Employee asks for leave to spend time with girlfriend, honest email lauded by manager: 'Times are changing'

The post received widespread engagement from LinkedIn users, many of whom supported both the employee’s openness and the manager’s response.

A LinkedIn post shared by a manager triggered a wider discussion on how workplace expectations around leave and transparency were changing, after the post gained traction on the professional networking platform.

The post featured a screenshot of an email sent by an employee requesting leave for a personal reason. In the email, the employee asked for a day off on December 16, explaining that his girlfriend was scheduled to leave for her hometown in Uttarakhand the following day and would not return until early January. He stated that he wished to spend time with her before her departure.

“Hi Sir, I wanted to request a leave on 16th December. My girlfriend is leaving for her home in Uttarakhand on the 17th and won't be back until early January, so I'd like to spend that day with her before she leaves. Let me know if this works,” the email read.

Alongside the screenshot, the manager offered commentary on how similar situations might have been handled earlier. Reflecting on past workplace practices, the manager suggested that such requestswere often framed differently years ago.

“Received this in my inbox recently. A decade ago, this would’ve come as a sudden ‘sick leave’ message at 9:15 AM. Today, it’s a transparent request sent well in advance. Times are changing. And honestly? I prefer this version. Can’t say no to love, can we? Leave approved,” the manager wrote.

The post received widespread engagement from LinkedIn users, many of whom supported both the employee’s openness and the manager’s response.

One user questioned the broader expectation of disclosing personal reasons for time off, writing, “Having to give reasons for personal leave is sad. We need to do better. It should be nobody's business whether to meet his boyfriend, or his dog's girlfriend.”

Another user echoed similar concerns about workplace norms, stating, “Still wonder why there’s a need to try so hard to justify personal leave. A healthy work culture should trust people enough that saying, ‘I need a personal day,’ is sufficient.”

A third comment viewed the request more positively, describing it as reasonable and sincere. “That's really a genuine leave request. Yes, for love and care, it can be always Yes,” the user wrote.

"I appreciate the way today’s generation is more open and transparent in their communication—it certainly helps managers plan better and builds trust. But at times, this very transparency can put us in slightly awkward situations. For instance, when someone says they need leave because they want to binge-watch a newly released series, it leaves us wondering how to respond without sounding judgmental. Even personal reasons like “I’m taking the day off to stand in line for the new iPhone launch” or “I need time off because my pet is feeling low” can make the manager feel caught between empathy and professionalism," a user remarked.

Another user added, "I love the sentiment in this post, but I think it misses something important about how leave actually works in a healthy modern workplace. Leave is not a favor managers “approve.” It is an earned benefit, part of compensation, and employees should not have to justify being human to access it. In my team, I do not "approve" leave at all. My typical response is "noted" and not "approved". I simply note the absence and make sure the work is covered. That is it."