An ICU nurse resigned after her manager revoked an approved week-long Christmas vacation — requested and approved in July — so a colleague with a newborn could have the holiday off. HR reviewed the case and backed the manager, prompting the nurse to hand in her notice and leave the day before Thanksgiving. Co-workers were divided, while many online commenters sided with the nurse for protecting a long-planned family trip. The incident highlights conflicts over holiday scheduling and the need for clear leave policies.
ICU Nurse Quits After Manager Revokes Approved Christmas Leave to Give It to New Mom
An ICU nurse resigned after her manager revoked an approved week-long Christmas vacation — requested and approved in July — so a colleague with a newborn could have the holiday off. HR reviewed the case and backed the manager, prompting the nurse to hand in her notice and leave the day before Thanksgiving. Co-workers were divided, while many online commenters sided with the nurse for protecting a long-planned family trip. The incident highlights conflicts over holiday scheduling and the need for clear leave policies.
12:54 AM, 11/15/2025Society
An ICU nurse resigned after her manager rescinded a previously approved week-long Christmas vacation so a colleague with a newborn could have the holiday off.
Approved leave pulled months later
The nurse, who said she was widowed five years ago and does not have children, told Reddit she had covered every major holiday — Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s — for six consecutive years. In July she requested and received approval for the week of Christmas so she could travel to Europe with her recently retired parents to visit relatives and enjoy the Christmas markets.
A last-minute scheduling reversal
In late October her manager called her into the office and informed her the approved leave would be taken away so a co-worker with a newborn could have the holiday off. The nurse says the co-worker had not worked holidays the previous year and was not scheduled for any this year. She also said she had already made non-refundable travel arrangements.
“My vacation was approved back in July and I would not cancel my trip so someone who failed to request time in a timely manner could have it just because she had a baby,” she wrote.
According to the nurse, the manager said holiday priority was being given to employees with children. When HR reviewed the situation, she says HR found no policy violations and sided with management. Faced with the choice of giving up her approved leave or staying, the nurse submitted her resignation; her final day will be the day before Thanksgiving.
Mixed reactions and the wider issue
Back at the unit, colleagues were divided: some criticized her for not "sucking it up" to let the new mother have Christmas, while many online readers and Reddit commenters supported her for protecting long-planned family time after years of covering holidays. Supporters noted that employees without children still have meaningful family commitments and that approved, non-refundable plans deserve respect.
Takeaway: The dispute highlights tensions around holiday scheduling, fairness and how employers prioritize requests — especially when policies are informal or applied inconsistently. It underlines the importance of clear, consistent time-off policies and respectful communication when plans are already approved.