Employee Questions Supervisor’s Right to Schedule Annual Leave Without Consent

A Singaporean worker recently turned to the Reddit community to question whether her supervisor had the right to schedule her annual leave without her consent, after an issue arose regarding her request for time off during Chinese New Year.

The worker shared her dilemma on Reddit’s Ask Singapore forum on Sunday, January 5, revealing that she had initially requested leave for the Chinese New Year holiday. However, when she later checked her annual leave schedule, she was dismayed to find her request had been denied. Even more concerning was the discovery that her supervisor had already assigned two weeks of her annual leave for other periods, without consulting her beforehand.

“I’ve noticed my supervisor is scheduling my leave for dates I don’t want without asking,” she wrote. “Is this allowed? And is there a way to report this?” she asked fellow users on the platform.

In response, several Singaporean Reddit users explained that it is generally acceptable for supervisors to manage leave schedules, especially as part of team manpower planning. This practice is designed to ensure adequate staffing and to avoid multiple employees being off at the same time, which could disrupt business operations.

One Redditor commented, “Leave is an entitlement, but when it is taken can depend on company policy. You should be able to change your dates.” Another agreed, adding, “Yes, it’s allowed. It’s part of planning to ensure business continuity.”

However, not everyone shared the same view. A few users suggested that the worker should directly approach her supervisor to resolve the issue. One Redditor advised, “Talk to your supervisor and ask for clarification. They cannot force you to take leave and should explain why your request was blocked. If you’re not satisfied, consider contacting HR if available.”

According to Omni HR, a Singapore-based HR platform, employers cannot arbitrarily reject an employee’s request for annual leave without a valid reason. If a requested leave period coincides with busy work periods, such as during peak seasons or key deadlines, employers are allowed to suggest alternative dates for leave.

However, employees cannot be forced to take leave against their will, and the final decision on when to take leave remains the employee’s prerogative.