‘Times are changing’: Manager praises employee’s candid leave request to spend time with girlfriend

A viral post on LinkedIn shared by a manager has struck a nerve online, opening up a wider conversation about how workplaces handle leave, honesty, and personal boundaries. The post, which quickly gained traction on the platform, featured a screenshot of an employee’s leave request email - and it was not the usual vague explanation many are used to seeing.

The employee asked for a day off on 16 December, spelling out the reason plainly. His girlfriend was set to leave for her hometown in Uttarakhand the next day and would not be back until early January. He wanted to spend time with her before she left.

“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,” read the email.

Check the post here.

Changing norms

Sharing the screenshot, the manager added his own commentary, reflecting on how such situations were often handled in the past. He suggested that years ago, the same request might have shown up as a last-minute sick leave message.

“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,” he wrote.

That line, especially, struck a chord. Many users praised both the employee’s openness and the manager’s response, calling it a sign of healthier communication at work.

Netizens react

Not everyone agreed that transparency should go this far. Some users questioned why employees feel compelled to explain personal reasons at all.

“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,” one user wrote.

Another echoed that sentiment, adding, “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.”

Others took a warmer view of the email itself. “That's really a genuine leave request. Yes, for love and care, it can be always Yes,” a commenter said.

One response, however, highlighted the flip side of radical honesty. “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,” the user wrote, pointing to examples like taking leave to binge-watch a new series or queue for an iPhone launch.

Is leave a ‘favour’ or a ‘right’?

Another comment cut straight to the heart of the issue. “I love the sentiment in this post, but I think it misses something important about how leave actually works in a healthy modern workplace,” the user wrote. “Leave is not a favor managers ‘approve.’ It is an earned benefit, part of compensation,” the person added.

The user stated that in their team, leave is not approved at all. “My typical response is ‘noted’ and not ‘approved’. I simply note the absence and make sure the work is covered,” a comment read.