What If Your Company Doesn’t Give You Leave for Your Marriage?
Synopsis
But here’s what happens when your company denies you leave to go to your wedding — a top of mind issue for many thanks to a recent very public debate about it involving a British CEO, Lauren Tickner. Tickner refused an employee’s request for leave on the grounds of continuity for the project. The article outlines the importance of knowing your rights, the review of company policies and what to do if you want to take leave around significant life events from your employer. It also points out the rift between corporate policy and practice, and broader workplace issues around work life balance and company culture.
What If Your Company Doesn’t Give You Leave for Your Marriage?
Marriage is important for any person’s life; it is a day full of happiness, anticipation, and the creation of memories that will last a lifetime. But what if your company denies your request to take leave to be at your own wedding? And while it’s hard to imagine, what’s happening today in the news is proof you can find yourself in this situation, too. Last month, denying an employee’s leave request for their wedding because they had not prepared and there was finished work left to be done sparked controversy for the head of a British marketing company, Lauren Tickner. This incident raises an important question for employees everywhere: but what if your company refuses to give you time off for this momentous occasion? What are your rights?
Understanding Your Legal Rights
Paid and unpaid leave for personal events, including weddings and some forms of pregnancy, is regulated by employment laws in many countries. But your rights hinge significantly on where you work. For example
- In the United States, federal law does not mandate paid leave for weddings, but employees may be able to use accrued vacation or unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if the situation qualifies. Some states may have more generous leave policies.
- In the United Kingdom, employees are not automatically entitled to time off for personal events like weddings unless stipulated by their employment contract or company policies. However, most employers offer some form of paid or unpaid leave for such occasions.
- Labour laws in European countries such as France or Germany are often more generous. They offer statutory paid leave for personal events like weddings, which may range from a few days to a week.
Although you don’t have a legal right to time off for your wedding, most companies are sympathetic to the personal nature of such occasions and have policies allowing time off for things like weddings.
The Disconnect Between Policies and Practice
Although your company has a policy for flexible or unlimited time off, like what Tickner’s company had, implementing these policies can often fall short. Tickner’s controversial refusal to give her employee her wedding leave, even when the company has a ‘Flexible Time Off’ policy, reflects that disconnect between what companies advertise they do and what they act on. Policies often give the impression that employees can get their work done and then use that time for themselves, but employees often feel pressure to put their work ahead of their personal lives.
Such situations can create a conundrum for employees, who have to balance their personal obligations and their fear of career repercussions. It’s unreasonable to demand that employees find a replacement or ensure that no critical work is performed when they are gone, especially on short-term leave.
What You Can Do
If your company won’t let you take leave to attend your wedding, you have to proceed diplomatically and fight for your rights.
- Know Your Contract and Policies: Read about your employment contract and company leave policies. If your company has vacation time, sick leave or a flexible time away policy, you could be entitled to time off with little direct managerial approval. You’ll have a better shot at negotiating with your employer if you understand these policies.
- Open Communication: Explain to your employer what happened. Since it may be unnecessary to justify why you want wedding leave, explaining why you’re having a wedding and how you’ve reduced disruption to work, if you can call, could help strengthen your case with your boss.
- Propose Solutions: Offer proactive solutions if your company worries about project deadlines or your team is bogged down during your absence. It could be training someone to fill in for essential work, or it could be a plan for how you’ll play catch up on missed work when you come back.
- Legal Recourse: In the more extreme cases, if you believe that your employer is being unreasonable or in breach of your contract, you might need to seek advice from an employment lawyer. They can point you to the way in the legal landscape and may even tell you if you’re on the right path regarding your rights.
- Consider the Culture Fit: If, for example, a company can’t accommodate a once-in-a-lifetime personal event like a wedding, then it may be worth considering if a company like this fits in with your long-term values. Ignoring personal life and work environment can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. Chances are you can’t change jobs on the spot, but if the problem is keeping the same, it’s worth considering.
The Bigger Picture: Work-Life Balance
More broadly, situations like Tickner’s further show a chasm in bridging corporate culture between work and life balance. Some companies have perks like unlimited time off or remote work in exchange for talent and promise, but if they aren’t done fairly, it can be confusing, frustrating and resentful.
Companies should not make offering flexible leave policies a marketing tool; they should do it because it is the right thing to do and will help support employee well-being. If not time off for a major personal event, like a wedding, it conveys the message that work is more important than anything. In due course, it brings high employee turnover, poor engagement, and a toxic culture.
Conclusion
It doesn’t make much sense when you’ve just been denied time off work to go to your wedding – especially when it’s once in a lifetime. Different countries and companies have different legal rights and company policies, but generally, advocating for yourself calmly and well-educated usually leads to a good outcome. However, in that case, the experience will likely make you wonder if you are in the right career and if you are in the right kind of environment, where your personal life is viewed just as much as your professional contributions. After all, shouldn’t a truly flexible, supportive workplace fit both?
