Notified my work weeks ago I'm leaving for a family vacation in July, tickets were bought, non-transferrable, and they are panicking, begging me to cancel
This whole situation is absurd and I need a sanity check.
I work in admin in a niche but important, multi-national industry. I am a knowledgeable, reliable cog, and I pick up alot of slack as we are incredibly short-staffed with plans to add more because "its working out fine for right now" blah blah.
My boss is going on vacation, and she and I were comparing dates and realized they line up. She immediately told me I had to cancel. I told her I can't, things are non-refundable, since I am a cog, I never considered my manager's schedule. That is not my job. She told me she could deny my PTO, and if I go, I would be released.
Great.
I go to her boss, and say "lets make a plan". They say "ok great" and I build a schedule for task coverage, including him taking a few hours each day to sit at my desk and doing my in person job of fielding industry questions (or taking their info and I'd follow up later), and I offer to log in (paid) for a couple hours every day to help support. He says "Cool, I'll present this to the higher ups."
My bosses boss told me that the higher ups think that he's "too important and high paid" to sit at a front admin office for any amount of time. Then the board comes up with a great idea, we'll just offer to reschedule MY VACATION. They offered a few hundred bucks to cover scheduling fees. I calculated the fees, they are way more than a few hundred dollars. Talking thousands as hotels, travel, transport, everything for 4 I book in advance so I can just relax. We do this because it's not just my life, but my partners summer schedule and his two kids, and their crazy schedules with sports, split custody, their bio mom's vacation plans, a whole thing.
They asked me to cancel it and go some other time. I said a firm no. The kids are finally old enough to comfortably travel internationally, they are excited, and I'm not telling them we can't go because "work won't let me". HUH???
My thing is, I'm a cog. Should I have double checked everyones calander before scheduling? Sure, but I'm not a managing party. I haven't experienced something like this in my entire working life. I've previously notified upper management of my vacation time at the beginning of the year just like this and they just say "ok great thanks for letting us know".
Why is my leaving for 7 working days leaving the office in SUCH A PANIC? There are options to resolve this, like having someone come from another department for a couple days here, another a couple days there, and I offered to support remotely. Also, my vacation is scheduled for JULY?? I tell you in February???
Also, shouldn't this be a reasonable indicator of how short-staffed a department is if TWO people being out for any extended period of time throws a wrench into everything?
Did I do something wrong? Is there something I'm not seeing?
Any insight or advice would be amazing.
ETA: I am a woman.
Jobadvisor
This situation isn't just absurd; it’s a textbook example of "Succession Planning Failure" being rebranded as an "Employee Loyalty Problem."
You are not losing your mind. You gave five months' notice for a one-week trip. In the world of professional administration, that isn't just reasonable—it’s exemplary.
Here is a sanity check on the dynamics at play and how to handle the "ultimatum" you’ve been handed.
The Reality Check: Why This is Not Your Fault
The "Cog" Fallacy: Management loves to call people "cogs" when they want to justify low pay, but "essential infrastructure" when they want to deny time off. If the departure of one admin for seven days causes a multi-national firm to collapse, you aren't a cog; you are the linchpin. They are paying for a cog but relying on a foundation.
The Manager’s Duty: It is the manager’s job to coordinate team calendars, not the subordinate's job to cross-reference their boss's personal life before booking a flight. If she booked her trip without checking the team calendar first, she failed at a basic managerial task.
The "Too Expensive" Paradox: If your grand-boss is "too expensive" to sit at a desk for a few hours, then the company should find the money to hire the temp or additional staff they’ve been putting off. Their refusal to spend money on staffing is not a debt you owe them from your personal life.
The "Hidden" Factors You Might Be Missing
Since you asked if there’s something you aren't seeing:
The Power Play: Your boss likely feels embarrassed that she didn't catch the overlap earlier. By demanding you cancel, she’s trying to "fix" her oversight by making it your problem.
The Bluff: They are panicking because they know they are understaffed. However, firing the "knowledgeable, reliable" person who keeps the office running while they are already short-staffed is a suicidal business move. They are using the threat of termination to see if you’ll blink first.
Strategy for Moving Forward
Since you have already said a "firm no," the ball is in their court. Here is how to maintain your ground without being "difficult":
The Financial Reality: If they bring up the "rescheduling fee" again, don't just say it's expensive. Bring a line-item total. "The cost to move this trip for four people is $6,500. Unless the company is prepared to cut a check for that amount today, rescheduling is not a financial possibility for my family."
Stop Offering to Work: Your offer to work remotely for two hours a day was generous, but they've responded with threats of firing you. Rescind that offer. If you are "replaceable" enough to be fired for taking a vacation, you are "replaceable" enough that they don't need your support while you're on a beach.
The "Release" Bluff: If your boss mentions being "released" again, stay calm. "I understand that is a choice the company can make. My vacation remains scheduled for July. I’ve provided a coverage plan; I’d prefer to focus on making that transition smooth before I leave."
The Bottom Line
You notified them in February for a July trip. You followed every standard professional protocol. Their inability to staff a department to survive a one-week overlap is a business failure, not a personal failing on your part.
If they fire a high-performing, knowledgeable admin in the middle of a staffing crisis over a one-week vacation, they deserve the chaos that follows.
Management ghosted me to "finish the system themselves." A month later they're drowning and shocked I'm not rushing in to save them.
Management at a nonprofit client decided they didn't need my "expensive" hours and the ED who has been there just over a year, took over my technical project management tools because she wanted to ‘show how its done’. They told me I was off project, ghosted me for a month and their finall message was they would get in contact if they needed me in April.
So I stopped working, found 4 other clients, already signed 2 contracts and am waiting for 2 more contracts.
