by Typically, obtaining time off requires requesting vacation weeks and in advance, and obtaining prior approval from the boss.
One woman did just that and was still asked if she could trade her vacation time with another employee so she could take her kids to Disney World.
The woman says she took Christmas week off to see her family.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed nearly 10 million times, Evie Marie explains how a mother she worked with gave her a hard time after refusing to swap vacation weeks with her so she could raise her children to Disney World over the Christmas holidays.
Marie merged her video with that of another TikTok user (_cal_cifer), in which she argues that vacation time at work shouldn’t be a priority for those who choose to have children.
Marie jumped up to share her own experience of the situation. She explains that she used to work for a company and had to move to another country to work there.
“I worked with this woman, let’s call her Karen, who had two children,” she explains. “I also just want to mention that she and I got along very well up until this incident.”
Marie says she knew she wanted to take Christmas week off from work that year.
“I wanted to see my family, I was homesick and announced my departure for this week like months in advance,” she says.
She had also sent her boss several emails over the months to remind him of her vacation.
The week before Marie’s vacation, her boss asked her if she could change her vacation time.
“That was the week before the break and I’m so excited,” says Marie. “I’ve already packed, my family is expecting me, I have friends who are expecting me, I’m expecting me!”
But Marie’s boss, whom she calls “Bob”, called her into his office.
“He said, ‘Hey Evie, listen, I know you’re planning to go on vacation, but I’ve spoken to Karen and she’s decided that she really wants to take her kids to Disney World during recess.” , says Marie.
Bob asked Marie if she “could find it in her heart” to let Karen take her time off to be with her kids.
Marie explained that Bob also has children and that he leans more in Karen’s favor.
Still, Marie stood her ground and told her boss that she wasn’t going to give Karen her vacation time.
“I was like, ‘You know Bob, I did what you said, I searched my heart, and it turns out there’s nothing in my heart that would make me want to give her my week “, she says.
She also reminded her boss that she had announced her vacation months in advance, and was told that her co-worker had only discussed her plans to go to Disney World to evict her children that morning.
“I was like, ‘Look, I’m sorry, that sucks that she can’t take her kids to Disney World, but I’m not giving her my week,'” says Marie.
Marie’s boss told her that she had to tell Karen herself that she wasn’t giving her a holiday.
“I walked right out of his office, went straight to her desk and I was like, ‘Listen Karen, I just spoke to Bob and I know he said you’re taking your kids and I wanted to give you my week, but I’m sorry I won’t do that,” says Marie.
“I’m sure you could bring your kids to Disney World at another scheduled time.”
Marie claims Karen was angry with her.
“She got so angry that the claim was unreal,” says Marie. Karen argued with Marie that she “didn’t understand” and that her children “needed to spend time with their mother.”
“I was like, ‘Karen, I hear you, but I haven’t seen my family in a year, you live with your kids, you see them every day,'” says Marie.
Despite this, Karen kept shooting back at her, crying at one point and arguing that Marie “had no idea what it was like to love like that” since she hadn’t experienced motherhood.
“I was like, ‘You know what, Karen, that’s probably true, but I’m about to experience this vacation, see you in a week,'” says Marie.
TikTok users seemed to agree with Marie in the comments.
“Karen” overreacted. Disney will be there next year. I hope you had a great trip with your family!” wrote one user.
“I’m a mom and a brother, how not to book Disney MONTHS in advance,” pointed out another user.
“Family is NOT the same as children. It can mean parents, brothers, aunts, uncles or important others. We want to spend time with OUR families, even if we don’t have kids,” commented another user.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango covering entertainment and news, self, love and relationships.
