Quote Originally Posted by Kesnit View Post
Work at my job picks up every two months; May is one of those months. For the past 6 years, my wife and I have gone to a Beltane event that occurs mid-May. Two year ago (my first at my job) and last year, I ended up having training the Friday of the Beltane weekend, so didn't get to the event until late Friday. This year, I was determined to get there Thursday to able to do the entire event.

I don't know my May schedule until the end of April. Since the last time I asked for 2 days off during a heavy month (November 2017, for a Samhein event), I got talked to by my boss, I decided the best thing to do would be wait and confirm that I wouldn't have anything that Thursday or Friday before asking for the days off.

I got scheduled for work that Friday morning. Asking around, I got someone to cover for me, so thought I was good to ask for the time off. Nope, I got something else that morning, and the person who is covering for me does not have the certifications to cover both jobs. There is no one else who can cover for me. (Two people are in training. One person also has an event that day. The boss won't do those events. The last guy is the one who can't cover for me.)

So now, I have to hang around until Friday (rather than leaving Thursday morning), for the off chance I may have to do a 15 minute thing that may or may not happen. And since the job won't know until 8:10 if I have to do it, the event is at 8:30, and I live 30 minutes from work, there is a real chance I will have to drive in (missing all of Thursday and half of Friday) for nothing.

I am so furious. I tried to do the right thing, and I'm getting messed over for it.
Always ask for time off as far in advance as possible. Maybe not asking NOW for next May but far enough in advance so schedules can be made with that taken into account.

I'm curious as to why your boss would have been upset that you asked in advance the time before that. Unless there's some sort of policy of NOT taking vacation during the heavy months. That's a separate issue then and if so you're at the mercy of their scheduling.