People freaking I’m going to be off for 10 days

[Tradd]

I’ve been at current job for 9 months. I get two weeks vacation a year. I didn’t take ANY days off and saved them so I could go down to north FL cave country and cave dive. Never been down there before.
As I’m a customs broker/do international shipping, my workload has to be covered while I’m off. My customs department coworker will do the vast majority of my workload. It’s a coworker or two the import department who are freaking out. They have to take back stuff that they used to do, that I took over when I started. One customer actually told me I needed to cancel my vacation. She was serious. Threatened to call the owners of my small company to have them cancel my vacation. I told her that was a crazy idea and how would she like it if I called her boss to tell him a vacation of hers needed to be canceled. She shut up immediately. There’s no reason for her to act like that. No massive amounts of stuff coming in. She’s just used yo dealing with me and wants it to stay that way.

It tends to be slower over the holidays. A lot of customers are taking both the 23rd-24th off, not just the 24th. Some close for the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s.

This is the first time ever I’ve taken a real vacation at the holidays and selfish twats want me to cancel? Screw that.

[sweetana3]

It really just shows how good your work and communication is with your customers. They are afraid that they won't get the same service with anyone else. My usual response is if I get hit by a bus, others have to be able to pick up the work and keep going. Of course the other employees are going to freak out because they are also afraid that something will happen. Have a great time.

[jp1]

That's awesome that you are getting to take a nice long vacation, and it sounds like it will be very enjoyable too!

[catherine]

Yeah, don't give it up! They'll manage.

[ToomuchStuff]

If you did, it would get worse.

In 2017 my late bosses stepson, had a falling out with them, and quit. I was supposed to be going on a four day vacation, first time in 20 years, two weeks later.
The next week, his stepdad, had emergency surgery and was off for six months. I lost that opportunity (class that was scheduled), and worked 80 hours a week while he was off.
Now it is worse, he passed (similar thing) and I am now an owner.

[bae]

Sounds like it is definitely time for a well-deserved vacation!

[jp1]

Hearing these stories makes me realize how lucky I am. One of my formal work objectives every year is to take at least 17 pto days and not check email or voicemail when out of the office. My email forwards to a group inbox when I am out.

[Tradd]

That's awesome that you are getting to take a nice long vacation, and it sounds like it will be very enjoyable too!

Forgot to mention I get 7 days as it was prorated as I didn’t work the full year. So with Christmas being in on a Saturday, that gave me another day as we get the 24th off. So I took this Friday off to get a head start on my drive. 16 hours. Two days. Nashville will be my stopping point both ways.

[Tradd]

Oh, hell, I’m not giving up my vacation!

[jp1]

Forgot to mention I get 7 days as it was prorated as I didn’t work the full year. So with Christmas being in on a Saturday, that gave me another day as we get the 24th off. So I took this Friday off to get a head start on my drive. 16 hours. Two days. Nashville will be my stopping point both ways.

That's awesome that you were able to work your vacation around the extra holiday time off. Honestly, everyone should be able to have at least one full week away from work every year where they don't have to think about it. The mental health benefit from being able to truly disconnect and unwind would surely make for more efficient employees during the rest of the year.

I look forward to reading about it after you get back. Drive safely!