is really important. my dad tells me that i have to negotiate both right now, because if i don't they might not let me go later in the summer. i would be needing unpaid leave for one of these.

i don't see any big deal logistically because there will always be one person to cover the file. but i still feel so uncomfortable asking for time off! any tips on how to approach this, especially given the last minute nature of the first trip, and the fact that i'm trying to negotiate two trips for one summer?

thanks!!
--
UPDATE: i asked. they said yes. i booked the flight!

Well, you know your situation best of all, but since you asked for advice, here goes.

I would tell my manager exactly what you said. Something like: "I have this wonderful opportunity that suddenly came up. It would mean that I would be out of the office for 9 days but I'd be back in time to get the details on how to cover for X. I realize that I'm also taking off time in late summer, but I'm hoping that taking these two weeks won't be too much of problem. What do you think?"

Things do come up in life and a good manager will try to balance what needs to be done in the office with the desires of valuable employees he/she wants to keep.

I remember when I told my boss I was going to quit work to travel for six months in Africa. He said, "Why don't you take a leave of absence?" I told him I thought they wouldn't give it to me. He told me you don't know until you ask. I filled out the forms, he approved them, his boss approved them and even the VP approved them. So, hey I had a job when I came back. Who'd know?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. All they can say is no. And after all, if they say no, I probably wouldn't want to work there much longer any way, right?

thanks for the feedback; i'm going to cross my fingers and ask. i can't actually see any reason why they would say no, so i'm hoping it will work out. it's just such short notice, so that makes me nervous! anyway, like you said, all they can say is no; i just have to ask and hope for the best.

and if they say no with no good reason, well...i can just be bitter all summer...haha :P j/k

Typically I don't ask, I tell. I know it sounds kinda rude but i hate "asking" for time, especially when it is due. I ask in a nice way but i make it known that i'm going during that time. I'm sure people get annoyed but what are they going to do - fire me for taking a vacation? I don't like someone else holding the cards of things i get to do or not do.

Just tell them nicely a great opportunity jumped up and your grabbing it. 2 weeks is enough time anyway. Just think if they were going to lay you off they wouldn't even give you a days notice.