Hello, I just want to vent to fellow travelers. I have weird circumstances. I have had a trip to Paris/Norm/Brit planned since Feb. I have all reservations made, ff Business Elite (first time in my life), hotels, apt. in Paris and car rental. I got travel insurance with preexisting condition covered due to having asthma.

I am now very sick with asthma and have been on bedrest for 1 week, not allowed to work.
I will have to use 32 precious hours of my paid time off to cover this week. This will leave me barely enough time to cover my 15 night trip. We are not allowed to take time off without pay, even if we choose. My trip ins. is nt going to pay of course for an illness in July causing cancellation of trip in Oct. I never call out sick because I would have no time left for vacation. I usually drag myself there no matter but this time I was too short of breath to make it. I of course have a MD letter but it is very frowned upon to be sick on a Holiday. I would loose 440 euro apt. deposit and who knows when I could get ff ticket again. I am trying to think of options besides cancelling.

I just wanted to get this off my chest.

You must really feel stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I would urge you to think of the following:

1. The travel insurance might indeed cover your lost apartment deposit, if indeed you do lose it...

2. Moreover, I would urge you to write to the landlord/agency and tell them just what you told us. There is a good shot at re-renting, with thi much lead time, and it would only take a bit of compassion to bend the rules on the deposit for you. You never know if you don't ask.

3. I would call the airline ASAP and ask about alternative return dates (and maybe use fewer miles - -"fall back" to coach? save more miles for future travel) - - this is assuming you contemplate salvaging the trip, but simply making it shorter.

Best wishes,

Rex

This must be really upsetting - but don't give up hope.

Definitely contact the airline to see if you can change your return flight. You can cut the trip back to 12 or 13 days, have enough leave time, and still use the apartment in Paris.

Even if you can't change the return flight - you could buy an economy flight for the return. It will cost more but not as much as losing everything else.

Your employer's policy of not allowing time off without pay, although not unusual these days I suppose, seems unreasonable. Have you spoken with your supervising executive (or higher) to see if there's something you can work out? Are the rules so rigid that you couldn't work one extra hour without pay once or twice a week (or a few Saturdays) between now and October to "bank" some vacation time? What are the company's rules if you exhaust your sick and holiday time off and miss additional days of work due to illness? Why is this situation different?

Hi gg,

Sorry to hear about this.

>My trip ins. is nt going to pay of course for an illness in July causing cancellation of trip in Oct.<

Did you actually file a claim?

Employees who work 'on the clock' are non-exempt and must have their overtime hours calculated with the same workweek - that does not allow 'off the clock' time worked to be 'banked' for future use.
ggnga is actually very wise to schedule vacation toward the end of the year; were she to use it early in the year and <i>then</i> get sick, that would truly be a dilemma.

I want to beg for mercy at work but do not want to bring up vacation while being out sick on a big Holiday weekend is fresh on their minds. However, I need to move soon on cancelations etc to be fair. I could take the whole trip minus the week's apt. rental at the end
and it wouldn't be so bad, BUT of course I can cancel the other reservations without penalty at this point. Also, I have been to Paris many times and would rather cancel the apt. there than my trip to Norm/Brit I also thought of seeing if I could shorten the trip as you suggested, maybe keep the apt. in Paris rather than loose it and do a day trip or overnight to
Rouen and/or Honfleur. I might save a longer trip around Norm/Brit for a time with my husband. That is if I can change the air reservation.

Once you exhaust your paid time off which has sick and vacation all lumped together, (I hate it), you have to take a medical leave without pay. I can be sick without pay as long as I do not have any paid time off, but I must exhaust it first.

I think I rambled a bit, but I hope you got the gist.

Thanks for your suggestions and support.

No Ira, I did not file a claim. This just happened and I am feeling rotten and dazed by cough meds and steroids.
I am sure I will figure out something.

I should go to bed before I &quot;loose&quot; my mind.

Thanks again.

gg

Just an update. I am feeling better. I talked with my supervisor and she is letting me use my Holiday pay for July 4 instead of PTO which will help me...AND I am going to work 4 extra shifts in August to cover for someone else's vacation and they will let me have comp time. I am so excited.

When you are sick and stuck in your house for a week, everything looks bleak. I am so thankful for my mostly good health and that I have been able to travel as much as I already have.

Good health and happy travels to all.

gg

Sounds like you work for humans and not a time clock after all. Happy trails on your vacation.