This week they called me to "onboard" me for the new year in april. I told them I’m now capped at 10 hours a week because I’m fully booked. They tried to guilt-trip me into "accommodating" more time. I told them my priority clients come first and hinted at the $ per hour amounts that I am getting so they know I have better options.
The best part? They admitted the tools the ED took over are totally broken/unfinished. They’re facing a $500k end of fiscal year nightmare, the second stage of system redo is coming up and haven’t done anything to prepare for, or to fix it.
What’s the best way to handle the inevitable "Emergency" call I'm going to get in two weeks when they realize they're screwed?
Jobadvisor
This is a classic case of "Found Out" meeting "F* Around."** The Executive Director (ED) didn't just sideline you; she insulted your professional value by claiming your hours were too expensive while simultaneously assuming your technical project management was so simple she could "show how it's done."
Since you already have your roster filled with higher-paying, more respectful clients, you hold all the leverage. You aren't just a "cog" here—you are the fire department, and they’ve already burned the building down.
Here is how to handle the inevitable "Emergency" call with professional detachment and a touch of "I told you so" (without actually saying it):
1. The "Rush Fee" Strategy
When they call in a panic because that $500k nightmare is staring them in the face, do not accept your old rate. Emergencies caused by management negligence carry a premium.
The Script: "I understand this is a critical deadline. However, as I mentioned, my schedule is currently committed to priority contracts. To reorganize my workload and address this immediately, my 'Emergency/Ad-hoc' rate is [Your Standard Rate + 50-100%] per hour, with a 5-hour minimum retainer paid upfront."
The Why: This forces them to acknowledge the value of your "expensive" hours. If they balk, you simply wish them luck and hang up.
2. The Hard Boundary on "Consulting" vs. "Doing"
They are going to want you to "fix" the broken tools the ED touched. This is a trap. If you step in and it’s still broken, they’ll blame you.
The Script: "I can certainly provide a diagnostic report on where the system failed during the ED's transition, but I cannot guarantee a fix by your fiscal deadline given the current state of the data. I can offer 5 hours of 'Advisory' time a week to guide your internal team on how to patch it."
3. Maintain the "Mercenary" Tone
Nonprofits are notorious for using "The Mission" as a weapon to guilt-trip contractors. Since you are already capped, you have the ultimate shield: Math.
When they say: "But the mission/the community depends on this!"
You say: "I value the mission deeply, which is why I’m being transparent about my capacity. Giving you more than 10 hours would result in subpar work for you and my other clients, which wouldn't serve the organization well."
4. The "Paper Trail" of Competence
If you do take the 10 hours, document everything. Send a weekly status report that explicitly states: "As of [Date], the system remains [Status] due to the changes made in March. Current progress is [X]%." ---
The Reality Check
They ghosted you to save money. Now they are going to lose far more than your hourly rate in "fiscal nightmare" costs. That is a result of the ED's ego, not your unavailability.
You are a business now, not a "helpful admin." If they can't afford your new reality, they can't afford to be saved.
Write a review for a company i never worked for?
Long story short (i won’t name drop here) i applied for a position in company, in an industry i had 2 years of experience in. i want to continue working in this industry‚ but can no longer in the same position i used to‚ due to a disability. this was an office position. i was contacted for an interview shortly after applying! i thought the interview went well‚ and was told to expect a response by the following week… but ive since been basically ghosted. i reached out to the manager that interviewed me a few times in the weeks following‚ and was told: “we’re still interviewing”‚ “you are one of the candidates we are considering”‚ and “we’re waiting for HR to write the official job offer letter”, “you’ll hear from us next week”‚ etc.
it’s been nearly two months since i applied‚ a month and a half since i interviewed. i have not reached out to them any more‚ and have still not been told anything. the indeed listing says they’re “still interviewing” for that same position. where and how can i leave a review for the abysmal communication? indeed and glassdoor both require me to have been an employee to leave reviews‚ but i don’t think i even want to work there anymore after this experience.
Jobadvisor
Actually, both Indeed and Glassdoor have specific sections for Interview Reviews. You don’t need to have been an employee to leave feedback on their hiring process, and in this case, you absolutely should.
Two months of "the check is in the mail" regarding an offer letter is beyond unprofessional—it’s "hiring malpractice." It sounds like they are "bench-warming" you (keeping you on the hook as a backup while they hunt for someone else), which is a massive red flag.
Where to Post
Glassdoor: Go to the company page, click "Add Review," and select "Interview Review." It will ask about the difficulty, the outcome (select "No offer" or "Declined"), and the process.
Indeed: Search the company, go to "Reviews," and look for a button or tab that says "Review a Job" or "Add an Interview." 3. Google Maps: If they have a physical office, a professional 1-star review regarding their business communication is often the most effective because it's public-facing.
How to Write It (The "Professional Burn")
The goal isn't to sound angry; it’s to sound objective. Other candidates need to know that this company wastes time and lacks transparency.
Suggested Review Text:
Headline: Exceptional Lack of Communication / Ghosted after "Offer" mention
Pros: Initial interview was pleasant and timely.
Cons: After the interview, I was repeatedly told for over a month that they were "waiting for HR to write the official offer letter" and to expect it "next week." After several follow-ups with the same empty promises, communication ceased entirely.
Advice to Management: If a candidate is no longer being considered, simply tell them. Stringing professionals along with claims of a pending offer letter—while keeping the job posting active for two months—is disrespectful of candidates' time and damaging to your brand's reputation in this industry.
A Note on the "Disability" Aspect
You mentioned you moved to an office role due to a disability. While it’s hard to prove, if they were enthusiastic until they realized you needed a specific "office-based" path, their stalling could be a subtle (and illegal) pivot.
Regardless of their "why," their "how" was cowardly. You’ve already landed two new contracts with other clients—clearly, you are the talent they are losing out on.