Global speaker and author Chris Donnelly recently shared a story about an employee named Molly who faced a professional dispute with her boss, Kate.
Molly’s pre-approved birthday leave was unexpectedly revoked, leading to a tense situation. In three videos, Donnelly detailed how a lack of professionalism and disregard for boundaries contributed to a breakdown in their working relationship.
A Birthday Request Overlooked
In the first video, Donnelly describes Molly’s initial conversation with her boss, Kate, about her birthday leave. Molly reminded Kate of their previous agreement, where she had scheduled March 22 off to celebrate with her family. The leave had been previously approved, and Molly was assured of her plans.
However, Kate’s response was less than supportive. “Molly, I’m really swamp and haven’t looked the schedule yet. Are you sure you need the whole day?” she asked. Molly reiterated that the request had been discussed and approved earlier.
Reluctantly, Kate agreed, but with a warning: “Make sure we were task to hand it in properly.” Molly assured her that she had prepared everything and would double-check. Twenty days later, Molly confirmed that her work had been transferred and that her leave was scheduled to start.
However, Kate unexpectedly changed plans, stating, “I need you to finish the slides for next week’s presentation tomorrow.” This surprised Molly, who had planned her birthday celebration based on Kate’s earlier approval.
When Molly reminded Kate of their initial agreement, Kate was adamant that the leave had not been approved, adding that her absence would “reflect badly” on her. Despite Molly’s objections, Kate offered a compromise, suggesting that Molly could leave at 5 PM—the usual end of their workday.
As Donnelly highlights in the video, this was a precise instance of a boss overruling an employee’s legitimate request, forcing Molly to accept the disappointing fact that she could not take her birthday off.
Molly’s Bold Decision: Immediate Resignation
In the second part of the story, Donnelly reveals the profound impact this incident had on Molly. Despite initially complying with Kate’s demands, Molly made a courageous decision the following day: she emailed Human Resources to resign immediately.
“Dear HR team, I am writing to formally resign from my position. I immediately attached a screenshot to my WhatsApp conversation from March 21 between my supervisor Kate and myself, where she initially approved my day off for March 22, which is also my birthday,” Molly wrote.
“Despite this approval. Kate later demanded that I cancel my plans and come to work, which was not only a direct contradiction of her previous approval but also handled in a rude and patronising manner. Furthermore, I am attaching additional instances where Kate has demonstrated a similar unprofessional behaviour towards me,” she noted in her resignation.
Molly further highlighted how Kate’s behaviour had adversely affected her mental health and job satisfaction, citing other examples of disrespectful and dismissive treatment. Donnelly commends Molly’s bravery in taking such a decisive action, suggesting that this could be a turning point for Molly and others who may have faced similar mistreatment under Kate’s leadership.
HR’s Response And Molly’s Final Decision
In the final video, Donnelly shares HR’s response to Molly’s resignation. HR regretted losing a valuable employee and assured Molly that they would take her allegations seriously.
They launched an investigation into Kate’s behaviour and confirmed that Kate would receive a formal warning. Additionally, HR offered to discuss potential solutions to keep Molly within the company, acknowledging her contributions and expressing their desire to retain her.
Despite HR’s seemingly reasonable response, Molly remained steadfast in her decision to leave. As Donnelly recounted, Molly’s reply was, “No, I’m not interested.” Two weeks later, Molly successfully found a new job where her managers would respect her boundaries and time off.
Can My Employer Cancel A Pre-Booked Holiday?
Yes, your employer can cancel a pre-booked holiday, but some limitations exist. According to Landau Law Solicitors, your employer must give you at least the same amount of notice as the length of the cancelled leave.
For example, if you have booked four days of annual leave, they must give you at least four days’ notice. However, your employer cannot cancel your leave if it would prevent you from taking your full statutory annual leave entitlement for the year.
If your employer cancels your leave without a valid business reason and it causes you financial loss due to a cancelled holiday, you might have a case for constructive dismissal. You must prove that the cancellation breached the implied duty of mutual trust and confidence between you and your employer.
This story, as shared by Chris Donnelly, powerfully reminds us of the importance of respect and professionalism in the workplace. Molly’s experience underscores how a failure to honor employee agreements—especially concerning something as personal as a birthday—can undermine trust and lead to disengagement.
Similarly, an employee resigned after their boss threatened termination for not working during previously approved paid time off (PTO). In another instance, a worker resigned after their employer ignored their burnout and requested increased flexibility despite working late nights and weekends without compensation.
